When pride still matters

Chapter 498: Countdown to the Empire’s Downfall (Unity)

After the Sonics beat the Spurs, those in the media close to them began to feel optimistic about the future.

The Seattle Times wrote: "Tylenn Lue may not be the best successor, but he is certainly the best coach for Frye after George Karl. Because only he knows how Frye came out of the basketball hell in DC. Come out!”

It is easy to be caught in such arbitrary arguments.

The Los Angeles Times quoted this opinion: "So, Kwame Brown can also become the head coach of the Sonics."

The Washington Post's intervention has given the media debate an incredible amount of unintentional comedy.

The Post recommends that the Sonics hire Michael Jordan as coach.

Because, instead of letting those who have experienced the same hardships with Yu Fei as coaches, it is better to get it right in one step and directly let the person who created the suffering create brand new suffering.

Moreover, Hua Post has a particularly good reason: "Based on Frye's experience after leaving DC, we can draw the conclusion that trolls create suffering, and people who are strong and unyielding in suffering will create great things. Create great things." The great man will eventually become a troll who brings suffering. In order to break this eternal historical cycle, we will bring the great man back to a state of suffering, so that he will be reborn for the second time in suffering!"

The media banter surrounding the Seattle Times's opinion faded with the arrival of another sports story.

Golf god "Tiger" Woods, who was ruined by the cheating scandal at the end of last year, held a press conference under the arrangement of his agent team.

This press conference was broadcast live across the United States, and countless people watched the live broadcast, including Yu Fei.

For Reebok, Woods' fall is a sign of the unraveling of Nike's sports empire.

Because Woods is currently the only GOAT athlete who has shared weal and woe with Nike. However, after the scandal, Woods lost more than 2 million U.S. dollars in endorsement fees, and Nike suffered an indirect loss of 1 million U.S. dollars. Now, he has suspended his competition and wants to apologize to the public and explain why he made a mistake.

This is the most dramatic scene. Yu Fei originally "predicted" Woods' scandal, and when asked by reporters about Woods' next plan, he said: "Before he plays the sex addiction card, I have nothing to say."

As a result, Woods actually said in this press conference that his huge list of infidelity is because he has mental illness in this area and needs to receive treatment.
Before the incident, Yu Feifa's last tweet was about the discussion of wizards on the Internet.

Yu Fei said: "Why are the wizards in legends all female, but we believe they are always naked and evil? Because the people who spread these stories are damn men."

This tweet has thousands of replies, all from Yufei fans.

But after Woods’ press conference, the number of replies quickly exceeded 10,000.

"Mr. Wizard, what should the tiger do next?"

This reply not only filled Yu Fei’s Twitter, but also quickly reached the top of the trending searches.

Woods' business myth was shattered so quickly that Nike had no remedial measures. The person who drove the pace was Yu Fei.

It can be anyone, but only Yu Fei can infinitely amplify the damage.

Yu Fei's disruption will make those who watch Woods' myth shattered think of Frye as the only remaining sports hero?
Such notions may undoubtedly offend Michael Phelps, Federer, Nadal and the unparalleled Usain Bolt, but who we are as Americans matters, and so does our sport. Phelps is an underwater god, but swimming will only arouse people's interest when the World Series comes. As for several others, non-American factors doomed them not to be sports heroes in the eyes of Americans.

For most Americans, sports are about the left and right hands, football is for the left hand, baseball is for the right hand, and basketball and ice hockey are secondary sports. But the baseball god died half a century ago, and his greatest pop culture legacy became a footnote in history as the Red Sox won the World Series at the turn of the century. There is no god in football, and people may spend a lot of time arguing about who is the best, Brady or Montana, but the reality is that the influence of American football is limited to the United States.

For a sport to give birth to a god, it must have cross-regional influence. Basketball stands out under such circumstances. Jordan's myth is synchronized with the globalization of the NBA, which has created a unique mark of the times for generations. As for Yu Fei, he has been cursed by God since his debut - Jordan personally traded him to Milwaukee, and it turned out to be the stupidest trade in NBA history. It only took him nine years to equal Jordan's number. Kudos, now, as long as he takes one step further, the GOAT debate is over.

If television media has killed traditional journalism, then the advent of the Internet era is destined to kill the news media that have been popular for half a century.

This is an opportunity for Yu Fei to surpass Jordan.

Nike tried its best to prevent this from happening. Woods' achievements in the field of golf are no less than Jordan's, but now, a person who is saddled with a scandal cannot be compared with the young god in the clear sky.

