In the evening, Dai Li received a call from Nathan Hall. As Dai Li expected, he agreed to come to the Clippers. The specific signing price will be negotiated by team manager Johnson.
Johnson returned to the hotel just after lunch time.
"It was settled so quickly?" Li Dai didn't expect Johnson's efficiency to be so fast.
"It's been negotiated, and we had lunch together." Johnson sat down and continued: "Hall originally thought that we would only give him a one-year contract, so when I proposed a one-plus-one contract, He was pleasantly surprised, and even though the second year was a team option, he said yes without hesitation.”
Dai Li nodded and continued: "I can guarantee that Hall will have no problems in the next three years. If Hall is good enough next season, I will persuade the team not to execute his second-year contract. , and then offer him a higher salary."
"Coach Li, I don't quite understand why we don't just give him a three-year contract. We can make the price lower, so that the team's interests will be maximized." Johnson asked.
"What we need is players to work hard to play. Just imagine, if we don't give him enough salary, how can he be willing to work hard for the team? You wouldn't work for a million dollars and only get a salary of 100,000 yuan, right? So In my idea, we should give him at least a one-year big contract. And next summer, Wood's contract of more than 30 million yuan will expire, and we can free up a lot of salary space." Dai Li smiled. , and then comforted: "Don't worry, if Hall can really return to the state he was in back then, even if we give him the maximum salary, we can still make it back."
"Hall is done, who should we go to next?" Johnson then asked.
"Go to Houston and find the most famous guy." After finishing speaking, Li Dai sighed.
"Why are you sighing?" Johnson asked with some confusion.
"I have made an evaluation before. Nathan Hall should be the easiest person to invite us, and next, we may hit a wall." Li Dai said.
"Are you worried that Raymond won't accept our invitation?" Johnson asked.
"Raymon is a true superstar. He has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in his career. He has won the scoring title, entered the All-Star team, and the All-NBA team. He will even become a member of the Hall of Fame in the future. . So I really haven’t thought about what I should do to impress him. I can only take one step at a time,” Li Dai said.
"Yes, he is a two-time NBA scoring champion, 7-time All-Star, and became the youngest double-double player in history in his rookie season. He averaged more than 26 points per game before the age of 21, and averaged 32 points per game at his peak. , 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, as well as the 35 seconds and 13 minutes that God favored... Raymond's past achievements can indeed be called great! Maybe only a championship can have a chance to impress him." Johnson said explain.
"You are right. Maybe Raymond is only interested in the championship, but we are not yet a championship team. If we find him now and say to him, 'Join us and fight for the championship,' maybe he They will think we are crazy." Li Dai said.
"Maybe he will think of us as liars." Johnson laughed teasingly.
…
As a former superstar, Raymond's mansion is more like a castle, and Raymond personally went to the gate to greet Dai Li.
"Coach Li, welcome." Raymond hugged Dai Li and continued: "The last time the Clippers came to Houston, I went to the Toyota Center to watch your game against the Rockets. I respect you and your quickness. Very impressed with the fleet, you guys are really resilient.”
Raymond welcomed Dai Li into the living room. After the guests and hosts were seated, Raymond's wife brought a few glasses of juice.
After the two chatted for a while, Raymond asked: "Coach Li, I wonder why you came to me?"
"I want to invite you to join the Clippers." Dai Li said bluntly.
Raymond didn't look very surprised. He smiled and nodded, and then said: "Coach Li, thank you for your kindness, but I'm afraid I can't agree to it. In fact, the Rockets also invited me before, hoping that I I could join their management or the coaching staff, but I was rejected. I have retired now. I just want to have a good rest, spend more time with my family, and take me to Toyota from time to time. The center watches a line of balls. I'm content with the life I'm living right now."
"No, Mr. Raymond, you misunderstood me. I don't want to invite you to join the Clippers' management and coaching staff. I intend to invite you to play with the Clippers." Dai Li then added: "As a player Go out there and play ball.”
"Playing basketball? Do you want me to come back?" Raymond finally showed a surprised expression on his face.
Dai Li nodded seriously: "Yes, I want to invite you to come back."
"Coach Li, are you kidding?" Raymond shook his head: "I have retired and I don't plan to play anymore."
"Raymon, don't refuse in a hurry. You can listen to our conditions first." Johnson said hurriedly next to him.
Raymond waved his hand: "Even if you give me a maximum salary, I will not come back. I have played for so many years and have won enough honors. I am tired and I don't want to come back." Maybe in a few years, my name will be engraved on the NBA Hall of Fame. Now I just want to leave more time to my family."
