When pride still matters

Chapter 541 Basketball Problem
The offseason has always been a battleground between stars and management.

There are often fewer options for starting-level players like Nene and David West.

Their prices are not cheap, but the main targets of each team are superstars. Once a superstar is signed, there is basically no salary space left to satisfy the starting players.

Therefore, unless these starting players have a clear destination from the beginning, most of them will choose to sign with their original team in the end.

Nene chose to renew his contract with his old team, while West moved to Indiana.

Other starters, such as former Rockets player Carl Landry, former Bulls player Marcus Thornton, and substitute scoring maniac Jamal Crawford all made their own choices.

These were the last few important things in the free market, but due to strength issues, they failed to make much waves.

Yu Fei's SuperSonics team maintained a steady operating posture.

At the end of the lockout, it was thought that Clay Bennett might dismantle the team to reduce the salary bill. However, Bennett said in an interview that he would pay a high luxury tax to achieve the goal of four consecutive championships.

"The Bulls didn't do it, the Lakers didn't do it," Bennett said. "If the Sonics do it, we will be the greatest team ever."

At this time, it is inevitable that Celtics fans like Bill Simmons will remind him that the Celtics completed eight consecutive championships half a century ago.

But several generations have passed.

Basketball fans living in 2011 won't care how the 1966 Celtics won eight consecutive championships.

What do people care about? People care more about the private life of the current GOAT than basketball.

Since the shutdown, Yu Fei has tried to keep a low profile, but his career in Hollywood has flourished, and the paparazzi in the entertainment industry are pervasive.

As long as he shows up, there is no privacy.

As a recognized best active player, Yu Fei is an active god. He is different from Woods, who encountered a major scandal and suffered a serious blow to his reputation, or Jordan, who buried a stain on himself in his second comeback and was eventually surpassed by the loser "the stain itself".

He is the supreme god of sports.

Looking at all the active athletes in the sports world, only Bolt and Phelps can match his dominance in their respective fields.

But swimming has always been a major competition sport and people only pay attention to it when the world championships begin.

And Bolt is not American.

Therefore, even though there are many athletes in the world whose professional abilities can rival Yu Fei's, they cannot be compared with Yu Fei in terms of media publicity and promotion.

Yu Fei dominated his own movement, controlled media opinion, and rode the wave of social media to infinitely magnify his personal influence.

Now, some people are trying to bring him down.

But after searching for a long time, they found that apart from some flaws in Yu Fei's relationship with the opposite sex, his personal morality was impeccable in other aspects.

Even in terms of sex, I have never heard of him "betraying" anyone.

As a result, tabloids began to spread rumors about a love triangle between Yu Fei, Elizabeth Olsen and Scarlett Johansson.

Especially after Scarlett announced her divorce last year, Yu Fei became the person who destroyed other people's marriages in the gossip media.

This made Yu Fei eager to return to basketball.

He's kind of had enough of the Hollywood life.

In late September, Yu Fei returned to Seattle.

He reported to the SuperSonics training camp a few days before it opened.

He missed the Furtado Center; it had been more than a year since he last visited there.

I have been away from the competition for more than a year. Although I have maintained training, I have basically had no official competitions.

This will have a great impact on the players' condition, so Yu Fei wants to start training as soon as possible.

When the staff on the scene saw him, they said the new movie was great and they liked it very much.

Yu Fei just smiled and didn't want to talk about the movie. He had talked enough about it.

In addition to Yu Fei, several other people also reported in advance. They are basically the ones who are most eager for the future, namely Anthony Morrow, DeAndre Jordan, Patrick Beverley and Alonzo Key.

They each have their own reasons for being diligent. The reason for Morrow and Jordan is simple. They were rookies in 2008, and the new season will be their fourth season and the last year of their rookie contracts. In other words, it is their contract year.

As players who grew up in dynasty teams and proved that they are capable of playing in championship-level teams, they will almost certainly receive a big contract.

But their future may not be in Seattle.

