Champions Creed

Chapter 430 429: The Ultimate Opportunism (asking for a monthly ticket!)
"You asked me what would happen to the Cavaliers in the summer of 2007," Danny Ferry answered for what felt like the ten-millionth time. "I really didn't know. We couldn't get in touch with LeBron. We weren't sure if he was in Cleveland or even in the country."

Larry Hughes thought this was boring: "It's all hype from you guys. Listen, LeBron's biggest wish is to get a ring, and we made it to the finals. We are the team closest to a ring in the entire league except for the Warriors. So, why does he need to go somewhere else? This is his team, his city, we are his people, and we are close to a championship, so he will definitely renew his contract. What's more, he just said two months ago that he would 99.9% renew his contract. You media just want to create a topic."

Ben Wallace told reporters in disbelief: "I don't know why this rumor came out. I have never seen a team leader flee from the battlefield. We just lost a round of the finals. As a leader, leave at this time? If LeBron chooses to leave, I will be extremely disappointed. Yes, more disappointing than being swept in the finals. You know, Roger never runs away when he fails."

Reggie Miller, who has become a TNT commentator, can't understand LBJ at all: "He keeps saying that this is his city, his team, but he keeps dragging his feet on signing contracts. If I remember correctly, the soap opera between him and the Cavaliers has lasted for three summers. What is LeBron waiting for? Or, what else can he ask for? Daniel Gilbert has provided him with everything he needs. He has the best defensive team in the world, and this team just lacks a leader to lead them to success. If LBJ wants to prove himself, if he is a man, he should shut up, sign the contract, and slap everyone in the face next year!"

This was the hottest topic in the summer of 2007. Whether LeBron James would stay or go became the suspense that everyone was concerned about during this offseason.

The debate over LBJ wasn't just about where he should go, but whether he should leave.

People have never seen any superstar choose to run away at his peak age when his team could make it to the finals.

What's more, the disagreement between LBJ and the Cavaliers is not about money. If LeBron wants to leave, the only reason is that he can get an easier chance to win the championship.

Wilt Chamberlain did something similar, but he was 32 years old at the time.

Charles Barkley did something like this, but he was 33 years old at the time.

Karl Malone did the same thing, but he was 40 years old at the time.

It is understandable that they chose to take shortcuts in the eyes of fans. Although this is essentially a decline in competitive awareness, their competitiveness is indeed not as good as before, and there is no hope of winning the championship if they lead the team alone.

What about LeBron James? He's just 23 years old and only four years into his career.

As a result, he was ready to give up his competitive spirit.

This is the most fascinating thing about professional athletes.

Why is the story of Michael Jordan finally defeating the Pistons after years of failure so legendary?

Why is the story about Roger being suppressed by Michael Jordan and MJ never winning an Eastern Conference championship so satisfying?
Because they are fighting against their own destiny, they are competing, and this is the essence of competitive sports. This sense of competition is the most fascinating thing about an athlete.

Statistics, skills, wonderful dunks, beautiful passes, charming appearance, all of these are just additions to an athlete.

Chris Paul has fans because he knows in his heart: "I know I'm a difficult asshole, but I really love playing basketball."

Kobe Bryant has fans because he promised, "We have to fight for Jerry Buss, and I must lead the Lakers into the playoffs," and then he did what he said, even if the price was a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Stephen Curry has fans not because of his dunks, but because he has the courage to say "No one wants to face us next season."

The reason a guy like Reggie Miller, who runs like a polio patient, has fans is because he said a few summers ago, "Tell Roger to go f**k himself."

The competitive spirit makes these rough men who play basketball full of charm.

If an athlete does not have a competitive spirit, he is not even qualified to be called great.

Therefore, the outside world does not believe that LBJ will leave. If he makes this choice, it is like a woman who messes up her face, shrinks her breasts and hips, and cuts off all the most attractive things about herself.

But various rumors indicate that this incredible choice is very likely to become a reality.

This further escalated the dispute.

