Chapter 390: The Truth and Big Trades of Late-Coming NBA Rookies.

In the past month and a half, SuperSonics general manager Presti has been working hard to solve the team's center problem.

Free agency, the draft, the trade market, whenever possible, Presti is trying his best.

This year's NBA free market is a typical small market.

The biggest unrestricted free agent in the entire free market is Carter of the Nets.

The biggest names left are Billups of the Pistons and Gerald Wallace of the Bobcats.

Carter is a superstar, Billups is an All-Star, and Gerald Wallace is a quasi-All-Star.

There are only a few big names like this in the free market in one year, which is rare in previous years.

However, because there are few high-quality big-name free agents, everyone's focus is concentrated.

So much so that in recent times, the entire league has been revolving around Carter, Billups and Gerald Wallace.

One time, Carter came to Los Angeles, and the other time, Billups joined Boston.

Even Jordan has been pulled out from time to time recently because of the Gerald Wallace incident.

Gerald Wallace's contract requirements were not high and he was willing to stay with the Bobcats. The reason why the contract could not be completed in advance was because Jordan selected Adam Morrison.

Jordan drafted Adam Morrison in order to make him become Larry Bird of the Bobcats. Since the Bobcats already have Larry Bird, why do they need you, Gerald Wallace, who has the same position as Larry Bird? ?

Now that Adam Morris has been confirmed, Jordan and the Bobcats want to keep Gerald Wallace, but it is already too late.

Gerald Wallace has flowed into the free market.

Wallace, who has flowed into the free market, still cannot get the Bobcats' maximum salary.

In this case, whether it is for money or honor, the Bobcats are no longer the first choice.

Do you want Gerald Wallace to play the lottery on an empty stomach for his idol?

Therefore, there have been rumors recently that the Rockets are contacting Gerald Wallace.

Gerald Wallace was drafted into the NBA by Adelman when he was with the Kings.

Although Gerald Wallace didn't play much playing time with the Kings,

But his current skills were all inspired by Adelman in the Kings. When he first entered the NBA, he didn't know how to three-point or shoot. It can be said that Adelman is his mentor.

Adelman has been recruiting old players since joining the Rockets.

Except for Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Roy, everyone else in the Rockets can be discarded to make room.

The combined contracts of Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Roy are only US$35 million.

This year's salary cap is $55 million, and the Rockets have a lot of salary space to operate.

The Rockets are one of the most active teams in the free market after being eliminated and having a new head coach.

The Lakers, Grizzlies, and Rockets are the three most active teams in the free market.

Of course, no matter which team is active, the Sonics are destined to be inactive. As long as they carry LaFrentz's contract, the Sonics will not be able to be active in the past two years.

People like Carter, Billups and Gerald Wallace definitely have nothing to do with the Sonics.

Even free agents of Mo Williams' caliber have nothing to do with the Sonics.

With the salary of these people, even if they are willing to come, the Sonics cannot open a contract.

Moreover, for the Sonics, these positions are not urgently needed.

The Sonics have always focused on the center position in free agency.

However, what makes the SuperSonics quite embarrassed is that the biggest center in this year's free market is actually Mutombo.

The biggest center the SuperSonics can afford to sign is Mutombo.

It’s not that I dislike Mutombo, Mutombo is indeed older. No one knows whether Mutombo is 28, 38 or 48.

But he does still have energy now.

Last season in the Rockets, Mutombo averaged 3 points, 6 rebounds and 1 block in 15 minutes per game, which was pretty good and can be used again.

Presti had contact with Mutombo some time ago.

Presti approached Mutombo with a lot of sincerity.

But in the end, Mutombo rejected it. With the same basic salary, Mutombo chose the Rockets.

It's just that Mutombo didn't reach a preparatory contract because he was still waiting.

Wait for the Rockets to complete the operation and then sign him with a minimum salary.

The trust between Mutombo and the Rockets is strong.

Generally speaking, both teams and players are unwilling to wait for the other party or give up their own operations. What if they are cheated?

Although most people in this world are simple and honest, there are always one or two who are bad-tempered.

Without Mutombo, the Sonics have completely stopped looking for a center in the free market.

After that, the SuperSonics entered the stage of using the draft to make up for the lack of center position.

With the No. 2 pick already in hand, the Sonics can only use the No. 22 pick to strengthen the center position.

Among the rookies with the No. 22 pick, the best ones are Marc Gasol and Split.

The Sonics are trying their best to convince Marc Gasol and Splitter, two players in Europe, to join the team next season.

For this reason, the team's head coach Nelson even went to meet Marc Gasol in person.

The team's assistant coach Scott Brooks went to see Split.

Marc Gasol was very excited when he saw Nelson.

Nelson has a high prestige in the United States. A direct disciple of the Cardinal, he is a first-class figure in both the NBA and the NCAA.

In Europe, Nelson's reputation is also very good. After all, he single-handedly trained Europe's number one star Nowitzki.

Facing Nelson's arrival, Gasol was a little flattered. His current draft pick prediction is only around the end of the first round.

However, faced with Nelson's invitation, Gasol still rejected Nelson.

