Chapter 569: New Alliance Structure

Beep-beep-beep--

A call came from the phone, and Stern's brain was working rapidly.

How to talk to Lin Dong, what attitude should be used... He can't be too humble. While meeting most of the conditions of the Supersonics, he still has to give some restrictions, otherwise he will not be able to report to all the other team owners in the league who support this matter and facilitate it.

The call was quickly connected, and Lin Dong's brisk and pleasant voice came from the microphone.

When Stern heard the other party's greeting, he felt that the purpose of his call was a bit suspenseful.

The other party didn't seem to be in a helpless state of being forced by the NBA to make a certain decision...

Just like this, you still want to continue to restrict the Supersonics?

Stern quickly changed his mind.

In this case, of course, he can only be sincere and humble, of course, meet all the conditions of the Supersonics, and even open a special case for the Supersonics to let him surpass Jordan back then, such as 'Lin Dong's salary can be excluded from the salary cap'. You know, Jordan used 30 million to match the salary of the whole team because the league had not yet set a salary cap.

At the same time, Stern was thinking about his final trump card while talking.

If saying all the good words is useless, then maybe he can only threaten the other party with all the people of the Supersonics, or even with Yang Dong's controlling stake in the Supersonics.

You Lin Dong can go to the European League, but do people like Sakuragi Hanamichi, Chandler, Rukawa Kaede, and Iguodala also want to go? Aren't you brothers in love? If you must go, then I will target them and deal with them!

Of course, there is also his mother, Lin Dong!

As long as you don't have to worry about Lin Dong, then he has 10,000 ways to kill the Supersonics.

But...

Lin Dong smiled and said on the phone: "I'm just tired, after all, I just got shot."

Stern was speechless. Did you get shot? It was obviously a passing by, otherwise you would still be alive?

"Just like Jordan retired for a year to play baseball, I also want to go to the European league." Lin Dong said with a smile: "Maybe I will come back next year if I find Europe boring?"

Stern was stunned, and suddenly closed his eager mouth.

He understood what Lin Dong meant.

This guy always has something to say, even when he chose to leave, he was still threatening himself... and the threat was just right!

You have to help me take good care of the Supersonics, and everyone should get along well, so that maybe I will come back in the future.

But if you dare to mess with the Supersonics? Then I will never come back in the future, you can do whatever you want.

Stern felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

You want to talk about interests with others.

Now Under Armour has taken over Nike's factory and seized Nike's market with the momentum of a whirlwind sweeping away fallen leaves, and has become the most well-known sports brand in the United States. It not only has Lin Dong, but also has newly signed superstars such as Sakuragi Hanamichi, Yao Ming, and Kobe. As a shareholder of Under Armour, Lin Dong has plenty of money. He is even richer than most team owners in the league. Even Yang Dong's team with a market value of more than one billion may not be a big deal in Lin Dong's eyes. At most, he can withdraw at any time and stop playing.

You want to use interests to force Lin Dong to submit, is it possible?

As for the players, Sakuragi Hanamichi is already one of the superstar signs of the league. If you let Lin Dong go, it will not count. Do you have to destroy another sign?

Others such as Iguodala, Rukawa Kaede, Chandler, etc., their own value is also there, and because of the relationship with the Supersonics Dynasty, they now have a wide fan base all over the world. Do you have to try to target them all in one breath?

The consequence would only be the unanimous curse of fans around the world, and even the NBA and Lin Dong would completely break up, cutting off any possibility of him returning to the NBA. It is even possible that Lin Dong would wave his hand and all the stars trained by the NBA would follow him to La Liga or even to Dragon Country.

He wanted to control the NBA and Lin Dong, but in the end, he was controlled by Lin Dong.

Stern sighed. At his age, he could see through many things.

Since ancient times, the winners have been the kings and the losers have been the bandits. Since Lin Dong set foot in this league, the league, Nike, and Lin Dong have been playing games for several years, but there is only one winner in the end, and that is Lin Dong.

"You..." He paused for a while on the phone, and finally said: "I am not targeting the Supersonics, nor you, I just... want to protect myself and maintain the balance of the league."

This is not a last-ditch effort to retain him. Sincerity is equivalent to a kind of indirect surrender.

Lin Dong understood, and said "hmm" on the phone, smiling and saying, "I understand, David, no need to explain. I sincerely thank you for everything you have done for me in the past few years, and thank you for what you have done for basketball. David, you will always be my friend and the friends of basketball players all over the world."

Stern was stunned, and finally smiled helplessly.

After hearing this, he completely understood that Lin Dong was not just using a message to coerce the league, but was really determined to leave.

He regarded him as a threat and a strong rival, but in fact...