Then, Danny Ferry issued an ultimatum to LBJ on behalf of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"If LeBron only wants to sign a 1+1 contract, we will not renew his contract or match it. We have done everything we can for LeBron, and we can't watch him walk away after a year."

Daniel Gilbert instructed Danny Ferry to say all this. He was furious and had had enough of being manipulated by this damn Chosen One.

As a profit-seeking businessman, Daniel Gilbert did everything he promised like a man.

But what about LBJ? He promised to renew his contract again and again, and he always talked about his love for Cleveland and the Cavaliers. But in the past three years, he has never signed his name on the contract.

He had enough. If LBJ is really this kind of person, what future does the Cavaliers have under his leadership?
At this point, there is no turning back.

The whole world was waiting for LBJ to make a decision.

Nike is happy about this, as this is the popularity that LeBron James should have had in Nike's fantasy over the past few years.

Finally, this summer, people are talking about more than just No. 14 in the Bay Area.

No. 23 is about to make an important decision, and everyone outside is waiting for him to make this decision.

The ambiguous LBJ, the Los Angeles Lakers with trade rumors, the turbulent Orlando Magic, and the Detroit Pistons who may press the reset button. These events make this offseason as tense as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Roger may be the only one in the world who doesn't care about these things. He just wants to enjoy this summer.

For this year's championship parade, the Warriors did not go to the main city of San Francisco, but instead circled Mission Bay, deeply binding this place with the Golden State Warriors.

Through years of development, this place has been completely transformed.

When Roger first arrived, the place was all construction, and even the Oracle Arena was just an outline.

Now, those dirty and ugly construction sites have been transformed into high-rise buildings, medical centers, parks, shopping malls, and high-end residential buildings. Mission Bay has become a place where everyone in the Bay Area wants to come.

This place is so hot thanks to the Golden State Warriors.

Mikhail Prokhorov used the team as a springboard to get everything he wanted.

But the Warriors' mission is not over yet. This team needs to become an eternal legend and make Mission Bay a basketball mecca for fans around the world.

So, Mikhail Prokhorov still needs the Warriors.

At the championship parade, he told Roger: "I will renew the contract with Brandon Roy with a maximum salary as soon as the next season ends. I can promise him first and let him play with peace of mind. You don't have to worry about anything, just keep winning."

"Thanks for your support, Pocky."

"This is my team too, you know, I'm always willing to pay for what's worth it. Just like the last time I played a yacht party, there was a chick who could hold her throat for a long time."

"Ahem," Roger interrupted Prokhorov, who was speaking vividly, "Poki, the mayor is still giving a speech over there."

"Sorry, I mean, I don't mind spending money as long as it's worth it."

Roger smiled and did not continue the topic.

Mikhail Prokhorov did give the team a lot of support, and the Warriors were able to win an unprecedented four consecutive championships because there were no problems in the locker room.

The reason why there are no problems in the locker room is not only because Roger has worked hard, but also because Mikhail Prokhorov never cares about the team's operating costs.

He always offers everyone a contract that matches their ability at the first opportunity, and nips distractions such as suspicion and negotiation in the bud.

Prokhorov would never give the players Roger needed a chance to enter the free agent market.

Ben Wallace absolutely loves this kind of boss. He was abandoned by the team twice in his career because of his demand for a maximum salary.

When he was in Atlanta, he asked for a maximum salary contract extension, but the team let him go.

Last summer in Detroit he wanted a maximum salary, but ended up leaving the team again because of that.

This directly led to the disbandment of the two teams.

If he played on Prokhorov's team, this wouldn't be a problem.

But if money can solve all problems, then the Dallas Mavericks should have a championship.

Roger knew very well that last season was probably the final chapter of the perfect atmosphere of the gang.

This fairy-tale locker room atmosphere has come to an end.

After Marcus Camby made way for Amar'e Stoudemire, he was already dissatisfied with his position because as a backup center, his chances of making the All-Defensive Team were slim, which was his biggest pursuit.

Monta Ellis' ambition is hard to conceal. He doesn't think he is much worse than Brandon Roy, but he has been serving as Roy's substitute last season.