Not just because he couldn't get a starting position in the SuperSonics.

There are also salary reasons.

Because Nelson came to invite him personally, Gasol did not hide his thoughts from Nelson.

"Mr. Nelson, I need a rookie contract with at least 3 million per year. This is the minimum requirement for me to come to the NBA."

"When I come to the NBA, I need to buy out my NBA contract. I can borrow money from my brother, which is no problem, but I need to sign my team to make up for the money for me."

"Mr. Nelson, the SuperSonics need me to join the team immediately next season, but you can't offer me a contract with an annual salary of 3 million, and you can't use the No. 2 pick in the first round on me."

Gasol said very frankly that position is the main reason, and money is also the main reason. It is impossible for him to pay for the contract himself and he has to accept a late first-round or second-round contract in the NBA with a salary lower than that in Europe.

It's not just Gasol who thinks this way, most European players think this way.

Most of the European players who can be selected by the NBA are elite European players. Their salaries in Europe are not as high as those of middle-class players in the NBA, but they will definitely not be much lower than those players at the end of the first round.

It is impossible to spend your own money to work for others.

This is also the reason why famous European players always delay coming to the NBA.

Ginobili is a good example. He was selected with the 57th overall pick in the second round in 1999 and only came to the NBA in 2002.

When Ginobili came to the NBA in 2002, the salary he received was not the salary of a second-round pick, but the rookie salary of a top-10 lottery pick.

Ginobili could have come to the NBA in 2000.

Why couldn't you come?

Quite simply, the Spurs felt that Ginobili at that time was not worthy of the contract they gave them as a top-10 lottery pick.

If by 2002, the Spurs are still unwilling to give him such a salary, he will continue to postpone it until the Spurs are willing.

In the NBA, the salary of NBA rookies is linked to their draft position.

But there are several situations where a rookie's salary can be decoupled from his draft position.

The first situation is undrafted. The undrafted player is a completely free agent, and his salary has nothing to do with the rookie contract.

The second situation is a second-round pick. If the second-round pick does not sign a contract with the team immediately, he can sign a higher contract with the team after the second year. Ginobili is the representative.

The third situation is that the first-round pick does not sign with the team for three years after being selected. The team can offer the player a larger contract three years after being selected. Sabonis Among them, Sabonis was the 24th pick in 1986. When he entered the NBA in 1995, he received the No. 1 salary.

"Mr. Nelson, unless a team drafts me with the top five picks this year, I will not join the NBA immediately."

Gasol doesn't want to stay in Europe and is willing to come to the NBA as soon as possible. Even if he is willing to sacrifice, he can make no money during his rookie period in the past few years, but to maintain not losing money requires a contract of at least 3 million per year.

A contract of $3 million per year now requires a top-five lottery pick.

Gasol's draft prospects are best at the end of the first round. How could a team be crazy enough to draft him with the top five picks in order to let him come to the NBA early?

"I knew it was impossible, so I didn't think about entering the NBA right away when I entered this year's draft."

"If a team selects me in the first round, I will join the NBA in three years at the earliest. If this team is willing to sign a rookie contract with me for a three-year, 10 million contract in three years, I will be willing to enter the NBA."

"If a team selects me in the second round, I will join the NBA as early as one year later. If this team is willing to sign a rookie contract with me for a three-year, 10 million contract a year later, I will also be willing to join the NBA."

"Mr. Nelson, I know your sincerity, and I feel your sincerity, so I don't want to deceive you. Unless I lose the election, it is impossible for me to join the SuperSonics this year. I'm sorry."

Gasol has already said this, and Nelson can only give up.

The SuperSonics will definitely not be able to select Gasol with the 52nd pick in the second round, and they will have to wait a year for Gasol to be selected.

The SuperSonics could select Gasol with the 22nd pick in the first round, but it would be even worse if they did. They would have to wait for Gasol for three years.

"Mr. Nelson, the situation in Split should be similar to mine."

When Nelson was about to leave, Gasol didn't know if he felt guilty for letting Nelson run around for nothing, and he also gave him a message.

The situation in Split is indeed the same as that of Gasol.

And SuperSonics assistant coach Scott Brooks also met Spurs coach Popovich in Splitter.

Spurs are also interested in Split.

Split's market is better than Gasol. Gasol may still be in the second round, but Split is definitely in the first round.

Since Split, like Gasol, cannot bring his own dry food to the NBA, it depends on whether Popovich has the courage to wait for Split for three years.

Inviting Splitter and Marc Gasol to join the Sonics this year is no longer possible.

It is no longer possible to find a backup center for the Sonics next season through the draft.

And just when the SuperSonics were desperate, the Lakers actually offered the SuperSonics to participate in their deal with the Nets.

The Lakers are currently discussing with the Nets about trading Kidd. This is no secret.

Kidd was ready to part ways with the Nets after being scolded numerous times for being gay last season.

Before the Kidd Conference, with Kidd's reputation, even if he is now thirty-four years old, there are still a lot of teams rushing to get him.