While Nike's stock price and product attractiveness have all declined, Reebok's market value and products have experienced a surge.

As the soul of the whole thing, Yu Fei was unaware of the changes around him.

His enemies tried their best to find scandals about him, but all they could find was that his love life was somewhat corrupt.

Since Yu Fei broke up with Hendricks Christina, he has become a person with no fixed abode.

Why does it matter that Leonardo DiCaprio would never touch the hand of a woman over the age of 25? For celebrities, as long as they can clearly handle their relationships with the opposite sex, the outside world doesn't care how many women they have been with. This is why gossip cannot defeat Yu Fei.

However, the media did not believe that Yu Fei had no other problems.

Therefore, they launched a blind spot surveillance on Fei.

The fall of Woods is a symbol of the peak of Yu Fei's business empire, and it is also the point at which his life will be penetrated without blind spots.

As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the SuperSonics usher in the second game of the Tyronn Lue era.

They play on the road against the Houston Rockets.

The strength of the two teams is not on the same level, but Yao Huang played like Gobert with a 40% three-point shooting rate tonight. He shot 9 of 5 from the outside and 33 points, 7 rebounds and 6 blocks. build.

As for the Sonics, they didn't have the same sense of urgency they had against the Spurs.

When the sense of urgency is insufficient, coaches are often needed to mobilize the passion of the players, but Lu is lacking in this aspect, and even the rhythm of calling timeouts is far behind.

The Sonics were unexpectedly upset and lost to the Rockets.

After the game, Yao Huang asked Yu Fei with a smile: "What's going on with your coach? Do you want to wait for the next game?"

"Don't let me see you in the playoffs!" Yu Fei said unhappily.

Yao Huang snorted: "Cuna, I don't want to see you yet. If you want to fight, let's fight the strongest. We want to fight the Lakers!"

Yu Feigang wanted to say that the SuperSonics ranked first in the Western Conference.

However, as he spoke, he thought that after losing this game, their ranking had been overtaken by the Lakers.

"I heard that your general manager wants to trade Scola with the Lakers?" Yu Fei asked.

Yao Huang said seriously: "Do you think I am the kind of person who tells team secrets to others?"

"If even I know a secret, can it still be called a secret?"

"You're right," Yao Huang joked, "but I will never tell you that we tried to trade Scola for Bynum and then the Lakers hung up on the spot."

Yu Fei smiled and said nothing.

The trade deadline is approaching, and the Lakers' bid for Bynum's No. 4 spot in the league is about to come to an end.

Transactions are necessary.

Because the matter has already reached Bynum, he is ready to leave the team. If he calls for a trade for a long time and is not traded out in the end, the Lakers themselves will be affected.

The regular season record of one win and two losses against the Sonics stung the Lakers.

They can comfort themselves by saying that the team is not yet finished, but Cojan has a huge self-awareness deep inside. Who will be the first to give up his status to cooperate with another? If no one is willing to sacrifice, the Lakers' run-in will never be completed.

Under such circumstances, to ensure the championship, we must create a lineup with no dead ends.

Artest lacks a threat to the Sonics at the fourth position, so they should strengthen the fourth position.

The Lakers first inquired about Kenyon Martin, and then felt that Martin's style was too retro and not suitable for the triangle offense under Zenko.

They want a star four who can create space on the offensive end.

Such a fourth position is rare. The best solution is Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks. As long as the Mavericks don't go crazy, the trade of Bynum for Nowitzki will not happen in the next 100 years. occur.

However, Arenas' gunshot sent the Wizards back to basketball hell.

The knock-on effect of Tony Parker's request for a trade is that the Wizards have lacked momentum moving forward.

That gives them reason to trade star No. 4 Antawn Jamison.

Originally, they kept Jamison because of Arenas' strong request. Now that Arenas cannot protect himself, the Wizards have no need to dwell on the past.

For the Lakers, Jamison is a far more attractive option than Kenyon Martin.

Jamison averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds per game this season and shot nearly 35% from outside three-point range. He can be said to be the best offensive fourth position at the moment. His arrival can cover up the Lakers' weakness at the fourth position to the greatest extent.

Once the negotiations began, the two teams were candid with each other.

The Lakers need the fourth position, and the Wizards want young prospects for long-term development.

Therefore, Bynum for Jamison is what everyone needs.

But the Lakers believe that since the Wizards want to play badly, it is not impossible to get more high-quality role players from the opponent.