As the sixth man last season, Monta Ellis averaged the same points as Roy, but he didn't even get a chance to start a game.

He started grumbling and picking on Roy on the training ground.

Last season, these two people relied on their love for the team and their respect for Roger to prevent Ray from exploding in the locker room and suppress their emotions.

But Roger, as the team leader, could keenly sense that they were beginning to be dissatisfied.

People's patience is limited, and Marcus Camby and Monta Ellis cannot hold it in for another season.

Just like you can't let a gas leak in your house and pretend nothing happened.

At this time, if even the slightest spark is created, it will be a powerful explosion.

Therefore, this crisis must be resolved.

And this crisis cannot be solved by money at all.

Marcus Camby's contract is about to expire. He is in good demand and some teams are willing to offer him a maximum salary.

Monta Ellis still has one year left on his contract. Based on his performance last season, there must be many teams willing to offer him a maximum salary contract extension.

If it were in the 90s, Mikhail Prokhorov could still rely on his financial power to offer them a price they could not refuse.

But now, they get the same amount of money no matter where they go, as long as they retain the bird rights.

No, California doesn't even have an advantage here, as it has the highest state taxes in the country.

This is probably the biggest difference between the NBA and European football.

Football cannot solve all problems with money, but money definitely plays a greater role than the NBA.

Roger is not the kind of person who is greedy. Most teams will collapse after winning the first championship, and very few teams can win two consecutive championships. The only team in modern basketball that can hold on to three consecutive championships without disintegrating is the Golden State Warriors last season. Roger is very satisfied that the Warriors have been able to hold on until now.

But you can't expect that kind of team stability to last into year five.

You know, even if you use a laptop for five years, it will start to malfunction frequently and even freeze when watching art films.

And people are more complex than circuits.

The Warriors themselves also need to make some decisions this summer.

After the parade, Mikhail Prokhorov arranged a celebration dinner as usual. All players and coaching staff members were allowed to bring their families to attend.

Jeff Hornacek was surprised when he saw Roger coming alone.

"Where's your uncle?"

“Snowmobiling or dog sledding in Alaska with his new wife. Not in the Bay Area.”

"Sorry, forgot he was on his honeymoon. So, Emily."

"Just as the media reported, we broke up."

"Damn, I thought you were going to marry her."

"I thought so, but what can I say? She said she wanted to give me at least five children, but I hope we can have some privacy even when we are old. She is very good, really. But as a lifelong partner, we are not suitable."

As the two were chatting, a tall, young blond girl appeared next to Jeff Hornacek and waved at Roger: "Hi, King."

"Abby, you've grown a lot taller." Roger nodded slightly at Abby Hornacek. She had indeed grown into a big girl.

Abby is only 13 years old, but she looks very mature. Her appearance and behavior are no longer like a child.

Why are there so many copper smelters in the United States? Because Europeans and Americans do mature very early. A normal girl in her twenties may look very old, while those teenage girls are at their most beautiful blooming. So those people started to target children.

Of course, Roger hated this fetish more than homosexuality. In any case, those who attacked children were beasts.

Jeff Hornacek looked at his daughter, his eyes full of love and pride: "Abby, you should call him Mr. Roger."

"That calls him too old."

"You think this bastard... you think he's still young? He's 32 years old."

"Hey," Roger waved his hand, "32 isn't old. It's okay. There's no need to be so restrained between Abby and me."

"Yes, he is still very young. By the way, Roger, you just told Dad that Emily..."

"We broke up, our relationship is over." Roger has never been the kind of person who is ashamed to talk about his love life, he repeated it generously.

"Really?" Abby Hornacek's mouth was harder to suppress than AK's. "That's really a pity!"

"You don't look like you're sorry, Abby, but it's indeed a happy night. Let's toast to the Golden State Gang's four consecutive championships." Roger raised his glass, clinked it with the Hornacek father and daughter, and then drank the champagne.