The reason is also obvious. In order to fight against monopoly, the league has introduced a super luxury tax policy, requiring each team to allocate salary space more cautiously.

The Supersonics will have four maximum salaries in the new season.

Bennett said he could endure the large bills brought by the super luxury tax for the sake of a fourth consecutive championship.

But how long can this endurance last?
The good news for the upstart is that the SuperSonics can relieve some pressure after next season.

By then, Chris Bosh's three-year contract will expire.

By then, the Supersonics will return to having three maximum salaries.

With the defensive and rebounding abilities that Jordan showed in the Western Conference Finals before the suspension, even if his technical style is out of touch with the modern world, he will still be recognized by the market with his super blue-collar value. In other words, he will most likely get a maximum salary. But will Bennett accept it? He may be willing now, but after he actually pays a large amount of luxury tax, his flat pocket will speak for him.

Jordan's agent will definitely explain this to him, so they can be said to be fighting for themselves rather than for the future of the team.

Compared with Jordan, Morrow is not as talented. Due to his single shooting function and inaccuracy, he was abandoned by Tyronn Lue in the Western Conference Finals before the suspension. However, a sharpshooter like him who has proven himself in the championship team will also be very popular in the market.

The reasons for the diligence of the other two are more pure.

Beverley is new here and he needs to make an impression on the coaching staff.

Alonzo Key was a little bit special. He was the "surprise weapon" in the Empire Battle, and his aggressiveness on both defense and offense and defense did not look like a rookie.

That hard-hitting style made Key a favorite in Seattle.

He is not a city totem like Yu Fei, nor is he a naturally noble No. 1 draft pick like Durant. He is a down-to-earth small character who came from a humble background but worked hard and finally proved himself on the big stage.

Ki's popularity began to soar after 2010. Since then, he has basically stayed in Seattle, and even on holidays he would represent the team in various activities.

Hard work and struggle have become his image, and in order to maintain this image, he must show up.

Yu Fei greeted them and then started high-intensity training.

During this period, Yu Fei could feel the difference between his usual training and the high-intensity training of NBA standards.

He felt for the first time in a long time that his physical strength seemed to be insufficient.

This is the physical deterioration caused by long-term lack of systematic high-intensity training.

Not only Yu Fei, but all the players who have not had systematic training or games to play for more than a year due to the lockout will have this problem.

Fortunately, this problem can be corrected before the season starts, but it depends on the players' efforts.

As the GOAT, Yu Fei has enough motivation.

He needs to regain his form before the new season arrives, and then strive for four consecutive championships in the best possible manner.

From this day on, Yu Fei seemed to have returned to 12 years ago.

That was when his second life was just beginning.

In order to realize his talent, 17-year-old Yu Fei trained three times a day in Kent.

Today, 29-year-old Yu Fei is doing the same thing.

The intensity of his training stunned Alonzo Gee, who prided himself on his hard work.

"So it makes sense that Frye could surpass MJ at 28," Key said. "It also makes sense that he could switch between Elizabeth Olsen and Scarlett Johansson."

During training, Yu Fei reminded him: "Most of the gossip about Scarlett and me is just rumors."

A few days later, the Supersonics officially assembled.

Kevin Durant has a long-lost feeling.

It has been more than a year. To be exact, it was 467 days after the end of last season that he came to the team's training hall again.

One advantage of the shutdown is that it puts everything in the circle into a pause state.

Suddenly, Durant no longer had to think about the future or Nike's plans, he just had to be a carefree 23-year-old young man.

He can surf the Internet, publicly express to the divorced Scarlett on Twitter that he wants to drink her foot bath water, and then when he feels like it, go to Rucker Park to play pickup basketball and score 66 points.

The world likes him just the way he is.

Pure, dedicated, with clear eyes, no matter where he goes, the only things that accompany him are basketball and a backpack.

If Alonzo Gee is the most down-to-earth Sonics player, then Durant is the most down-to-earth superstar.