In addition to Jamison, the Lakers are also interested in Wizards shooter Mike Miller.

The Wizards naturally refused to let the Lakers get away with it for nothing. The two sides went back and forth for a while, and finally reached a consensus on the eve of the trade deadline.

The league officially announced the deal: "The Lakers will send Andrew Bynum, Luke Walton, Steve Blake, and a 2016 first-round pick to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Antawn Jamison. and Mike Miller.”

After the official announcement of the transaction, the media circle was shocked.

The Los Angeles media called the deal: “The countdown to the fall of the only empire.”

Bill Simmons, the biggest Lakers hater on the planet, started talking about whether this Lakers team is the deepest team ever.

“How did the Lakers acquire Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller without losing their front seven?”

Experts and reporters determined that this deal ended the suspense of the season.

The presence of Jamison and Artest changed the Lakers' fourth position from a weak matchup to an advantageous matchup. If you need offense, use Jamison; if you need defense, use Artest.

While supplementing Jamison, they also got Miller, a marksman with a 40% three-point shooting rate. Even if the Sonics want to play small ball, the Lakers can handle it.

The only loss that stings the Lakers is Luke Walton, a backup forward whom Jackson has been very comfortable using, but considering the reinforcements they received, this loss is not a problem at all.

The Sonics' call for a three-peat disappeared. Yu Fei's dream empire of seven crowns in eight years seems to be coming to an end.

Seattle-area media comforted themselves by saying: "The Sonics are optimistic about Brandon Roy's return."

But a source close to Roy revealed: "Brandon's recovery is not as fast as expected."

The balance of power between the Lakers and SuperSonics is becoming more and more like one who is superior to others.

The SuperSonics are experiencing championship syndrome this season. Injuries have hit Roy, and even the most stable coaching staff has experienced turmoil. Now, the Lakers' reinforcements seem to be concluding the season's suspense.

The trade deadline has not yet ended, and some media contacted SuperSonics general manager Sam Presti to know whether they would make a major trade to match the Lakers.

Presti's answer was clear: "We decided to pursue opportunities in the free market."

This also means that the Sonics will not be involved in the trade.

The Lakers-Wizards trade indirectly affected the trade market.

The Nuggets suddenly pulled away from the trade table.

They decided to keep Anthony and Kenyon Martin and continue chasing the playoffs.

Because they failed to send Martin away, the offers provided by other teams were not satisfactory, and making a deal now would not yield the best return.

Anthony's contract will last until the summer of 2012, and the Nuggets have absolute initiative.

In the end, Anthony, who wanted to control his own destiny, was controlled by others.

On the contrary, the Wizards continued to output after taking Jamison.

The Mavericks secretly planned for many days, and finally made the biggest trade of the deadline with the Wizards.

Dallas sent Devin Harris, Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, and Quinton Rose from Washington in exchange for Tony Parker, Brenden Haywood, DeShawn Stevens and Fifty Thousands of dollars in cash.

After the trade happened, the Mavericks got the same clamor as the Spurs.

They improved their roster with an excellent trade that not only optimized the backcourt but also strengthened the frontcourt without paying any draft picks.

The Wizards did what outsiders expected a clearing team to do.

Let the strong teams be reinforced to make the competition more intense.

The Mavericks' reinforcements have lifted them into the championship echelon, in line with the Spurs, while the Rockets, who stood still, defeated the SuperSonics not long ago.

The top three in Texas are getting stronger the more we look at them.

The West takes away much of the spotlight at the trade deadline, with the East looking more like the exploited side.

Philadelphia sent warmth to the Spurs, and the Wizards sent warmth to the Lakers and Mavericks.

Vampires like Anji can't suck blood, so they can only cut flesh to stop bleeding.

The Celtics-Pistons trade was the final act of trade deadline drama.

Michael Reed has had conflicts with the team since the 2008 Finals. If he hadn't suffered a serious injury last season, he would have been traded.

Now, Reed has entered a contract year. Although his strength has not reached star level, the expiring contract is very attractive to weak teams who want to reduce expenditures.

The Pistons are determined to rebuild around Rodney Stuckey, the "point guard prodigy" in Dumars' eyes. The only remaining veteran in the 2000s is Tayshaun Prince.

With Prince's ability, he can still play an important role in the playoff team, so Dumars has been planning a deal.

Unexpectedly, the Lakers, Spurs, and Mavericks were not interested, but the Rockets asked Scola for a price.

