Champion Rules

Chapter 353, Page 349: That Glorious Name (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Although the NBA season has temporarily ended, the business storm surrounding Lynch has only just begun.

His autobiography sold out as soon as it was released, generating unprecedented buzz.

The trailer for its latest documentary has gone viral on YouTube, with views soaring.

He appeared in a live-action advertisement for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

Sponsors of all kinds flocked in, extending olive branches one after another.

Even Hollywood directors have caught wind of this trend and are eager to invite him to appear in their new films. Even a small cameo role is enough to attract a large number of basketball fans to buy tickets.

If Lynch has any passionate scenes in the film, then this movie will attract both basketball fans and female moviegoers at the same time, which is unprecedented.

Lynch even boosted the market for piracy, with countless "LeBron crying face" T-shirts becoming a unique fashion symbol in New York this summer.

These small workshops naturally didn't have James's image authorization, but thanks to the iconic scene created by Lynch, these crudely printed T-shirts sold like hotcakes.

The NYPD encountered a robbery two days after the championship parade; the robber was wearing a LeBron crying face T-shirt and a hood.

What's disheartening for the NYPD is that there are nearly 10,000 suspects with similar builds who have also worn the same T-shirt.

Of course, we also have to thank the media behind Lynch for blurring the news that he only signed a one-year extension with the Knicks.

Otherwise, if people were to guess that he was considering retirement, the most discussed topic right now would probably be:

"Did Little Lynch in Lynch's pants suffer a devastating sexual injury like the Magician's?"

Besides Lynch, Wilson Chandler and the Brooklyn Nets are probably the hottest topics in the NBA this summer.

Wilson Chandler may have considerable skill, but he is not a top-tier star, not even an All-Star.

However, because he is based in New York and has a huge following, he said that he received a lot of attention after he requested a trade.

This is like a repeat of the 2025 drama involving Jonathan Cuminga and the Golden State Warriors.

This guy, who was unhappy because he was too young to celebrate with the team when they won the championship and spent the whole night watching his luggage, is not a top star. But his transfer and staying with the team are always hot topics that summer.

Wilson Chandler's decision to request a trade has also sparked discussions about the pressure on championship teams.

Former Chicago Bulls player Steve Kerr, who participated in Michael Jordan's second three-peat, talked about pressure in a recent interview.

"In the first year, your hunger for honor can overwhelm all difficulties, and your passion can crush obstacles."

The following year, although his mindset was a little more relaxed, the desire to win the championship was still his biggest driving force.

By the third year, fatigue began to creep in.

A packed and brutal schedule, relentless spotlight, demanding scrutiny from the media and fans, and the heavy burden of defending the title.
You might think, "Damn it, I've already succeeded before, and more than once, so why do I have to go through all this trouble?"
Therefore, I completely understand Wilson. He's not a coward, nor is he the type to lie. Aside from the occasional minor elbow strike or a few swear words, his character is generally reliable, and I choose to believe him.

The pressure he faces is hard for ordinary people to understand, because the pressure on a dynasty team is completely different from that on an ordinary team.

What's more, he's in New York, which adds double the pressure.

You can search online to see how many media outlets questioned and criticized Wilson's performance last season, and how many fans launched personal attacks against him online.

Everyone knows that winning consecutive championships is not easy, but I must say that everyone underestimates the difficulty of winning consecutive championships. The pressure and difficulties faced by teams that win consecutive championships do not come from just the outside.

That's why I think Lynch has surpassed Michael.

To me, winning four consecutive championships is completely unbelievable, a miracle.

But even Lynch has his limits, right?

Steve Kerr believes that Wilson Chandler's ability to withstand pressure until he wins four consecutive championships before collapsing is already at its peak.

Neither the Knicks nor Lynch have responded to Wilson Chandler's trade request.

But the anger of New York fans had already been ignited—the team had just offered him a lucrative contract extension last season, paying a hefty luxury tax in the process. And before the ink was even dry on the new contract, he sought to leave, a profound sense of betrayal sweeping the streets of New York.

In an instant, offensive comments against Wilson Chandler surged on social media.

Although former dynasty players like Steve Kerr spoke up for him, other players also expressed their dissatisfaction.

Damian Lillard, the Weber State guard who will be entering the 12 NBA draft and is projected to be a top-ten pick, bluntly stated:

"Pressure? Dude, you can't say that. No matter how many consecutive championships you win, it's just playing basketball."

Homeless people experience stress because they don't know how they'll get their next meal. Single mothers experience stress because they worry about their monthly rent.

We can earn a lot of money by playing just one game.

Don't get me wrong, there will definitely be challenges, but to call them pressure is an insult to ordinary people.

Just like LeBron James, people still can't understand why he decided to betray his hometown because he couldn't stand the pressure in Cleveland.

When I entered the NBA, you won't hear the word 'pressure' from my mouth.

For Damian Lillard now, the life he once faced was truly stressful.

He couldn't understand why an NBA player with a multi-million dollar annual salary would complain about pressure.

