Chapter 464: United We Stand

"Have they won the championship this season?" Phil Knight couldn't help but laugh: "Only because of the SuperSonics? Just because of that Japanese red-haired guy?"

"But one thing he said is right. We really can't do anything to him for the time being... But that doesn't mean we can't do anything to him in the future!" Phil Knight said lightly: "Since someone has to choose death, Well, let him go, he’s just an All-Star insider, not Yao Ming or O’Neal! Tell me all the bad news.”

"Iguodala rejected the Mavericks' three-year, $22 million offer."

"Chandler also rejected the 76ers' two-year offer of 21 million, and that guy almost got into a fight with our people..."

"...Have a grudge against money?" Phil Knight couldn't help but raise his brows slightly: "A bunch of idiots who don't know how to praise and don't know their own abilities!"

Frankly speaking, Phil Knight was very unhappy. This was somewhat different from the plan.

If Hanamichi Sakuragi's rejection was within his expectation, Iguodala and Chandler...

I thought that Iguodala, who had a rookie contract, and Chandler, who had been seriously injured and was destined to not receive tens of millions of annual salary in this life, were easier targets to persuade, but I didn't expect that these two guys were also stubborn. Not working!

Is the championship that important to them? Or were they fed some ecstasy soup by the Sonics?

But it doesn’t matter!

Phil Knight also understands football, otherwise he would not have been so optimistic about Jordan before he became a god and bet on him with his wealth and life.

He knows much more about all the teams in the NBA than most fans, and even many professional commentators may not know it as well as he does.

Both Chandler and Iguodala are only blue-collar players, and the former has suffered a serious injury and the latter is limited by his physical fitness. Neither of them is tough enough on the court, and their physical fitness is simply not enough to maintain full performance.

In the first two championships, the problems of these two people were not exposed because the Sonics have the most important best sixth man Battier. Battier can fill the vacancies in physical fitness and toughness of these two people, allowing The Sonics' defense has become flawless, and it can also give the Sonics great help in three-pointers from the outside.

But now, Payton is old, and the Sonics' best sixth man has also left. No one can help them fill in the gaps and complete the rotation. The loopholes of players who are obviously overrated will be infinitely magnified. Once the Sonics are no longer perfect and shortcomings appear, they will flow like a bursting river.

Even without the super lineups of the Lakers and Cavaliers this season, the SuperSonics will not be as strong and dominant as they were in the previous three seasons.

Even if they take a thousand steps back, Stern will no longer be able to protect them this season.

These idiots will never understand who the real master of the league is, not Stern, not themselves, not me, but money and the audience!

By then, on and off the court, the team, players, fans, and even the referees and referees will all belong to me. Why do you have to fight with me? !

champion? It’s just a dream!

"Let them go." Phil Knight found the most comfortable reason for himself. He smiled and said: "If it is too broken up, then there is no point in winning against them, right? I really want to see it, this The look on his face when he helped a fool lose the playoffs... Oh, maybe we won't even need the playoffs. We can see some exciting scenes in the regular season. I will open a bottle of good wine for them to celebrate. !”

…………

Battier's departure obviously caught the Sonics off guard, but it was not sudden.

This guy immediately told Bob, Lin Dong, Payton, McMillan and others about his departure. He expressed that he would never go to the Cavaliers and Lakers to be enemies with everyone, and also explained the reason for leaving.

Bob and others are naturally extremely sorry, but to be honest, facing Nike's dirty tricks and sky-high liquidated damages, everyone also expressed their understanding. In this case, Shane really has no second choice. .

Payton patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, brother, after we kill the Lakers and Cavaliers, after your garbage contract with Nike ends, if you want to return to the SuperSonics, we will open the door for you and welcome you back at any time!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi was making damaging moves from the side: "Brother, I think you can really go to the Cavaliers... It's 18 million for three years. This is a lot of contract. Maybe you can take the opportunity to ask for a higher price and get the money. What's wrong? Besides, you can go undercover for us, right?"

Battier couldn't laugh or cry when he heard this, while Lin Dong slapped Sakuragi on the back: "You want Sean to be unable to survive in the league and everyone calls for beating him? Will any team dare to ask Sean in the future? Undercover, I’m sorry you figured it out!”

"Ah!" Sakuragi slapped his head and said with a smile: "My fault, my fault, you know, I am a simple-minded person!"

"You're not a simple kid to be able to figure out that Nike contract," Bob said.

"There is progress!" Lin Dong smiled and patted Sakuragi on the shoulder: "Don't worry, our main force is still intact this season, just be willing to work hard! Anyway, you have already let out your big words. It seems that we are really good this season. I have to win the championship.”