After finishing his drink, Jeff Hornacek got down to business: "Monta is not in a good mood. The whole locker room can feel it. I think he will soon start to express his dissatisfaction with his role in front of the media."

"I know, but," Roger said here and looked at Abby Hornacek.

Abby shrugged disappointedly: "I know, I know, I know the confidential conversations between you and Dad. You two should sit in the office of the White House and talk about these. Okay, you guys talk, I'll go around."

"Hey Abby, don't be unhappy. I'll talk to you about the annoying Judy later." Roger winked at Abby.

"Really!? I'll be waiting for you on the balcony!"

Jeff Hornacek was confused: "Wait, who is the annoying Judy?"

"There are always things a daughter doesn't want her father to know. Okay, let's continue talking about Monta. If he and Marcus request a trade, I plan to let them go."

"Have you decided?"

"The premise is that they want to leave. This has nothing to do with my decision. The decision is theirs. Personally, I hope they can stay. But it is true that they don't get too many opportunities in the Warriors. I know Porky will give them big contracts, but that is equivalent to continuing to leave bombs in the locker room. Next season is very important, and I don't want any problems to arise internally. My last dance must be perfect. This is the moment I have been looking forward to for a long time."

"What's that!?" Jeff Hornacek almost shouted, attracting the attention of people around him.

"Nothing surprising. I'm about to surpass Bill in the total number of championships, which is also my ultimate goal. Five consecutive championships, 12 championships, what else do I need in my career? What else can I do? Play until I'm 40 to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's total scoring record? Come on, I'm not so pitiful that I have to rely on working years to expand my influence."

"How many people know about this? I mean, you want to retire."

"I haven't made it public yet. You're the first one to know, besides Eric Fleischer and my uncle."

"God!"

Jeff Hornacek couldn't believe what he had just heard.

Roger spent 1993 years in the league from 2007 to 14, and the basketball world has become accustomed to Roger's presence.

It's hard to imagine the league without Roger, just as people in 1993 couldn't imagine what the NBA would be like without Michael Jordan.

But that's the fact, as Roger said, he has nothing left to pursue in the league.

If someone can win five consecutive championships in the modern basketball environment, it is definitely an achievement that cannot be surpassed.

Jeff Hornacek quickly grabbed a glass of wine, drank it, and calmed himself down. "When are you going to make it public?"

"public?"

"Make your plans to retire public."

"I'm not going to make it public," Roger shook his head. "I don't want a retirement tour. I need to compete, I need to win, I need championships, and a retirement tour will distract the team. We've won four years in a row, and I'm not sure how much enthusiasm other people have left for winning the championship. In this case, we can't be distracted by other things."

"I don't know what to say. This is such a sudden decision."

"Hey, I guess this isn't the most surprising decision this summer."

Roger was waiting for LBJ to make a decision. After four consecutive seasons of hard work, Roger walked to this bright background.

Roger would be very disappointed if he found that the goods he received were not what he imagined.

But Roger had little to worry about.

LBJ may disappoint in the finals, but when it comes to bragging and creating shocking moves, LBJ never disappoints.

In this regard, he is as scary as the GOAT.
-
LeBron James was desperate.

When he first entered the industry in 2003, his future seemed blindingly bright.

He played with the second-best player in history, they liked each other, he got the largest rookie shoe contract in history, and he became the highly anticipated chosen one without playing a single game.

No player in NBA history had a higher starting point than him, even Tim Duncan's start was slightly worse.

But now?

Almost every year of his career has been a joke.

In his rookie year, he broke up with Michael Jordan and forced him to leave. As a result, Michael Jordan's team made the playoffs, but he didn't. And in the crucial playoff battle, he lost to Jordan.

In the second year of his career, when Dwyane Wade reached the finals and Carmelo Anthony was already a regular in the playoffs, LBJ was still lingering outside the playoffs.

In the third year of his career, the Cavaliers formed a highly anticipated lineup, and LBJ's career seemed to be on the right track. However, when the whole world was optimistic about him, he was eliminated by McGrady and Howard, which was shocking.

