Champion Rules

Chapter 396, Part 392: Your stern father is back! (Seeking monthly votes!)
Lynch's arrival has brought about significant changes to the NBA today compared to another timeline.

This is a testament to Lynch's influence; if his arrival couldn't change anything, then greatness would be out of the question.

However, there was one thing that even Lynch couldn't change: a championship-caliber blue team emerged in the West, primarily composed of a new generation of talent. This team included players like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Andre Iguodala, and its head coach was Steve Kerr.

In addition, there is a shooting guard who really likes to do things.

That's right, this team is the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Aside from the absence of a certain peace-loving individual who enjoys chasing eggs, trampling in battle, choking, and punching teammates, and whose all-around talent even LeBron James envies, the Thunder could basically relocate to the Bay Area without any sense of incongruity.

However, Lynch, who was on vacation, was unaware of Andre Iguodala's move to the Thunder.

During his vacation this year, Lynch unusually refused to accept any work-related news and did not actively seek out any basketball-related information.

He secluded himself in a resort hotel in Hawaii, spending the sweltering summer with a group of young, fashionable people who loved wearing bikinis, refusing to contact the outside world.

Sam Presti was somewhat unsettled by Lynch's "disappearance," having grown accustomed to maintaining constant contact with him over the years.

After the Thunder completed the trade and posted that highly targeted "not playing a supporting role" message on their official social media, Sam Presti couldn't hold back any longer and called Lynch's agent, Misco Raznatovic.

“I have to tell Lynch about this. You know him; he won’t tolerate any provocation. Tell me, how can I get in touch with him?”

Misco Raznatovic did not directly reject Presti's request, but instead slowly recounted an event from more than ten years ago:
"That was in 2002, the starting point of my collaboration with Lynch. At that time, Lynch was suspended in Serbia due to a fight with Darko Milicic. In order to get out of the predicament of not having a club, the club was eager for him to develop in leagues in other European countries."

And so I came into being. I used some connections to get Lynch and Theo to Madrid. Of course, the main reason was his exceptional talent.

Can you imagine? At that time, Lynch, a mere 17-year-old boy, became a member of Europe's largest basketball club under the spotlight of all of Europe, even though he occupied a non-EU spot.

At that time, Real Madrid even had to hire a butler to take care of Lynch and Theo's daily needs.

To prepare for the highest level of competition in Europe, Lynch trained almost like a madman that summer. When the new season started and I saw him again, my God, he was a completely different person.

He has grown from a boy into a man who can stand on his own.

A 17-year-old boy, in a foreign land, was learning the language while practicing football, constantly improving himself without a moment's rest. Who could have imagined that this would be the legendary beginning of a legendary player's career?

Sam Presti had no idea what the European agent's purpose was in telling him this story.

These stories about Lynch's European career were already thoroughly presented in a documentary produced last summer by Sky and ESPN, "Boy: European Conqueror," so they are nothing new to him.

Moreover, what connection do these past events have with Thunder's current provocative actions?
But then, Misco Raznatovic's words stunned Presti:
“From the summer when he was 17 until now, Lynch has been living this tense life of ‘never being able to relax completely’ for a full eleven years. He keeps saying that ‘winning championships is for better enjoyment,’ but this kind of complete and all-encompassing vacation is the first time in his career.”

After a few seconds of silence, Sam Presti said, "I'll wait until Lynch's vacation is over before contacting him."

Even Lynch needs a moment to relax.

Upon closer reflection, Lynch's professional basketball career was almost entirely spent in a high-pressure environment.

From Real Madrid to the New York Knicks, both teams bring their own fanbase, but they also bring their own pressure.

Lin Qi played in such a high-pressure environment for a long time, but never complained.

But sometimes, even God needs to take a nap.

With Andre Iguodala joining the Thunder and the Heat dismantling their entire core roster, the exciting offseason transfer window has officially begun.