"Raymon, after playing basketball for so many years, are you really willing to give it up?" Johnson then asked.
"If I want to play ball, I can call a few friends and have fun on the court, or go to the Rockets' training ground to have a good time. But I will not play professionally." Raymond He refused.
Johnson wanted to speak again, but was stopped by Li Dai. He said to Raymond: "I understand, now that you have made a decision, we will not force it, but I hope you will think about it again. This is mine. Business card, if you have any intention of coming back, you might as well give me a call."
Dai Li took out his business card, handed it to Raymond, and then said: "Of course, if you want to find a friend to chat, that's no problem."
"Of course. If I go to Los Angeles next time, I will definitely go to the Clippers to visit you." Raymond smiled and took Dai Li's business card.
…
Dai Li and Johnson walked to Raymond's villa, and Raymond and his wife personally sent them to the door.
The two got in the car, and Johnson asked: "Li, are you going to give up just like that? We can continue to persuade him, or you can take out your promotional brochure and tell him that you have helped many athletes regain their Peak form, just like we persuaded Hall to be.”
"Of course we can't just give up, but Raymond is different from Hall. Raymond is a superstar. He has had too many honors. Ordinary conditions can't arouse his desire to play. It's like you holding a One hundred dollars cannot buy a billionaire. So we have to find something that can impress Raymond." Dai Li paused and said with a smile: "Now let's start the question and answer session. What exactly can impress Raymond? What about the desire to play ball again?"
"God knows what he will care about!" Johnson shook his head in frustration, and then asked: "Do you know?"
"I don't know either. But I have a way to know." Dai Li replied with a smile.
"What can we do?" Johnson asked eagerly.
"Haven't you ever watched a TV quiz show? When you don't know the answer to a question, you can choose to ask for help from the audience outside the venue!" Dai Li said and picked up his phone.
"Ask for help from the audience outside the stadium?" Johnson still looked confused. Then he saw Dai Li taking out his mobile phone, so he asked: "Who are you going to call?"
"The audience outside the venue. In other words, people like Raymond." Dai Li dialed a number and made a "hush" gesture at the same time.
…
"Jimmy, I'm Dai Li. Yes, long time no see. How are you lately?"
"I'm in some trouble, and I need your help with something. To be precise, I have something to ask you for."
"After you retired, was there anything you regretted, or was there anything that made you want to return to the game?"
"Oh, that's right, I see. Thank you, Jimmy."
Dai Li ended the first call.
"Who did you call? Jimmy? Which basketball star?" Johnson asked in confusion.
"It's Jimmy Irvine." Dai Li answered.
"King of the 400 meters, Jimmy Irvin!" Johnson's eyes showed a rare hint of admiration. Of course, this was his admiration for Irvin.
At this time, Dai Li dialed a second phone number.
"Hey, Li! Why did you call me? Have you come to Switzerland?" A man's voice rang from the phone.
"No, I'm still in the United States, but I have something to ask you for help. Actually, I have a question I want to ask you." Dai Li said.
"Is it about racing?" the other party asked.
"Yeah, my car broke down on the road, so I called you to ask you how to fix the car?" Li Dai said and laughed.
The other party also knew that Dai Li was joking, so he replied: "OK, no problem, I will tell you everything. I am an expert at repairing cars. Give me some accessories and I can assemble a car myself."
Dai Li went directly to the topic: "After you retired, was there anything you regretted, or was there anything that would make you want to return to the game?"
"Why do you ask such a question?" the other party said with some confusion.
"What I want is not the official answer from a reporter's interview. I want to know your true inner thoughts." Dai Li continued.
The other party thought for a while and gave Li Dai an answer. After chatting with the other party for a few more words, Li Dai hung up the phone.
"Who is it this time?" Johnson next to him asked next.
"Helheim." Dai Li replied.
"The King of Cars? You know quite a few big-name athletes." There was a hint of sourness in Johnson's words.
Dai Li ignored Johnson and dialed the third phone number.
…
When the car arrived at the door of the hotel, Dai Li had already made several calls, and the people he spoke to were all retired top athletes in the world.
Johnson next to him looked at Dai Li, and his eyes changed from envy with a little jealousy at first, to admiration and surprise, and finally to helpless numbness.
Johnson never thought that Dai Li knew so many of the world's top athletes. At this time, Johnson finally realized that the title of the world's top coach was not for nothing.
Johnson has been in the NBA for many years, and he knows many basketball professionals, but when it comes to other projects, Johnson can't do it.