While others were arguing about the lockout and other things, Durant was trying his best to play basketball.

Playing wild ball can help you stay in shape.

So, after last season was confirmed to be cancelled, Durant went to participate in the Drew League again.

This is a low-level league that Yu Fei will never be able to participate in.

However, Durant found fun here, maintained his form, and continued to increase his popularity.

That’s a rare thing during a lockout.

Looking back now, the shutdown time is like a dream. When you are dreaming, you don’t know when it will end, but when you wake up from the dream, everyone knows that it is a dream, and when it ends, it is over.

He wants to return to reality and show his progress to the world.

Tyronn Lue walked out of the coach's office, his belly bigger than before the lockout, and met George Karl outside the office.

Carl has recovered from throat cancer with successful treatment.

However, he did not return to the head coaching position.

The SuperSonics have decided to let Lu continue to lead the team forward.

Not long ago, the SuperSonics signed a five-year, $5 million contract with Lu.

This made Lu no longer worry about his future, but also dashed Karl's wish to return.

The Sonics were willing to offer Karl a high-paying but low-power front-office position.

The title sounds good in name, vice president of basketball operations, but the president is Clay Bennett, and Presti is also vice president and general manager.

Presti is not only an excellent GM, but also very young. In contrast, Karl is old and sickly, and has never had any administrative management experience. He had a conflict with the general manager when he was in the Bucks, and now he has retired due to injury in the Supersonics, and has come to a position that is neither up nor down.

Lu can be considered his disciple.

But if you ask Lu whether he is willing to give his current job to Carl.

Ask a hundred times and Lu will refuse.

Coaching is a high-risk profession in the NBA, and being able to start a career in a strong team is like an extra layer of insurance for a coach.

Even if he is fired due to poor coaching performance, there will still be weak teams that will give him a second chance based on his resume.

What's more, Lu is off to a perfect start in Seattle.

He led the team to three consecutive championships despite internal and external troubles.

This made him walk with the wind, and he really felt that his position was very solid.

"George, are you okay?"

Lu asked with a smile.

"Very good." Karl still can't believe that he will lose his job because of Tyronn Lue. "I feel healthier than when I was 20 years old."

Lou smiled harmlessly, "Great, if we want to move forward, we can't leave the wisdom of the elders behind, George, you are a treasure of Seattle."

Carl wanted to know if Lu was willing to give way for the treasure, but he probably didn't want to.

"I'm glad I could help," Carl said reluctantly. "I hope I can help more."

"There will be a chance."

Lu left and he was going to meet all the players on the court.

Carl just looked at his back.

Before the lockout, they had a good relationship, and Karl was very willing to give guidance to Lu, who was in trouble at the time.

But when Lu won the championship, things changed.

Lu knew he had the foundation to replace Karl.

From then on, they were only polite to each other on the surface.

Just as Carl was unhappy that Lu had taken his job, Lu was also worried that Carl would oust him.

Because Yu Fei and Karl have such a close relationship.

Six of Yu Fei's seven championships are related to Carl.

Lu had no doubt that if Yu Fei expressed his intention to let Karl come back, he would lose everything in front of him.

Why didn't Yu Fei do this? Because everything should be done according to the rules.

Lu did not make any mistakes, Lu completed the work so far, and Lu and Yu Fei have a good relationship.

Even for the sake of his own reputation, Yu Fei would not force Lu to step down.

But just because he doesn't do it doesn't mean he doesn't have the ability.

The relationship between Yu Fei and Carl made Lu deeply worried. It was not until the team gave him a contract and confirmed that he was a long-term plan that he felt relieved.

Carl is still his potential biggest opponent, but the advantage is on him. As long as he doesn't make mistakes, Carl has no chance.

When Lu arrived at the court, the players were already standing in two rows.

At a glance, there are Yu Fei, Roy, Bosh, Durant, Jordan, Brown, Key, Morrow, Beverley, Chandler, Hill, Wallace, Collison, Livingston. These 14 players with contracts include superstars, superstars, all-stars, middle-aged, veterans and new generations.