The New York Knicks have been kept out of the transfer rumors, and this summer, the Knicks have had very few roster changes, which is quite unusual.

Most of the team's key players still have a long time before their contracts expire, and those whose contracts are about to expire have all renewed their contracts with the team.

Kyrie Irving received a contract extension, while Amir Johnson and Vince Carter both signed one-year extensions with the team.

The Knicks have basically retained the entire framework of last season's championship team, with no players complaining or expressing dissatisfaction, and no one clamoring to leave.

This is indeed a very rare situation for Sam Presti.

To win consecutive championships, roster stability is crucial. For example, the Chicago Bulls won two three-peats in the 90s, and their two core trio lineups remained unchanged throughout those championship runs.

But the Knicks were an exception. During their five-peat, the team's roster was constantly changing, and even the core lineup underwent a dramatic transformation.

During the first three seasons, Steve Nash was still Lynch's number two, Raja Bell was still at the shooting guard position, and Tyson Chandler was still at the small forward position.

By now, the Knicks' roster, from starters to rotation players, has been almost completely overhauled.

The Knicks did undergo changes, but they maintained their competitiveness during those changes, which is the biggest problem the "Manhattan Project" needs to solve.

Therefore, the Knicks will have some roster changes every offseason, with players coming and going without exception.

The most unexpected thing was last summer. The team had a quiet offseason, but Wilson Chandler requested a trade just before the start of the season, continuing the Knicks' "tradition" of making changes to their roster every summer.

This summer, the Knicks truly preserved their complete championship roster.

Since Lynch announced that this was "The last time," the entire Knicks team has been determined to play his final season with him.

Whatever their original plans, they will sign another year with the Knicks.

The Knicks' roster remained largely unchanged, while other teams were making targeted reinforcements in an effort to seize one last chance to defeat the legends.

The Brooklyn Nets have been making frequent moves, and acquiring Kevin Love is just the first step in their efforts to strengthen their roster.

The Nets' new general manager is determined to carry out a major overhaul of the team.

Since Billy King, arguably the world's smartest general manager, was fired during the playoffs, the Nets have been searching for a suitable replacement.

No matter how luxurious a warship is, it is destined to be unable to sail far without a qualified helmsman.

So in early June, Mikhail Prokhorov unexpectedly chose the relatively unknown Sean Marks to replace Billy King.

When the Nets officially announced that Sean Marks had become the team's general manager, people thought the Russian had just found an insurance salesman to fill the position.

This tall, white player from New Zealand had just ended his professional playing career in early 2011, but he spent his entire career as a benchwarmer and was not well-known, so few fans knew him.

Because of his outstanding teamwork skills, he immediately joined the Spurs' front office after retiring, where he served as assistant general manager and assistant coach.

In the realm of NBA management, he is still a complete newcomer, and his name is not well-known.

However, during the interview, Sean Marks impressed the Russian oligarch with a very persuasive point of view:
“I was involved in the entire process of the Spurs’ return to the top, and I know how to replicate that success in Brooklyn. If you’d like, I can give you a rough outline of the plan.”

And so, this newcomer, whose name was completely unknown to everyone, stood out.

Since taking office, Sean Marks has been quite active. He had just acquired Kevin Love, and now his sights have immediately been set on the Utah Jazz.

This summer, the Heat underwent a complete rebuild, resulting in a massive player sell-off. Like a fallen elephant, their championship assets were devoured by other teams like hyenas.

Kevin Love is one of the assets that was divided up.

Besides the Heat, the league also has another fallen giant this year – the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz have decided to completely rebuild around white small forward Gordon Haywood, so all the other key players from last season are being sold off in a fire sale.

The Nets didn't give up on this opportunity. They quickly completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz. Shawn Marks made a maverick trade, sending Brook Lopez, who had the longest tenure with the Nets and had a very successful transformation last season, to Utah in exchange for the undersized power forward Paul Millsap.

