The name "Zhang Guan" seemed to have a magical power on Xiao Hua, instantly making his heart beat faster. Of course he knew what it would mean for Zhang Guan to join the NBA.
After Dayao retired due to injury, the NBA has been looking for another Chinese player to stabilize the Chinese market. However, the abilities of Chinese players are indeed too limited, and they are not yet capable of playing in the NBA.
And now, Zhang Guan is here. He is not only a Chinese athlete, but also the most famous athlete in the world. An athlete of this level who is willing to join the NBA will play a role in promoting the entire NBA around the world. Earth-shaking effect.
Regarding Zhang Guan joining, Xiao Hua had never dared to think about it before. Zhang Guan is not an ordinary athlete, he is also a super rich man. His wealth can buy the entire NBA. Why can he let others come to play? Bass's phone call was like a pie studded with diamonds, hitting Xiao Hua directly on the head.
Xiao Hua only officially took office as NBA president on February 1st. It has been less than a week since he took office. Although he took over the job of NBA president a long time ago, the new official is a new official after all, and he hopes to be able to do it. To achieve some results, it must at least make people feel that David Stern's choice of him as his successor was not a wrong decision.
So for things like introducing Zhang Guan, Xiao Hua must have the green light all the way. Not to mention a 10 million injury exception, or a 30 million injury exception, Xiao Hua is willing to give it. Anyway, the salary of a second-round rookie is not affected. Limits on rookie contract amounts. Xiao Hua even thinks that if necessary, he can come up with a separate "Zhang Guan Clause". The conditions are open to Zhang Guan, as long as he is willing to come to the NBA to play.
In the end, Silver couldn't sit still. That afternoon, he booked a flight from New York to Los Angeles.
The biggest rookie in NBA history is coming, how could Xiao Hua not greet him personally!
…
Miami, Heat general manager's office.
Heat general manager Pat Riley looked at a newly received email and frowned.
"Xiao Hua gave the Lakers a 10 million injury exception? How come there are so many! A 10 million injury exception, if it is a multi-party trade, can be exchanged for a superstar! There is less than 10 minutes left before the trade deadline In two weeks, the Lakers are going to make big moves. Is Buss planning to form another 'F4'?"
There are no big fish worth tens of millions of dollars in the NBA's free market. Pat Riley believes that the Lakers will definitely use this 10 million injury exception to cooperate with the transaction, and it will be a big move. If you deny it, you can't make a mistake. Use a special case of 10 million transactions.
The Heat have the Big Three and have won the championship for two consecutive years. This year the Heat's goal is to win three consecutive championships and establish a Heat dynasty. Judging from the Heat's current record, this goal is very close. As long as If we continue step by step, the Heat have a high probability of winning three consecutive championships, so Pat Riley is the person who least wants to see the overall situation of the NBA change.
"This year's Lakers team is so bad that it is impossible for them to enter the playoffs. Even if they get an All-Star through multi-party transactions, it will not affect the overall situation. But other teams, if they get an All-Star through multi-party transactions, The benefits, it’s hard to say! I remember Gasol’s contract. This is the last year. This is a contract with great trading value. The New Yorkers definitely need players like Gasol!”
Pat Riley couldn't help but think of the New York Knicks and the New York Knicks with stupid people and lots of money. They have a superstar like Anthony, as well as Kidd, Chandler, JR, Felton, Shumpert and other players. If Stoudemire Jr. and Bagliani were not injured, the Heat would be The team's rival. What the New Yorkers now lack is a top power forward, and Gasol is the championship puzzle piece that the Knicks dream of.
"We can't let the Lakers get this 10 million injury exception with such peace of mind! This number is really too big and will give the Lakers too much room to operate. I don't want the league's situation to change drastically before the trade deadline. ! We have to put pressure on Silver! It’s best to find a few old friends to join forces and put pressure on Silver together!” Pat Riley thought about it carefully.
"For this kind of thing, it's best to call Larry Bird. He is also highly respected and can build up his momentum. And Forman of the Bulls, call and ask Rivers if he is willing to participate. Morey is a calculating guy, and any good thing must be done without him... "
…
"It is very unfair to give the Lakers a 10 million injury exception. I think it is too much. I admit that Kobe's injury has a great impact on the Lakers' record, but this cannot be called a high-cost injury exception. Reason. Among the thirty teams in the league, the Lakers are not the only star players who are injured, but only the Lakers can get a huge injury exception of 10 million. This is obviously biased in favor of the Lakers!" Pat Riley muttered He kept his mouth shut and told reporters.
"Pat Riley believes the league favors the Lakers", such a report immediately appeared in the NBA section of Yahoo Sports.
"Kobe is out for the season, so the Lakers can have a 10 million injury exception? Then our team's core player Derrick Rose is also out for the season. I think the league should also give our Chicago Bulls an injury exception, not to mention there is one. You should have 10 million or 8 million, that's only fair! You can't afford all the benefits to the Lakers!" Bulls general manager Forman said.
"Impressed by the Lakers!" Bulls ask for 8 million injury exception", this report also appeared for the first time.
"Both Yao and Mai of our Rockets were injured, and the league did not give us an injury exception. If we had two mid-level injury exceptions at that time, we wouldn't have been unable to even make the playoffs! Now Kobe Bryant He was injured, but there is a 10 million injury exception! The league should compensate our Rockets!"