Then last season, he made it to the finals as he wished, but his terrible performance did not earn him any respect. On YouTube, his finals mistakes were viewed more than Roger's goals.

He is a joke.

And this is the tragedy of LeBron James' career. His starting point was too high, which also made him fall too hard.

The worldwide attention and years of failure have put him under tremendous pressure, and if he wants to get rid of such pressure, he must make a decision.

But the decision itself also carries pressure. He is a native of Ohio. In the past four years, Nike and he have made him a local hero in Cleveland. He has repeatedly emphasized that he will not leave and that he will bring a championship to Cleveland.

If he chooses to leave at this time, God knows how he will be viewed.

But if he doesn't leave, he will not only lose the championship, but also lose to Carmelo Anthony in the internal competition of Nike. Carmelo Anthony was already a very, very good player last season.

Rich Paul didn't want to drag it on any longer, so he told LBJ: "What's really scary is failure. I've arranged everything for you. Let's go, Orlando first? Or Los Angeles?"

LeBron James thought for a long time, then looked up.

Rich Paul knew that LBJ must have had the answer in his mind at that moment.

In early July, when the whole world was waiting for LeBron James to make a decision, the Golden State Warriors broke the news first.

Monta Ellis was traded to the leaderless Milwaukee Bucks, and the Warriors received the Bucks' 2010 first-round draft pick.

The Warriors defuse the bomb before it explodes.

In fact, it was Monta Ellis who tore himself down.

After the championship parade, he approached Roger and expressed his dissatisfaction openly.

He had been working hard and had more experience, but Brandon Roy was able to start as soon as he joined the team, which made him feel unfair.

He thanked the Warriors for giving him a chance even after he made a mistake, and he thanked everyone on the team for taking care of him like a little brother.

"The ship that stays at the dock is the safest and never has to worry about the invasion of wind and waves. But Boss, that is not the purpose of building a ship. I can't always stay with you, and I can't always follow behind you." Monta Ellis told Roger.

Roger couldn't bear to part with Monta, and he had deep feelings for everyone in the Golden State Gang.

But Monta Ellis wanted to fly, and Roger had no reason to clip his wings.

Roger agreed to Monta Ellis's trade request and respected his opinion as much as possible.

Monta Ellis believes that leaderless Milwaukee is a place where he can realize his ambitions, and the Bucks' 2010 draft pick is also of great value to the Warriors.

The two sides parted ways peacefully, but the trade of Monta Ellis was a signal: the fairy tale of the Golden State Gang officially fell apart.

In the past, this was a team that did not distinguish between you and me, and did not care about personal gains and losses.

Monta Ellis tore a crack in this tight atmosphere. If he stayed, the Warriors would have maintained the fighting power of last season. But he left, which means he didn't want to sacrifice anymore.

Once this crack appears, it's like a ship starting to leak.

The impact may not be significant at first, but the water will accumulate more and more.

The story of Titanic is not about telling us how great Kate Winslet's figure is, but about telling the world that there is no unsinkable ship in this world.

Sure enough, two days later, the Golden State Warriors experienced a second personnel movement.

Marcus Camby joined the Philadelphia 76ers through a sign-and-trade deal, in which the Warriors received 211-centimeter Haitian blue-collar center Samuel Dalembert and a 2008 second-round draft pick.

It is true that Samuel Dalembert is an excellent rim-protecting center. Last season, he averaged 1.9 blocks per game and ranked second on the team in defensive efficiency, second only to Andre Iguodala. Advanced statistics clearly show that he has not had a single season in his career where his impact on defense was negative.

But he is not as good as Marcus Camby after all.

In this kind of trade where the player actively requests to leave the team, it is difficult for the Warriors to obtain chips of the same value as Marcus Camby.

An indisputable fact is that after these two transactions, the Golden State Warriors' combat effectiveness has been affected to some extent.

It's not a serious injury, but the combat effectiveness has indeed declined.

Marcus Camby also thanked Roger and the team, but he had worked diligently all his life and just wanted to be included in the All-Defensive Team a few times.