With this, the Brooklyn Nets finally shed their labels of slow, outdated, and cumbersome.

Next season, Paul Millsap and Kevin Love will be a very modern frontcourt duo.

The basketball team's moves didn't stop there; they then traded Jason Terry, Kevin Martin, and two second-round draft picks.

They traded Trevor Ariza, a former player of Lynch, and tall point guard Shawn Livingston to the Washington Wizards. Of course, the trade also came at the cost of taking on Andre Blatche's bad contract.

At this point, only LeBron James remains from the Nets' starting lineup from last season.

After doing all this, the Nets also signed AK47 Andrei Kirilenko with a mini mid-level exception, strengthening the team's rotation depth.

So far, Shawn Marks' moves have all been aimed at solving one persistent problem—his defense is so bad it's almost negligible.

Last season's Nets team appeared to be packed with superstars, and their exceptional spacing allowed LBJ to put up the most impressive regular season stats of his career.

However, poor defense greatly limited the team's ceiling, which was the main reason why the Nets were helpless against the Knicks last season.

Shawn Marks' trades all received an A rating from ESPN because he significantly improved the team's defense while ensuring that the team could still create space for LeBron James.

John Hollinger praised Sean Marks's performance: "This could be the most brilliant general manager debut in NBA history!"

Sean Marks was also forced into this situation; he went from having long, flowing hair to having a receding hairline because of these deals.

He was well aware that the Brooklyn Nets couldn't afford to tank. The team's future draft picks had been squandered by its shrewd former general manager, Billy King, leaving him with no options for the draft.

Therefore, he must keep the Nets on the path to the championship.

LeBron James is quite excited about this series of trades, and posted a photo on social media of himself with Shawn Marks during his playing days:

“Oh, you know, Sean is my brother, we built a deep friendship back in our playing days. I know him, and I’ve known for a long time that he’s the best person for the general manager position. I’ve been fully supporting him since the beginning of the interview process.”

Ten minutes later, B/R reported that a month earlier, LeBron James had privately told a friend that he was worried about having someone like Sean Marks, who had no experience or reputation, as general manager.

If this B/R exposé had been made about someone else, you would probably think it was just the media making baseless accusations to gain clicks.

But when it comes to LBJ, people believe the revelation is true.

This is the trust that fans have in LBJ!
After all, this isn't the first or second time that LeBron James has said one thing and done another.

After undergoing roster reforms, the Brooklyn Nets are widely regarded as a promising team by major media outlets.

Although their signing of an AK with only a mini mid-level exception is under investigation by the league—Kirilenko opting out of the final year of his $10.2 million contract with the Timberwolves to join the Nets on a two-year, $6.5 million mini mid-level exception—it is indeed very unreasonable.

Owners and executives of some rival teams have suggested that Kirilenko has made private deals with his Russian compatriots.

More than one boss has complained to the league about this matter, and the league will investigate once a formal complaint is filed.

Despite being embroiled in controversy, the media still unanimously believes that the Nets will achieve great things next season.

Unlike last season's so-called star-studded lineup, where Nagare was 150 years old and it was clear that it would be difficult for them to create chemistry.

Trevor Ariza, Paul Millsap, and Kevin Love are all new signings with very high compatibility.

Their versatility and teamwork allow them to play in almost any system.

Furthermore, neither of them are the type of players who demand too much ball possession, so it won't affect LeBron James' performance.

It is generally believed that the team's cohesion will not be a problem.

They were able to demonstrate superior strength at the beginning of the season.

Both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Brooklyn Nets have upgraded their rosters, while the Atlanta Hawks, led by Dwight Howard and Joe Johnson, have strengthened their roster with a seemingly insignificant but crucial signing.

This summer, the Hawks opted not to re-sign Josh Smith, known for his poor mid-range shooting, and instead used their mid-level exception to sign former Jazz player and quality 3-and-D wing DeMarre Carroll.

This guy, who looks like a Predator, is far less famous and talented than Josh Smith.