"Of course, the championship will definitely be ours!" Sakuragi Hanamichi shouted as if he was beating chicken blood: "I will stand up to O'Neal and Yao, just watch with your eyes wide open, I have exploded the small universe, I I feel like my whole body is full of strength now!”

The speech of the second grader made Sakuragi always the happy fruit of the team. Everyone laughed, and Payton also rubbed his hands: "The apprentices are so active, tsk, it makes me a little excited. If I can't get the point guard, I will If you can't get it, I, a veteran, can use my spare energy and win four consecutive championships. Then when I meet Michael in the future, I can put away the four fingers full of rings, then raise my middle finger to him and say, 'Hi, Michael' , look, this is all I have left, hahahaha!”

"Then it seems that this year's ring will be made bigger by Boss Yang so that you can wear it on your thumb."

"Oh oh oh!" Sakuragi Hanamichi's eyes lit up: "I also want to do it on my thumb, and I also want to give Phil Knight the middle finger!"

"Didn't you give your first ring to Coach Anxi?"

"Ah..." Sakuragi scratched his head and said anxiously and wisely: "Then I will give it all to Dad, and I will ask Dad to give Phil Knight the middle finger!"

"Hahahaha!" Everyone in the team laughed, sweeping away the gloom that had previously enveloped the team.

Bob had the biggest laugh.

Facing the super teams in the East and West and facing Battier's absence, it will definitely be very difficult for the Sonics to win the championship this season.

He has been worrying about this these days, and even feels like the sky is falling. But look at everyone... everyone is full of passion and energy, working for a common goal and a common team. The team also wants to shout 'NO' to Phil Knight's capital!

With such an atmosphere and such a team, if you are in it, what else do you have to worry about and worry about, and what else can you feel dissatisfied with?

No matter who loses or wins in the end, at least everyone here is a winner!

Staying in the SuperSonics is the best decision I have ever made in my life. Even guys like Payton who are about to retire are aroused, so let yourself go crazy with these young people!

Crazy season, crazy SuperSonics!

"Training, training! In the offseason, I think we can call Chandler and ask him to return to the team. We will start training tomorrow, for the championship! So that I can legitimately raise my middle finger to Michael!"

"Murray has made rapid progress as a substitute, as well as Rukawa Kaede. This kid is also working hard. He has made great progress recently. His three-pointers are really becoming more and more accurate, and his shots are fast enough." McMillan smiled. Said: "Although defense is still a weak link...the focus of this summer training is to focus on his defensive rotation. Let this kid run, maybe he can fill Battier's vacancy."

"I'll try to get two more defensive point guards. How about the old fish Fisher? The Lakers are going to free up salary space this year, and Fisher should also be on the clearing list." Bob began to consider starting as a backup point guard. Wei's problem.

In today's league structure, it is almost impossible to find a point guard who can replace Payton for the Sonics, but finding two good substitutes should not be a big problem.

"Fischer won't come, that guy is also owned by Nike." Payton said: "I think Luke is pretty good, maybe we can give him more playing time."

"Luke? His performance is average." McMillan frowned: "If you bet on him... I feel that he will need at least two or three seasons of training."

"I think we can give it a try." Lin Dong voted in favor.

Luke Ridnour, a rookie selected by the SuperSonics with the 13th overall pick in the first round last season.

In another world, Luke also joined the SuperSonics in 2003, and because Payton had left the SuperSonics, Luke teamed up with Ray Allen and made rapid progress. In the 2005 season, he even averaged 7 assists per game, ranking the league's assist list. Eighth place.

But in this world... because Payton has always been there, Luke did not get enough playing time. He was unknown in his rookie season. Even when Payton significantly reduced his playing time last season, he was more often the choice. Let Battier rotate and let Lin Dong control the ball, which further reduces Luke's opportunities to exercise.

Compared to Luke Ridnour in another world, frankly speaking, the Luke here is much weaker.

But talent cannot be concealed. The court experience, player mentality and other aspects may be insufficient, but the basic skills have not fallen behind, which makes Payton quite optimistic about him.

Not to mention Lin Dong, because he has seen Luke's performance in another world.

"Now that the league has begun to target us, it will be much harder to find a good point guard than we thought, not to mention... no one is as reliable as our own." Lin Dong said with a smile: "Give the newcomer a Opportunity, I believe Payton will take care of him!”

McMillan and Bob looked at each other. They already had an almost blind trust in Lin Dong's vision. This was really not because Lin Dong was the boss, but because he had been verified and correct again and again. .

That really never disappoints them.

"Then I'll send you a notice now." Bob finally said: "Notify everyone to return to the team within tomorrow!"