That guy never had me in his eyes. He never thought of competing with me, and his goal was definitely not just the NBA and the so-called wealth and honor.

Facing such a detached guy, it would be redundant to say anything else at this time. It would be the most correct choice for me to make a good relationship and keep a glimmer of hope for Lin Dong to return to the NBA.

"I respect your choice, kid... no, friend! Haha, NBA always welcomes you back and can always modify the terms for your return. Good luck!"

"Thank you!"

………………

The news that Lin Dong was leaving the NBA has caused a stir in the entire NBA, and even in the United States and the world since it was announced on the official website.

A basketball god actually chose to leave the highest hall of global basketball?

Where is he going? Go back to Longguo?

The answer is obviously impossible, even Longguo fans themselves dare not think so.

What is Lin Dong's level? What is the level of CBA? Is letting Lin Dong go to CBA to make a fuss? Such a game is not only unsightly, even Longguo fans themselves would think it is a blasphemy and insult to Lin Dong who is at his peak.

Or, just like Jordan's retirement, is Lin Dong too lonely after being invincible and plans to cross the border to play something else?

Ah, yes!

All the fans suddenly remembered the gossip that they had dug up in the early years. Lin Dong used to practice boxing...

Oh my God, the God of Basketball is going to play boxing!

100 kg weight, if he wants to play boxing, he has to go to the super heavyweight class directly. Facing the beasts in the ring in 2006...Oh my God!

Although in this era, boxing champion Tyson has just announced his retirement and the heavyweight boxing world is in a period of regression, new heavyweight giants such as Klitschko, Brevist, and White Tyson have emerged, with faces like Nordic butchers. Just thinking about Lin Dong, a handsome guy with tender skin and flesh, standing on the boxing ring to face these beasts makes countless fans heartbroken and worried.

——Be calm... Even if you don't play basketball, you can't play boxing. That's what barbarians do! Those terrible beasts will ruin the handsome face of our God of Basketball!

—— Blame Nike for the black gun and the new rules of the league. It's annoying and tiring for the idol!

——If you are really tired, why not take a year off and come back next year, please idol! Don't be impulsive!

There are various voices on the Internet, but the news of Lin Dong joining La Liga has been kept under the request of La Liga officials.

La Liga is actually ambitious. If Lin Dong hadn't applied, they would never have imagined that a superstar like Lin Dong would give up the NBA to join their league.

They want Lin Dong's traffic too much.

It is conceivable that when the whole world is speculating where Lin Dong will go and the topic has been heated up to a certain height, Lin Dong suddenly announced that he would join La Liga. What kind of wealth and attention will La Liga bring? It may not be impossible for La Liga to replace NBA.

In addition, keeping it secret for the time being is also Stern's small request.

As long as Lin Dong's joining La Liga is not announced first, at least the traffic will be on the NBA side for the time being.

Therefore, amid the various speculations of basketball fans around the world, the NBA's summer player trading market transfer has also ushered in a wave of global attention.

LeBron James announced his retirement after Game 4 of the Finals, but then announced that he would join the Cavaliers and become the general manager of the Cavaliers.

LeBron's choice to retire at the height of his career was obviously an unexpected result for most people.

Even in Stern's view, even if LeBron endures all the infamy, he is still red even if he is "black and red". He is now one of the superstars in the entire league who is second only to Lin Dong in terms of topicality. As long as he chooses to stay, whether he continues to walk the "bad guy road" or plays the role of a prodigal son again, his attention will never be low. Coupled with his own strength, the maximum salary is a foregone conclusion.

But they obviously don't know LeBron well enough.

If LeBron had reached the top before, he might not care about the ridicule and gossip from the outside world, but would regard it as a joke and a topic that can be used.

But Lin Dong's existence has prevented him from ever reaching the top. The feeling of being shrouded in despair throughout his career has long destroyed the psychological defense line he built with fame and fortune.

The general manager also has a good income, not to mention the care from a lover like Laura, plus the super topicality makes many TV stations always invite him to participate in various variety shows, life is already very good...

Just like the three-layer world that Phil Knight once told him.

LeBron once wanted to sharpen his head to get to the top, that's because he didn't understand the cruelty of the top, but he felt the cruelty after every failure, and then looked at the ending of Phil Knight, a super rich man who was already at the top.

LeBron felt too tired. For him now, perhaps the comfort zone of the middle level is the most suitable place for his personality.

To put it bluntly, he had the opportunity to be a lion, and he succeeded in another world, but in this world, because of Lin Dong and because there were different paths, he finally respected his heart and chose to be a sheep, but no matter what, he finally got rid of the battlefield of the wild wolf.