However, his excellent three-point shooting ability and relentless tenacity on the wing led Mike Budenholzer to believe that he was a better fit for the Hawks than Josh Smith.

Moreover, his annual salary is only one-fifth of Josh Smith's.

The series of trades between the Hawks and the Nets represents another shift in the trend of basketball – multi-star teams are no longer popular. The huge success achieved by the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs through perfect roster fit has made the entire league realize that the strength of a team's roster does not depend on the simple accumulation of talent.

Starting with the Lakers' Big Three of Kobe, Garnett, and Kidd, and then pushing the trend to its extreme with the Detroit Pistons, the era of multiple superstars came to an end.

Teams have unanimously streamlined their rosters, actively shedding high-paid stars with big names but limited contributions, and instead accepting quality supporting players who are less famous but have clear roles and are better suited to the team's needs.

You could say this is yet another manifestation of Lynch's influence, affecting the team-building strategies of other teams in the league.

But for the Knicks, this is not a positive impact.

The stronger the other teams are, the more difficult it will be for the Knicks to win the championship and allow Lynch to have a perfect retirement tour.

All teams are strengthening their rosters. In addition, Stephen Curry posted photos of himself resuming training on social media, Carmelo Anthony said he would do his best to meet Lynch in the Finals, and Dwight Howard smiled frankly in an interview, saying, "I've matured. Next season I will try to be a man, not a boy who throws a tantrum when he can't get the ball."

Kevin Durant also told reporters, "I will be playing in a passing and cutting system next season. After the adjustment period last season, I am fully ready to integrate."

Everyone seemed poised to seize this final opportunity to defeat Lynch.

But the man they cared so much about was nowhere to be found.

In early August, Woj dropped a bombshell: "Lynch has cut off all contact with the outside world since the draft, and Sam Presti has been unable to reach him for a long time."

This news, while not involving any explosive personnel changes, has been hotly discussed by all fans.

People then realized that they hadn't heard any news about Lynch all summer.

Reebok and other sponsors did not capitalize on the "The Last Time" buzz to have Lynch participate in commercial activities.

Even when they had business activities, Lynch was not present.

He completely disappeared.

Lynch's unprecedented behavior seems to be sending a message: "Lynch may not care too much about the results of his retirement tour."

He may very well be using his retirement tour as a large-scale farewell ceremony.

Because in all the time in the past, Lynch had never left basketball so completely.

This seems to suggest that the core meaning of this farewell performance for him may simply be the grand farewell celebration itself.

On TNT's "NBA Insider" program, Charles Barkley scoffed at this claim: "Anyone can lose their fighting spirit, but Lynch? He never loses his passion for winning. His passion for winning is like my passion for hamburgers. If I ever give up hamburgers, I must have been possessed by aliens."

Shaquille O'Neal offered a different perspective:

"First of all, you've never won a championship, so you have no idea what that bone-deep exhaustion feels like. Year after year, while the whole league is figuring out how to take you down, after the championship celebrations are over and you have to go back to training, while the shadow of injuries looms over you and your teammates, while those damn games come day after day."
You would never understand.

Lynch had been living like this for five years.

Therefore, it's perfectly understandable that Lynch might just want an easy push tour; he's already won enough.

Don't be surprised if next season you see a Lynch who's gotten incredibly fat.

Jazz Flying Pig still couldn't believe the conclusion: "If that's the case, why would Lynch say something like 'You bastards who want to beat me, hurry up, I'm right here' on the day of the championship parade?"

"What else can he say?" Shark spread his hands. "Is he going to say, 'Everyone relax, I'm just taking a casual stroll in my last year'? Just like every US president says he will bring peace to the world, take that kind of talk with a grain of salt."

Shaquille O'Neal's words made some sense, and until mid-August, the debate over whether "Lynch wanted a victory or an easy retirement tour" was still raging.