The resources Dai Li had accumulated over the years finally came into play at this moment. He had provided physical training or rehabilitation training for many top athletes, which allowed him to contact many of the world's top athletes immediately, and then he got what he wanted. Want the answer. If it were anyone else, they would definitely not be as efficient as Dai Li.
The two came to the hotel restaurant and ordered afternoon tea, while Johnson kept urging, wanting to know what Dai Li had just said to those top athletes.
After the afternoon tea was served, Dai Li said: "I just asked several of the world's top athletes. They all once stood at the top of the world, have won many honors, and have a lot of wealth. , their situation is very similar to Raymond. They became famous and then retired. It’s just a different sport. When I asked if there was anything that would make them return to the game, what do you think their answer was? ?”
"Is it the love for a certain sport? Like Hall, who loves basketball, so he agreed to come back?" Johnson guessed.
Dai Li shook his head, and Johnson continued to guess: "That is honor, such as an honor they have never won, or a record they want to break. For this, those top athletes may return to the competition. let's go?"
Dai Li still shook his head.
"It can't be for money, right? It's definitely not. Those top athletes in the world are not short of money. They shouldn't return to the competition for money." Johnson spread his hands and continued: "I really can't think of it. .”
"Actually, everyone I asked gave me different answers. Some people said that when they see other athletes standing on the podium, they have the urge to come back; some people said that when they think about When you feel the feeling of defeating your opponent, you will have the urge to come back; some people say that when they recall their glorious moments, they will be motivated to come back... There are many answers, but in the final analysis, they are all just one." Dai Li deliberately slowed down his speech and continued:
"That's victory!"
"Whether it's standing on the podium, defeating an opponent, or the most glorious moment, it is nothing more than a reflection of victory. So what makes the world's top athletes most excited should be the feeling of victory. Even if they have retired, they still have the feeling of victory. I will miss this feeling. I think 'victory' is the only thing that can move Raymond."
"It makes sense." Johnson nodded: "What are you going to do?"
"Let's stay in Houston for two days first. I need to arrange some people and do some things." Li Dai replied.
…
In the early morning, Raymond was running on the road near his home wearing a hoodie.
It has become Raymond's habit to go for a morning run before breakfast. Although his knee was injured and he could not bear high-load exercise, he could still bear this short-term aerobic exercise.
A car was approaching from a distance. Raymond subconsciously leaned towards the roadside to avoid being hit by the car, but the car stopped beside him.
A person got out of the car, it was Dai Li.
"Coach Li? Are you looking for me?" Raymond stopped. He knew that Dai Li came here from downtown Houston early in the morning. He must have something to do with him, and most likely he wanted to persuade him to join Kuaishou. The boat, Raymond had even prepared a refusal.
However, Dai Li said: "My training center recently sent a promotional video and I want to show it to you."
Dai Li said and took out his tablet computer.
Raymond couldn't figure out what Dai Li was going to do, so out of politeness, he took the tablet, sat on the side of the road, and started watching the video content on the tablet.
This video is more like a clip of championship moments, recording the peak moments of athletes in different events. Some sprinters crossed the finish line, some high jumpers climbed over a height, and some weightlifters struggled to lift a weight. There are football players who score a touchdown, and of course there are basketball players who score a buzzer-beating shot.
Every athlete will celebrate when they win. They look excited and a little crazy. With the passionate music, it makes people feel that their hormones are bursting and they even get excited unconsciously.
At this time, a subtitle suddenly appeared:
"This is what winning feels like!"
Dai Li's voice sounded from the side: "How do you feel?"
"Ah, yes, it looks exciting." Raymond replied subconsciously.
"This is the feeling of victory!" Dai Li repeated the sentence on the subtitles, and then asked: "How long has it been since you experienced the feeling of victory?"
Raymond was slightly stunned. He did not expect that Dai Li would suddenly ask this question. At the same time, he felt that it was difficult for him to answer this question. He recalled that he was once on the court and couldn't help but feel a little lost.
"Actually, this is why I came to you. The reason why I want to ask you to come back is because I hope we can achieve victory together!" Li Dai stood up, patted Raymond on the shoulder, and then said: "If you want to come back again, To taste this feeling of victory, call me!”
After Dai Li finished speaking, he walked straight into the car.
The car started and gradually drove away, leaving only Raymond sitting there, holding the tablet in a daze.
…
"Is this okay for you?" Johnson asked from the car.
"I don't know either." Li Dai shook his head and continued: "Actually, I am also betting on how much he desires to win!"