Regardless of whether what he said to O'Neal and others before, "I will take the blame", was true or false, but in the end, it seems that he alone used "retirement" to bear all the blame for the Cavaliers' defeat. This not only won praise from many Cavaliers fans, but also reduced the criticism of him, and made O'Neal, Wade and others grateful to him.

O'Neal had already decided to stay with the team, and Wade also chose to stay, and there was also Kidd.

Although Artest, who also suffered a bad reputation, has been sent to the Rockets, the three superstars representing the new and old generations are staying on the team at the same time, which means that the Cavaliers are destined to have first-class competitiveness in the next season.

The Lakers all stayed on the team. Compared with the failure of last season, most people only saw that the Lakers were defeated 4:0, but did not see that they were the only super team that made the Sonics with complete personnel really fall into a hard battle last season.

The partnership between Kobe and Yao Ming has entered a new realm, and their power is no less than that of the OK combination at its peak. They are still one of the favorites to win the championship next season.

In addition, McGrady of the Wizards has been clearly sent to the Mavericks in exchange for cash and the draft pick for next season.

The Mavericks, who have Nowitzki, lack a forward, and McGrady is obviously a good choice, even if the Mavericks are 5 for 1 and have to send two first-round picks.

If this was placed in the last season, the Mavericks would not make this deal, which would be equivalent to hollowing out the team's future, and McGrady's joining would not be a rival for the Sonics.

But now...the god of the Supersonics is gone. Without Lin Dong and the basketball god, the Supersonics suddenly became a delicious meal in the eyes of everyone in the league.

Who doesn't want to beat the four-time champion team? Who doesn't want to climb to the top by stepping on the corpse of the four-time champion team?

This is undoubtedly the best opportunity for a team!

Not only did the Cavaliers and the Lakers spend a lot of money to keep the super lineup of last season, but ambitious teams like the Celtics and Mavericks also obviously have their own plans.

As for the Wizards, the stingy owner Pollin is no longer interested in offering the top salary to the hopeless Adou. He not only sent away McGrady, but also Ray Allen, and traded him to the Celtics in exchange for cash and trading rights. He plans to reorganize the team with five first-round picks next season. He even has four first-round picks for the next season. Winning or losing this season is not important to him. What is important is that the team's potential and controllable assets have greatly increased. Training rookies to sell has become the reason why Pollin was scolded by Wizards fans, but it also makes him happy to do it and take a different business path.

Frankly speaking, with the Sonics dominating the NBA, choosing to play badly is not just the choice of the Wizards.

Of course, there are those who play badly, and there are also those who are eager to surpass the dynasty.

In addition to the Lakers, Cavaliers and Mavericks, the Celtics have also started to think about it.

After forming the "Lace Combination" with Ray Allen and Pierce, the Celtics' top management obviously saw the improvement of the team's strength, but it was too much of a pipe dream to rely on these two people to fight against the Lakers or the Supersonics, so another combination that was ahead of the times was released a year in advance.

They used five players plus two future first-round picks to exchange their wolf king Garnett from the Timberwolves in a 7-for-1 way, forming a Big Three combination of Garnett + Ray Allen + Pierce.

At the same time, the Pistons continued their defensive tradition and recruited Artest, who was abandoned by the Cavaliers, to form a new Pistons Five Tigers with Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Hamilton, and Billups.

The Pistons, who were originally known for their defense, have become more indestructible on defense with the addition of Artest, and the combination of the two Wallaces and Artests, three best defensive second teams, have also become the new Big Three of the Pistons.

In this league today... at least the Big Three are the standard for a strong team!

In the news of various super giants forming groups, Battier also quietly returned to the Supersonics.

Nike is gone, and the restrictions on him are gone. Of course, the Rockets are willing to let him go mainly because of Stern's mediation.

After all, Battier left the Supersonics because of various conspiracies. Now Stern wants to make up for the Supersonics and make a last good relationship with Lin Dong.

Battier wants to go back, and Stern is talking about it. Even if the Rockets are reluctant, they have no competitiveness this season. It is better to give Stern a face and ask for a large sum of cash from the Supersonics.

The entire summer trading market is extremely hot.

Every day, various news are flying around, accompanied by the formation of super giant teams and Lin Dong's uninterrupted topicality, which can be regarded as helping Stern to attract a wave of attention, so that the attention of the NBA during this off-season has also been greatly improved.

Of course, Stern knew that this popularity was only a flash in the pan. When the news of Lin Dong joining La Liga was announced, perhaps the world basketball situation would really change over time...

But at least, there is still a possibility that the guy will come back, right?

Stern has also come to terms with it.

Stop the intrigue and run your own games well. That is more important than anything else!