As for now, the situation is completely different. Not many people are interested in the 34-year-old Kidd. Even the Lakers and Mavericks who are interested are very doubtful.

After all, the Mavericks and Lakers still want a championship, and Kidd still has a two-year, $40 million contract. If it fails, the space will be locked up for two years!

Now in the entire league, except for the SuperSonics, every team turns pale when talking about a 'Rondo-style point guard'!

The Nets don't want to let go of Kidd in vain, and the teams that want Kidd don't want to spend too much, which puts Kidd's deal into a deadlock.

"The Nets want at least two first-round picks, and the Lakers can only offer one first-round pick. The Lakers hope to give away our first-round pick."

In the Sonics' general manager's office, Presti was explaining the deal.

Yess was looking down at the Lakers and Nets trade plans.

There are two plans in total.

Lakers send: Lakers 2007 23rd overall first-round pick, Kwame Brown, Brian Grant

SuperSonics send: SuperSonics 2007 22nd overall first-round pick, Danny Fordson, Robert Swift

Nets send: Jason Kidd, Jason Collins

Lakers get: Jason Kidd, Jason Collins

SuperSonics get: Kwame Brown

The Nets received: the Lakers' 23rd overall pick in 2007, the SuperSonics' 22nd overall pick in 2007, Brian Grant, Danny Fortson, and Robert Swift.

Option II

The Lakers sent: The Lakers' 23rd overall first-round pick in 2007, Kwame Brown, Brian Grant, Brian Cook

SuperSonics give away: SuperSonics' 22nd overall first-round pick in 2007, Robert Swift

Nets send: Jason Kidd, Jason Collins, Persian Jan Nahba

Lakers get: Jason Kidd, Jason Collins

SuperSonics get: Persian Jan Nahba

The Nets received: the Lakers' 23rd overall pick in 2007, the SuperSonics' 22nd overall pick in 2007, Brian Grant, Kwame Brown, Brian Cook, and Robert Swift.

Both plans are neither a disadvantage nor an advantage for the Sonics.

Kwame Brown averaged 8+6 per game last season, and his current value is almost the 22nd pick in the first round.

Posjan Nahba averaged 9 points per game last season. He is a 2.06-meter forward who shot 43% of his three-pointers per game. He is a very good forward shooter. He should be worth more than Kwame Brown now, but the value is It's almost like the 22nd pick in the first round.

The Lakers invited the SuperSonics to participate in the transaction this time. It seems that they did not want to rob the SuperSonics as a fool, but simply asked the SuperSonics to balance the situation.

Of the teams with back-end first-round picks this year, only the SuperSonics lacks everything. If it were a team like the Nuggets that lacked everything, neither Kwame Brown nor Posjan Nahba might be that valuable.

Kwame Brown?

After Ye Si glanced at the two trading plans, he set his sights on Kwame Brown's information.

Name: Kwame Brown

Age: 25 years old

Height: 2.11 meters

Weight: 122kg

Wingspan: 2.16 meters

Standing reach height: 2.78 meters

Bounce in place: 75cm

Scouting report:

Excellent strength, jumping and explosive power.

Has top movement speed among insiders.

Nice flexibility.

Excellent defensive awareness.

Lack of offensive awareness.

He has some mid-range shooting ability, but is unstable.

The technology is rough and needs polishing.

The protection of rebounds and the prediction of blocking shots are somewhat lacking.

Golf IQ is low and progress is slow.

"Of these two plans, I prefer the first one. Kwame Brown can serve as the team's backup center position."

Presti made his attitude clear before Yees and Nelson spoke out.

Hearing Presti say this, Old Nelson frowned.

Kwame Brown can indeed make up for the team's center problem and the team's backup center problem.

But for him, Persian Jan-Nahba was obviously more tempting.

The current three power forwards of the SuperSonics, David Lee, Millsap and PJ Tucker, do not have the ability to shoot three-pointers.

Posjan Nahba has excellent three-point shooting ability and can provide SuperSonics with great flexibility tactically.

"Mr. Nelson?"

Old Nelson ignored Presti's doubtful gaze and looked at Yes.

"Yes, Kwame Brown can provide the team with lineup thickness, and Posjan Nahba can provide the team with tactical options. Both of them are scarce players in the team. It is up to you to choose."

Presti, who originally wanted to say something, heard Old Nelson say this and said nothing more.

Head coaches and general managers sometimes need to understand each other.

For Presti, if he chooses Kwame Brown, he will definitely choose Durant.

For Nelson, since a forward has been added, the draft may naturally favor a center.

Nelson is also optimistic about Durant, but he is also optimistic about Noah. Nelson likes Noah's character very much.

"Kwame Brown."

"Then Kwame Brown."

After Ye Si made his decision, Old Nelson also smiled and nodded.

Presti, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief.

"but……"

"but?"

Presti looked at Old Nelson suspiciously.

"Persjan Nahba has more value than Kwame Brown, and I hope the Nets can trade their second-round pick to us."

The Nets' second-round pick?

Ye Si seemed to have thought of something.

"I like Marc Gasol's character very much and I think he will have a good future."