Stephen Curry absolutely does not want the latter to happen. He respects Lynch and maintains a good personal relationship with him, but he also very much wants to be the one to take the reins from Lynch.

For him, only a real victory, only by defeating Lynch head-on with strength, could he be worthy of the supreme glory that symbolizes the handover.

What's the point of beating a Lynch who doesn't care about winning?
One day in mid-August, Stephen Curry was working out as usual under the guidance of his personal trainer, Brandon Payne.

Curry gained a little weight this summer to enhance his impact on the defensive end.

Although the weight gain was quite restrained, it still takes time for this somewhat unfamiliar body to adapt.

When he first started training, Stephen Curry had almost lost all his mid-range and long-range shooting ability, which made him quite frustrated.

Fortunately, after a period of practice, his aiming accuracy returned completely.

After training today, Stephen Curry immediately went to take a shower.

Fox Sports' Chris Brusaer arranged an exclusive interview with Stephen Curry and his trainer.

Chris Brusael was completely dumbfounded when he first met Stephen Curry:
"Stephen, hasn't anyone told you that you've practically become Dwayne Johnson?"

Stephen Curry simply smiled, while Brandon Payne was proud of his "work":
"It's not just about gaining weight; Stephen's current starting speed and explosiveness have reached unprecedented levels in his career. And these haven't affected his amazing jump shot."

Over the next few hours, the three of them discussed in detail the training sessions they had completed over the past two months.

Brandon Payne asserted: "After the frustrating injuries of last season, Stephen has become a completely different level of player."

This statement sounded terrifying to Chris Brusaer, as Stephen Curry was already one of the best guards in the league before his injury.

A Stephen Curry at the next level? And his teammates are still Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala?

This is terrible.

At the end of the interview, Chris Brusaer inevitably asked a hot topic:
"Stephen, we all know you and Lynch are good friends, and you're both key brand ambassadors for Reebok. Could you tell us where Lynch has been lately and what he's been doing?"

Faced with this question, Stephen Curry scratched his head:
"It's a bit embarrassing to say, because I knew nothing about Lynch's whereabouts. The last time he contacted me was in June, when he advised me to proceed with my recovery training gradually to avoid re-injury."

Stephen Curry said, taking out his phone, showing the private message clearly to the camera.

"Do you think the online discussions are true? Does Lynch really not care about winning or losing next season? Based on your understanding of him, does he really just want an easy retirement tour?"

Curry thought for a moment. Based on his understanding of Lynch, he knew that Lynch wouldn't treat winning or losing lightly.

But his behavior this summer was indeed unusual.

Does Lynch still care about winning? Actually, the criterion for judging this is quite simple.

If this rigorous training camp, spearheaded by Lynch and featuring the league's top players, is no longer held, it might mean that he's truly exhausted.

Just then, Stephen Curry's phone suddenly vibrated.

He ignored the camera and immediately checked his phone. The screen showed a private message from Lynch.

With just a glance at the information, a knowing smile silently spread across Ku's face.

"Alright, buddy, we can now completely throw the assumption that 'Lynch no longer cares about winning or losing' into the trash."

Chris Brusaer looked up anxiously at Linkuri's phone, as if trying to find some information: "Did Lynch text you?"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"He told me, get ready, the Temple of the Pinnacle is about to open!"
-
Shaquille O'Neal's analysis was correct; after winning the championship this summer, a near-suffocating sense of exhaustion did indeed engulf Lynch.

In fact, Lynch's fatigue was even more intense than Shark had imagined.

It didn't just begin with this five-year championship run; it has been a constant companion since the very beginning of his rookie season!
This summer was the first time a strong thought gripped Lin Qi: "I have to disappear, find a corner where no one will bother me, sleep for a few days, and then sleep with a few people."

Everyone needs to find a way to regain inner peace.

And so, Lynch disappeared completely.

For the first time in his long life, he truly isolated himself from all the noise and immersed himself in the undisturbed purity, feeling the most genuine gifts of life and the knives he had earned.