There has been a lot of discussion about him, but perhaps this is one of the reasons why Wilson Chandler wanted to leave – he was just a minor figure, but as soon as he announced his decision, all sorts of criticisms arose.

Wilson Chandler was highly sought after by several teams, but the offers from them were not particularly generous to the Knicks.

Since Wilson Chandler requested to leave, the initiative is no longer on the Knicks' side. The Knicks want to keep him? Wilson Chandler might not put in the necessary effort. A trade? They'll have to accept these less-than-ideal assets.

As another hot topic this summer, the Brooklyn Nets have also stirred up a storm in the trade market.

Although separated only by the Hudson River, the team's popularity after relocating to Brooklyn is vastly different from that of its New Jersey days.

Team owner Mikhail Prokhorov, much like Roman Abramovich in his heyday in European football, is waving his checkbook, seemingly poised to acquire all the star players.

Despite the NBA's strict and complex transfer rules making it difficult for him to spend lavishly, this has not prevented the Nets from being associated with the names of many star players.

Joe Johnson, Stephen Curry, and James Harden are three people closely associated with the Nets.

The New York media portrayed this behavior as a "villain's" entrance, depicting him as an ambitious man "waving money in an attempt to shake the Knicks' dominance in New York."

This saddened Mikhail Prokhorov.

How could I be the villain? I'm a very rule-abiding person.

Even when it comes to women, he prefers to follow the old ways, occasionally chiming in, but never stirring up trouble.

There aren't many wealthy people like him who follow the rules so well anymore.

Mikhail Prokhorov has his own expected targets for player signings this summer.

James Harden or Stephen Curry would be the best outcome.

These two young men already possess considerable immediate impact, while also having untapped potential, making them the ideal cornerstone for the Nets' "five-year championship" plan.

His most trusted general manager, Billy King, assured him, "I will bring you at least one of them; it will be a piece of cake."

So Mikhail Prokhorov waited for good news.

The NBA draft arrived as scheduled before the free agent market opened.

The Knicks surprisingly waived French guard Evan Fournier this summer, opting instead for Vanderbilt University big man Festus Ezeli and Texas A&M forward Khris Middleton.

No one can predict the future of these two guys, but given the Knicks' strong drafting ability, people are still full of expectations for these two low-draft picks.

With the NBA draft over, July marks the official start of the 2012 free agent market.

The Nets were the first to sign Brock Lopez to a four-year, $6083 million contract, retaining the promising center.

Immediately afterwards, Jerry West, the "Logo Man," received an offer from Billy King.

He's willing to give up four first-round draft picks for Stephen Curry and James Harden, as well as all players except Brock Lopez.

Such a price made the man with the logo think he was crazy.

Draft picks can certainly be traded, but trading four first-round picks in a row is simply a foolish gamble.

You can only pray that you succeed now. If you fail, you will not only lose the present, but also completely lose any hope of turning things around in the future.

The problem is that no one can guarantee they will win 100% in the present.

Therefore, when trading draft picks, you always need to have a backup plan.

Billy King's offer of four first-round picks seemed to be telling everyone, "I don't need a backup plan, I'm sure I'll succeed." Fortunately, the league has a rule that "prohibits consecutive trades of future draft picks," which finally curbed Billy King's flood of offers.

Otherwise, who knows how many more outrageous deal proposals this chosen general manager could come up with?

That's how NBA rules are designed: they either limit the strong or protect the weak.

The traveling rule has limited the potential of players like LeBron James.

The rule that prohibits trading draft picks year after year has ironically protected smart players like Billy King.

The man with the logo rejected this outlandish deal proposal.

This isn't some act of compassion, pitying a disabled person like Billy King and not wanting to rob him; the league's top trading masters are never saints.

The real reason is that the Thunder's management has not yet made a final decision on the core issue of "who stays and who leaves".

Jerry West's original plan was to keep LeBron James, and then weigh the two rising stars, Stephen Curry and James Harden, to find the optimal solution to retain.

After all, the Thunder, a young team full of talent, still needs a mature veteran to anchor the team and stabilize morale.

LeBron James is undoubtedly still a top-tier player who deserves a max contract; he's just weaker compared to Lynch.

As a VIP customer of major barbershops in both the East and West, my needs are generally sufficient, except that I always lose the games.

Furthermore, he is extremely disciplined, never eating red meat during the season, and only gnawing on his fingers when he is really hungry.

What's most commendable is that this time he didn't even think about running away.

In fact, LBJ also knew that he could not find another team more competitive than the Thunder.

Clinging to this thick, strong thigh is his best option right now.

Both sides were willing, so it was a done deal for LBJ to renew his contract with the Thunder.

But now, there are some other thoughts on the value of the logo to LeBron James.

In this year's Finals, the person who stepped up to stabilize the team during a crisis was Stephen Curry.

Kevin Durant was the one who stepped up to make crucial plays in times of crisis.

LeBron James wasn't completely out of the loop; he did occasionally shine.