Since deciding to use Starkey as the core of the reconstruction, Dumars has been a little confused, but he is not crazy enough to agree to such an offer.

Waiting makes sense. At the last moment, Dumars waited for Ainge's offer: a fixed price, Michael Redd + two first-round picks in exchange for Tayshaun Prince.

Dumas: Deal.

Prince is a good reinforcement for the Green Army. Without this reinforcement, they may not be able to withstand the impact of the Heat.

But Ainge knew very well that their championship window closed in the summer of 2008.

Yu Fei closed it with his own hands.

LeBron James' "decision" is called "Genesis" by NBA professionals.

This reckless move certainly made James a villain, but it also fundamentally changed the NBA's team building model for more than half a century.

The model of players playing and management building a team is no longer effective. Players teaming up with each other has become a more convenient way to build a team.

All the front office has to do is create cap space.

The Lakers' evil empire was built under this model. Their depth is so despairing that even the Sonics will get chills down their spines when they see the Lakers like this.

But Ainge still needs to do what he's supposed to do.

Experience tells him that a perfectly constructed team may not win the championship. If the SuperSonics and Lakers suffer heavy losses in the infighting in the West, that will be the Celtics' opportunity.

Therefore, he cannot miss the opportunity to strengthen.

Just do your best and obey destiny, that's all.

This is the first NBA trade deadline in the 2010s. Even if it is placed in the history of the NBA, it can still compete for the most exciting trade deadline in history. If the Nuggets had not withdrawn midway, many big things would have happened.

However, the thunder has already been laid, and the Nuggets' bomb will detonate in the summer.

Even without the self-flagellation of Denverites, the trades that took place at the trade deadline were enough to drive sports reporters crazy.

The most unexpected thing is that the Sonics actually sat still.

Presti means what he says. If he doesn't trade, he won't trade. Even if the sky falls, he won't trade.

Seeing that many strong teams in the East and West have made reinforcements, Presti patiently waited for news from the trade market.

The day after the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers bought out Larry Hughes.

This was the opportunity Presti was waiting for.

Hughes's contract is huge, but the Cavaliers are not competitive in the short term. Instead of spending money to support him, it is better to let him go. Since there was no trade, the Cavaliers had no choice but to buy out.

Hughes is not so good that he is not even needed by the Cavaliers, but for a strong team, it is not worth making a deal for him. If he is bought out, then signing him with a basic salary is a very cost-effective deal.

As a defender who can play both offense and defense, Hughes is extremely valuable off the bench.

The Lakers, Mavericks, SuperSonics, and Celtics have all offered him olive branches.

Such recruitment often comes with the commitment of core players.

So Presti asked Yu Fei to make a recruiting call to Hughes.

"What do you want me to say?" Yu Fei joked, "Please come to our place. We need you to help us win the championship?"

Presti asked: "You have played against each other many times on the court. Have you never spoken to him?"

"I questioned his defense on the court many times."

Presti had a headache.

"You still have to make the call," Presti said. "The Lakers are recruiting him, and I heard LeBron made three calls."

Yu Fei said: "I think one shot is enough."

"Just hit it."

Presti was really worried that Yu Fei wouldn't make this call.

But Yu Fei also knows what the situation is now. Whether Hughes joins or not has no impact on the overall situation, but the team must do something to reverse the external evaluation. Presti needs Hughes to join.

Everyone in the Sonics team knows that it's not that Presti doesn't want to make a deal, but that he doesn't have to make a deal. If the Sonics can't make a deal that can improve their combat effectiveness, doing nothing is the best option.

But we know internally, but the outside world doesn’t care about this.

Look at the Lakers, look at the Spurs, look at the Mavericks, look at what they do?

Yu Fei called Hughes.

He first asked a question: "Do you want to win the championship?"

"Why is this the first thing each of you say?"

"So you want to win?"

"probably."

"If you want to win the championship, your choices should only be Seattle and Los Angeles." Yu Fei said lightly, "But you have played with LeBron in Cleveland, and you know he can't do it."

Hughes asked: "How do you know Kobe can't do it?"

"After leaving O'Neal, Kobe accomplished nothing." Yu Fei said "humbly", "I have good luck and won six championships in the past seven years. Of course you can bet on Los Angeles, but before making a decision, it is best to bet on PJ Brown, Gary Payton or anyone else who ever turned me down, give me a call."

One day later, Larry Hughes signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Seattle SuperSonics.

(End of this chapter)