Championships? For a player like Marcus Camby, there doesn't seem to be much difference between four championships and five.

These two trades kicked off the 2007 offseason, and LeBron James began to move.

When Rich Paul asked LBJ whether he wanted to go to Los Angeles or Orlando first, LBJ's answer was: "I want to play with Kobe."

That was the seed that was planted in LeBron James' heart in the summer of 2006.

Jerry Buss personally met with LeBron James and Rich Paul today. Rich Paul has now officially become LBJ's agent. He has established his own agency and LBJ is his company's first client.

Jerry Buss is already familiar with recruiting star players.

The first stop was when he took LeBron to the Lakers' Hall of Fame.

The championship trophies make this room shine and this team is so special. This is a wealthy team, a team with a long history, and a place where greatness is created.

The only problem is that the Lakers' most recent championship trophy came in 1988, which was 19 years ago.

The Los Angeles Lakers have never been successful in the past nearly 20 years.

They had a miserable 90s and an even more miserable 21st century.

What makes it even more tragic is that the Lakers have come close to the championship many times in the 21st century. Whether it is the OK Lakers or the current Lakers, they are the strongest contenders for the championship. However, they were all suppressed by one man.

This historic giant has completely become a footnote to Roger's great career.

LeBron James was mesmerized by the sight of these golden trophies.

Jerry Buss patted LBJ on the shoulder: "This is our goal and your goal. He is our enemy and your enemy. Of course, in addition to this, you know what the big city of Los Angeles will bring to your career. I respect your hometown LeBron, but I must say that it is too barren for you."

Los Angeles is good, perfect in every way. They don't have salary space, but Rich Paul has already discussed the details of getting LBJ with the Lakers.

Now, Rich Paul has only one question: "I don't know if Kobe Bryant has the same selfless dedication to winning as LBJ."

Rich Paul deliberately emphasized the word "selfless". The selfless he mentioned was not something as simple as Kobe passing the ball.

The biggest problem with this transfer is that LeBron James, a highly-anticipated superstar and a talent at the peak of his powers, is going to a team that already has an owner and to a city that is already deeply marked by Kobe.

How much will this affect LBJ's influence and value?
You know, LBJ is the face of Nike, and Kobe is the spokesperson for Reebok.

A Nike brand face can never be a younger brother of a Reebok spokesperson, this is ridiculous.

To minimize this impact, this Lakers team must also be LBJ's team.

At least on the court, Kobe and LBJ must be equal.

This requires Kobe's selflessness, Kobe's decentralization, and Kobe's giving some of the power to control the locker room to LeBron.

He can't treat LeBron the same way he treated Caron Butler.

You can’t treat LeBron like Roger treated Shark.

LeBron is not Kobe's little brother, they are partners, Kobe and Jerry Buss must understand this.

Jerry Buss certainly knew what Rich Paul meant, but he avoided the sharp question.

"You know, our plan this summer is not just about LeBron. When we achieve our goal, we will be the most brilliant team in NBA history. They are all gathered together for the same goal, and everyone is ready to sacrifice. This is their team, and they will get their championship. By the way. Let me tell you, we have already dealt with the Detroit Pistons."

The cunning Jerry Buss is reminding LBJ and Rich Paul how exaggerated what the Lakers are going to do next is. The outside world only knows that LBJ may go to Los Angeles, but this is just the tip of the iceberg of the Lakers' plan.

Kobe + LBJ is already fantastic enough, but they have other plans, and LBJ and Rich Paul know who the other people in the plan are, and they have already talked about it. They must understand that if they want to win the championship, if they want to get rid of No. 14, this is their only chance.

Because if all the plans are realized, the Los Angeles Lakers will show the world what a true super team is.

This will break the perception of the entire NBA and stimulate everyone's nerves.

"I don't think that will be a problem," LeBron James said. "Kobe and I are good friends. If there are two top stars in the world who would sacrifice for each other, it's me and Kobe."

"Of course LeBron," Jerry Buss beamed, "I believe it, let's go have lunch."