"Rockets General Manager Morey: The league owes us two injury exceptions"
News came one after another, all venting their dissatisfaction with the alliance. After all, the 10 million injury exception has never been seen before in the league. The previous highest limit for injury exceptions was the middle class. The one to two million level was the most common. A 10 million exception was enough to sign an All-Star.
Of course, this is also related to the fact that Xiao Hua has just taken office. If the chairman had been David Stern, the team would probably have only dared to complain, but Silver has only been in office for less than a week, and a veteran like Pat Riley, who has been around for most of his life, would naturally dare to complain. ".
Silver's ability to become the president of the NBA is not a fuel-saving lamp. He knew that he could not let these teams continue to talk nonsense, so he immediately summoned the league's 30 teams and held a conference call.
"Mr. President, we don't mean to embarrass you. I just hope that the league can treat each of our teams equally. Since you approved the Lakers' injury exception, you should also give us the Chicago Bulls an injury exception." , our situation is similar to that of the Lakers, all the top stars are out for the season!" Bulls general manager Foreman said.
"You have the nerve to be like the Lakers? The Lakers are hopelessly bad. They may be at the bottom this year, but your Bulls are still in the playoffs!" Silver couldn't help complaining in his heart.
Xiao Hua coughed dryly and said: "I already understand everyone's demands, but I can guarantee that giving the Lakers a 10 million injury exception will be beneficial to the development of the entire league. Regarding this injury I would like to ask Lakers general manager Mr. Kupchak to explain the use of special cases to you."
On the phone, Kupchak's voice rang: "Everyone, our Lakers are applying for this injury exception not for trade, but for signing free agents."
"Signing a free agent? In the current free agent market, where are there any players worth 10 million? Are you referring to overseas players?" someone immediately asked.
"There are a few outstanding players in Europe who may be worth ten million, but the European basketball league is not over yet!" someone else said.
"He is an overseas player, but not a European player. He is a rookie for our Lakers team, but he has not signed a contract before." Kupchak said.
"Not a European player, but a Lakers rookie!" People with bright minds have already thought of Zhang Guan.
Just listen to Kupchak continue to say: "I think you have guessed that the rookie I am talking about is Zhang Guan. He has agreed to sign with our Lakers. The fastest he can arrive in Los Angeles today to attend the signing ceremony tomorrow. Complete required items such as physical examination.”
Several exclamations suddenly sounded on the phone. This news was really shocking to all teams.
"Everyone, if Zhang Guan joins the NBA, it will be beneficial to the development of the entire league. A Chinese player can bring us a broad market, and each of our teams can enjoy the benefits brought by the Chinese market. I think Mr. Morey feels this the most! Right, Mr. Morey?" Xiao Hua said.
"Haha." Morey, the general manager of the Rockets, laughed awkwardly, obviously getting an advantage and acting like a good boy.
"This $10 million injury exception will be used exclusively for Zhang Guan. The reason why I approved this injury exception is not to favor the Lakers, but because Zhang Guan's signing rights are in the hands of the Lakers. Pat - Mr. Riley, you should have no doubts about this, right?" Xiao Hua continued.
"Mr. Chairman, I'm very sorry. This matter is a misunderstanding." Pat Riley is indeed an old fox. He was the most violent in the past, and now his apology is not ambiguous at all.
…
A few hours later, Los Angeles media first announced the news.
"The NBA is about to welcome the biggest rookie in history, Zhang Guan decides to join the NBA"
The entire American media was shocked by this, and some reporters rushed to the Los Angeles Airport immediately, and finally got their wish and photographed Zhang Guan entering the country from Los Angeles.
"Zhang Guan arrives in Los Angeles, the Lakers welcome their savior"
When this news was published, the Lakers also ended their back-to-back games.
On February 5, local time in the United States, the Los Angeles Lakers challenged the Cleveland Cavaliers away from home. On this day, the Lakers played the most tragic game in history.
In this game, Farmar's comeback allowed the Lakers to reach 8 players, which is also the minimum number of players required by NBA rules. If a team cannot even get 8 players, the game will be canceled and the team will suffer. to a fine.
However, during the game, Nick Young was injured and left the game in the second quarter, Farmar, who was back on fire, was injured and left the game in the fourth quarter. Kaman committed six fouls and left the game in the fourth quarter. "Lakers Cornerstone" Sacre scored 3 points and 32 points before the end. Seconds also received six fouls. The Lakers, who originally had only 8 players, only had 4 left to fight!
According to NBA regulations, if a team only has 5 players available for the game and one of them is sent off for six fouls, the team can let the six-foul player return to the game, but after that Each foul committed by this player is considered a technical foul. So Thackeray could only continue to play despite six fouls.
This is considered an unpopular rule. Even the referee confirmed that there is such a rule after making inquiries after a timeout. As a team, it is really miserable to play to the point where we can't even make up five players!
"So what if Zhang Guan is here? The savior of the Lakers? Haha, what will save such a Lakers team?" Such a sentence on Twitter received hundreds of thousands of likes in a short period of time.
————
Okay, I admit it, I am Humi.
The first one is delivered. Thanks to book friends with the last number 3959, Red Civil and Military, Bubble 2016, Duo Cai Ni, and Dongfang Yiying for their tips!
(End of chapter)