Could there be a better match?
Lou couldn't imagine it.

"You know what?" Lue said loudly, "I see a team standing in front of me that can easily win four consecutive championships."

It turns out that four consecutive championships can be associated with the word "easy"?

"But this is just like the winter of 2002, when Phil Jackson also thought the OK Lakers could easily win four consecutive championships," Lu said. "You all know what happened later. Our obstacle is not New Jersey or Los Angeles. The enemy is ourselves."

"If we don't want to follow the Lakers' old path, we must bravely take a new path." Lu said confidently, "And we can definitely do it, because the one leading us forward is the greatest basketball player in history!"

Everyone looked at Yu Fei.

Yu Fei felt that Coach Lu was a bit long-winded, so he poked him: "I'm beginning to miss George's pre-season training."

This made Lu laugh in panic: "Then let's start training!"

Lu was indeed a little flustered, and he couldn't help but wonder if Yu Fei's words just now were hinting at something.

After a few days, he found that nothing had changed and he was just overthinking it.

However, it's not like there haven't been any changes. Durant's changes are obvious. Although he is not yet 23 years old, Durant has made significant progress compared to before the lockout. He has gained a little weight, but more importantly, his core strength. He is no longer the skinny bamboo pole that can be restricted by heavy forwards with high intensity defense.

He still didn't look strong, but his strength had increased significantly in a way that ordinary people couldn't understand.

Then there is his ball-handling offense, where the sudden increase in core strength has enhanced the completeness of his offensive skills.

The most intuitive manifestation is that in the past he was always suppressed by Yu Fei in the team's training matches.

Now, he was able to respond.

The 9:1 ratio between the two has now become 7:3 or even 6:4.

Of course, this is also because Yu Fei has not yet recovered to his best condition.

But Durant's superstar potential has already been revealed.

Such a Durant needs a higher tactical position and more shooting rights, but the long break caused by the lockout has allowed a glass man like Roy to recover his body.

All members of the Supersonics are healthy.

It’s scary and it’s tricky.

Even if all the famous coaches in history were included in Lu's coaching staff, they would not be able to come up with a perfect plan to allow the Supersonics to unleash the overall strength of the team while not delaying Durant's efforts to become a superstar.

To be a superstar, you need the ball, and to have the ball, others have to sacrifice.

The GOAT is not expendable.

Roy wasn't sure if he should die.

Bosh has sacrificed enough, and the new season is also his contract year. After winning the championship with the team, he has to consider his future.

Suddenly, the Sonics looked like politics.

When a regional scandal occurs, everyone says they are willing to take responsibility.

The result of everyone taking responsibility is that no one takes responsibility.

If everyone needs to sacrifice the ball to make Durant a superstar, the end result may be that no one is willing to make the slightest sacrifice.

There's still some time before the season starts, but Tyronn Lue is already having a headache.

This is the price of operating an aircraft carrier.

This certainly provides a high starting point and makes it easy to gain honors, but correspondingly, the problems encountered on an aircraft carrier are basically the most difficult problems a head coach can encounter.

On the surface, this is a question of ball possession, but in reality it is not at all.

This is a basketball problem.

And the most difficult basketball problems in the world always happen off the court.

George Karl suddenly felt a sense of pleasure in being a bystander.

In the season before the lockout, injuries not only affected the Sonics' championship competitiveness, but also greatly reduced the internal conflicts caused by ball possession.

Roy's injury made others successful.

Two years later, Durant is even better today, Bosh has fulfilled his wish of winning the championship and is unwilling to make further sacrifices, and Roy has recovered but has no clear idea of ​​how much sacrifice he needs to make. The problem that has troubled Karl has become more complicated.

This is a difficult problem to solve.

The problem that should have exploded in Karl's hands now fell into Tyronn Lue's hands.

So, in life, there are gains and losses, and there are gains and losses.

Carl suddenly felt satisfied with his situation.

(End of this chapter)