"Is Kobe coming?" LBJ asked with concern.

"He won't come today, but he will contact you in a few days. Believe me, there are too many misunderstandings about Kobe. He is a man who makes friends, and the entire Lakers team knows that he is definitely a good friend. You fight side by side, and he won't have any selfish thoughts."

After the meeting that day, LeBron James did not make a commitment.

He was waiting for two things.

First, Kobe's call. He cares a lot about Kobe's attitude towards this collaboration.

Second, the implementation of the Lakers' plan.

The second thing happened first.

One day after LBJ left Los Angeles, the whole world was shocked by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Because once again, the Orlando Magic's top center is a Laker, just like when they got Shaq.

Because McGrady and Howard are having a conflict, the Magic have been trying to resolve the problem.

Roger's success made it easy for them to choose between McGrady and Howard, and Dwight Howard was put on the shelf.

Of all the trading chips, Tracy McGrady is most interested in Steve Nash.

He knew Nash's selflessness and that he was easy to get along with.

He also knew that if he and Baron Davis did not have to bear huge organizational pressure, they could definitely further improve their offensive firepower.

So, the transaction happened.

The Los Angeles Lakers sent Steve Nash, Jordan Farmar, and a 2010 first-round draft pick to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Dwight Howard and heavily overpriced blue-collar center Tony Battie.

The super center who was selected to the All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive Second Team last season became Kobe Bryant's teammate.

But this seems not enough. If it is just Kobe + Dwight Howard, the Lakers seem not enough to challenge the Warriors.

But Jerry Buss didn't say that was the end of it.

The next day, the Lakers introduced new players again.

This time it's 2003 Finals MVP and third-team guard last season, Chauncey Billups.

The Pistons have decided to rebuild, and Chauncey Billups' contract expires this summer.

They don't want to re-sign Chauncey Billups with a high salary because it makes no sense.

But they didn't want to lose him in vain.

Signing first and then changing becomes the best option.

The Lakers traded Caron Butler's expiring contract, a 2012 first-round draft pick, and 2008 and 2009 second-round draft picks to acquire the former FMVP.

Once the next season ends, the Pistons will be able to free up their salary when Caron Butler's contract expires. At the same time, they also get three draft picks.

Chauncey Billups signed a five-year contract with the Lakers, ensuring the team's continued competitiveness.

The Lakers just traded Steve Nash for Dwight Howard and are in need of a point guard.

As a result, they immediately brought in Chauncey Billups to fill the vacancy.

The Los Angeles Lakers have made smart use of all the opportunities they have had during the offseason.

The Pistons are rebuilding? They got Billups.

The Magic are in turmoil? They took advantage of the situation.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak's name will go down in history as the best offseason move in history, in which he took the essence of opportunism to the extreme.

So now, who will fill the small forward position?

No matter who it is, the Lakers now have three All-NBA level players, which is already terrifyingly powerful.

The outside world believes that the possibility of LBJ going to the Lakers is very slim, and he is likely to stay in Cleveland.

Because it is too exaggerated for a team to have four All-NBA level players at the same time, and no one believes that this will happen.

In contrast, during the Warriors dynasty, the team had only two All-NBA players (Roger Stoudemire).

Charles Barkley believes that the Lakers are already very competitive and that they have greatly improved their defense without much impact on their offense.

"Chauncey Billups will no longer allow the Lakers' No. 21 position to become a defensive weakness. Dwight Howard is the closest player in the st century to having Ben Wallace's defensive influence. Roger wants to surpass others in the total number of championships, and he will encounter the biggest obstacle next season."

The Lakers' lineup is already good enough, but Jerry Buss knows that the best step is yet to come.

On the night when the trade for Chauncey Billups was finalized, LBJ finally received a call from Kobe Bryant.

Kobe sent James a text message.

The text message contained only one sentence.

"It's time to win another championship together LeBron."

After reading the text message, LeBron James called Rich Paul.

"Inform ESPN that I will make a decision soon."

(Today is still one update, because it has reached 10,000 words)
(End of this chapter)