But Lin Qi did not become complacent and forget about home during this period.

One day in mid-August, looking at the golden coastline and azure sky, and those incredibly talented female models, Lin Qi didn't feel relaxed at all.

Moreover, he couldn't help but wonder: What happened in the basketball world while I was away?
This idea told Lynch that it was time.

He's rested enough; it's time for him to get back to basketball!

So he ended his vacation without hesitation and quickly returned to North America.

The first thing to do upon returning to familiar territory was to extend an invitation to the training camp to every worthy participant.

Lynch simply returned from a vacation, but the entire sports media industry was swept up in a frenzy.

A social media post by ESPN writer Bill Simmons has been widely shared, and the content of the post is actually very simple, consisting of only one sentence—

Your stern father is back!

Amidst the global revelry, Lynch is at home, meeting with his old slave, Sam Presti.

The latter provided a detailed account of this turbulent summer: from the dynamics of various team trades to the public provocations aimed directly at Lynch's retirement tour, leaving nothing out.

When Lynch saw teams like the Hawks and Nets starting to forgo superstars and opt for solid role players, he admitted, "Our opponents are no longer stupid, and next season will be tough."

Sam Presti looked relaxed: "To be honest, there was a time when I was a bit anxious. This season we were sitting still while our opponents were evolving in a big way, which made me nervous. But now, that feeling is gone."

"why?"

"Because you're back, that's enough. To be honest, I'm very surprised to see that you've maintained your figure. I thought... you know, men always gain weight easily."

Lynch chuckled and waved his hand: "You wouldn't believe how much exercise I did every day in Hawaii. It was like a constant battle! In rooms, on quiet beaches. God, the enemy was everywhere, the fight never stopped!"

Presti:
“Alright, Sam, the holiday is over,” Lynch said, his smile fading and his demeanor shifting. “Next, arrange a press conference for me.”

"A press conference? What do you want to announce? You've decided not to retire?"

"Damn it, do you think I'm LeBron James? I'm not taking back what I said. I'm not announcing anything, but while I was away, there were a lot of voices that needed a response. Let's get the news out there, Sam."

He paused, his voice not loud, yet carrying an undeniable authority:

"Let them all come to see me."

When Lynch said those words, Sam Presti felt as if he were not facing a player, but a monarch sitting on a throne, calmly issuing a decree to his subjects.

"As you wish, my king."
-
This may be the first media frenzy in basketball history.

With just one press conference, the Knicks were forced to continue occupying Madison Square Garden during the offseason, a first for them.

When the news broke that Lynch was going to hold a press conference, the number of media outlets that signed up was astonishing, exceeding both the Knicks' expectations and the maximum capacity of the media room at Madison Square Garden.

Therefore, the Knicks decided to broadcast their press conference live from the court.

This phenomenon was not without precedent. After Lynch announced that next season would be "The last time" for him, which caused a global sensation, he disappeared without a trace throughout the summer.

This is his first public appearance since announcing his retirement decision, which shook the entire league.

Therefore, the media has been holding back many questions all summer.

Live broadcast across the US, Madison Square Garden, attracting widespread attention.
It's really hard for people to associate these words with a press conference.

At 8 p.m. on August 17, in Madison Square Garden.

Lynch, Sam Presti, and the team's press officer sat atop the enormous Knicks logo in the center of the court.

A small long table, a few folding chairs, and an advertising backdrop constituted a simple and standard press conference venue. However, at this moment, in front of this simple setup, there was a special press area on one side of the main grandstand that was already more than half full.

The place was packed with media workers from all over the world, and five cameras set up next to the venue to capture the scene were broadcasting the spectacle to the entire United States and the world.

ESPN host Mike Brin, who was in charge of the live broadcast, exclaimed, "In my career, I have never seen a pure press conference imbued with such a strong sense of epic scale!"