However, given his position, he failed to demonstrate the core leadership and stabilizing role that Logo expected.

His enthusiasm for re-signing LeBron James plummeted to rock bottom after witnessing the defeat when James broke down in tears in public.

But Logo isn't going to let LBJ go for nothing.

LeBron James is a free agent this summer, and if he enters the free agent market, he can join any team he wants.

What if they sign-and-trade? The Thunder wouldn't gain much.

Weak teams won't trade valuable draft picks for LBJ because he's proven he's not the cornerstone of a team—have you ever seen the cornerstone of a building run around?
His best role was Scottie Pippen, and you can't deny his greatness in that regard. Compared to Scottie Pippen, he didn't even like messing around with actresses, and he didn't complain about his contracts at the drop of a hat.

However, strong teams traded him for some mediocre, immediate contributors, which Logo felt was not worth it.

LeBron James is like a used, old Audi A8.

If it's sold too cheaply, I feel it's not worth it.

If you sell it at a high price, you won't be able to sell it.

But Billy King's offer gave the logo a fresh idea.

Why can't he trade away both immediate combat capabilities and future potential?

After rejecting the offer, Logo called Billy King.

"We may not be able to reach an agreement on Stephen and James. But we can talk about another person."

The astute Billy King immediately guessed who the so-called "other person" was: "You mean Kevin Durant?"

Logo covered his face; only a genius would know why that guy thought he would trade Kevin Durant.

But at this moment, the other party's extraordinary intelligence is exactly what Logo needs.

"Pretty much," the man with the logo replied. "We're about to discuss a guy who's about as good as Kevin Durant."
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The womanizing Mikhail Prokhorov had just led seven young girls of different skin colors and ethnicities into his luxurious apartment.

As a basketball fan, Mikhail Prokhorov had long heard of Magic Johnson's greatness.

The greatest thing about Magic Johnson, arguably the greatest point guard of all time, is that he invented the rainbow offense.

This is the "best lineup" he carefully selected after studying the Magician's rainbow tactics.

This is very difficult to achieve in Russia.

You can only find such delicacies in the immigrant melting pot of this beacon of freedom.

Just as the girls were about to see how the Slavs wielded weapons, a shrill cell phone ring disrupted the pre-battle mobilization.

He was about to hang up, but when he saw the caller ID, he immediately suppressed his excitement and gestured for the girls to pause: "I'm taking this call, girls, don't be in such a hurry. Hello Billy, I'd like to hear good news."

"It's great news. We've acquired the first superstar in Brooklyn Nets history, and that's LeBron James."

"Don't tell anyone!" the Russian oligarch shouted. "Don't tell anyone! You're at my apartment right now. I want to hear for myself how this all happened. Don't ruin this surprise!"

As soon as he hung up the phone, Prokhorov hurriedly pulled up his trousers and sent the group of "Rainbow Team" members to wait in the back room.

Half an hour later, Billy King, the resourceful black general manager, appeared in his boss's luxury apartment.

From here, one can overlook the brightly lit Barclays Center. Mikhail Prokhorov was very excited when he saw the arena and the team's impending success.

“Tell me, buddy!” Mikhail Prokhorov handed Billy King a glass of champagne. “Tell me how you brought in the team’s first superstar, and who that superstar is!”

The Russians were actually quite certain; they had already heard the pronunciation of "Zhan" on the phone.

Therefore, it is highly likely to be James Harden.

Although the Russians prefer Stephen Curry, they also have a good impression of James Harden.

That kid playing as the sixth man in Oklahoma City is a complete waste of his talent.

Billy King, with a serious expression, opened his laptop.

"The cost was far lower than expected, boss," he said calmly, as if he had just negotiated a bargain acquisition. "We only used three first-round picks."

"Oh, that's fantastic! I knew I could trust you!"

"But I gave up two additional players."

"Who?"

"Gerald Green and Anthony Morrow."

"It doesn't matter, they're all insignificant guys. You mean, you traded three draft picks and two insignificant guys for... Tell me Billy, tell me his name!"

Mikhail Prokhorov's anticipation was at its peak. He raised his champagne glass, took an elegant sip, and prepared to greet that glorious name amidst the crisp bubbles.

Just as the sweet champagne was gliding down his throat, Billy King uttered that name clearly, which almost made him spit out all the champagne.

"I traded for LeBron James."

"Cough cough. What? James!?"

"That's right, LeBron James. We could have signed him outright, but we didn't have his Bird rights. If we had used those rights to re-sign him, LBJ would have gotten a higher salary. So, it ended up being a sign-and-trade. Logos signed him to a re-signing deal and immediately traded him."

However, we still haven't paid too much for it.

"Hey boss, what's wrong? Why are you covering your head? Are you feeling unwell?"

"It's nothing, it's just me." The Russian looked at the Barclays Center in the distance, ran his fingers deep into his hair, wondering what would happen next season.

"I just have a bit of a headache, girls, come out here."

I'm really angry right now!

(End of this chapter)