The press conference began quickly. A reporter from The New York Times stood up from the stands, his microphone connected directly to the arena's sound system: "Lynch, can you tell us why you made the decision to retire? Was there a change in your family? Or did you encounter some unknown trouble?"

"There's no particular reason, it's not as complicated as you're guessing. It's like someone climbing a mountain; when they reach the summit and look around to find there's nowhere higher, going down becomes the only way."

I felt I had reached the summit, and there were no more peaks to conquer, so it was time to descend.

"So, you believe your career has reached its 'ultimate height,' unmatched by anyone?"

"Yes, I don't think anyone will be able to easily surpass me in the future, nor do I think anyone has ever been able to surpass me."

"And Michael Jordan? He had two dynasties."

"I've been waiting for you to ask that. Next season, when I win the championship for the sixth consecutive year, Michael will have nothing to compare with me."

"If you fail to defend your title next season," another reporter stood up, their questions coming in a relentless barrage, "would you still choose to retire?"

"I've never considered that question, because I can't allow myself to fail!"

"Was your decision to retire related to Adam Silver's lack of respect for you?"

"I will not retire because of any one person. If I want to retire, it will definitely be because I want to."

In the first half of the press conference, almost all the questions were related to retirement.

In the second half, the focus shifts to the fierce competition of the new season.

A reporter from The Oklahoma City News posed the first pointed question: "Mr. Lynch, the Oklahoma City Thunder's motto for the new season is 'No Supporting Roles.' In your opinion, is this a public and deliberate provocation against you personally, and against your upcoming 'retirement tour'?"

"Actually, I've never understood why people always say that I'm forcing everyone to play a supporting role. Listen, I'm announcing that next season is my last season, not reminding you to cooperate with my retirement tour."

Everyone has the right to be the protagonist, even in someone's retirement tour, you can be the protagonist yourself.

The real issue is that you have to have the ability to be the protagonist. So far, no one has been able to get me a supporting role, that's all.

"What do you think of the Brooklyn Nets' roster overhaul? LeBron has declared that he wants to achieve what he never did in your final season: beat you in the playoffs."

"The Nets have done an excellent job with their trades and reinforcements. If LeBron could do that, he wouldn't have had to wait nine years. So, LeBron wouldn't do that to me. You know, LeBron is the person I trust most in the world."

Laughter erupted from the audience, but the atmosphere, which had just eased slightly, became tense again due to a question from an ESPN reporter:
"Lynch, the negotiations for the league's new television broadcasting contract are not going well, and this is related to your decision to retire. As the face of this league, as its leader, are you really going to stand idly by and watch the teams and players' revenue shrink? Isn't that too selfish?"

The laughter froze abruptly, and the air suddenly became heavy.

The lingering smile on Lin Qi's face vanished as quickly as the tide, replaced by a cold scrutiny.

"Selfish? You're the first person to use that word to describe me."

It was I who broke through the barriers of the golden age of league ratings; it was I who truly opened the door to globalization for the NBA; it was I who, amidst the fierce labor negotiations, made countless enemies, all to fight for the rights that all players deserved, even though many of them were my on-court rivals!
Based on the currently leaked figures, the new television broadcasting contract isn't as large as Adam Silver anticipated, but it's still significantly larger than the previous one. I can say without any modesty that I'm the one who got the TV stations willing to spend so much money on NBA broadcasting rights!
I made the entire league more money; the revenue decline you mentioned is simply not true.

If you consider this selfish, then what have those selfless people in your heart done for this alliance?

"Michael Jordan came back twice to save the league. He was more selfless than you. That's why he is the god of basketball."

"Shut up, selfless? Michael Jordan was an opponent of the league's retirement system back then. Because he himself didn't need that protection, he didn't want to see a portion of the salary cap used to benefit everyone!"

I'm not criticizing Michael; everyone has the right to pursue their own interests.

I just want to tell you that your basketball god is not perfect, so stop using him to put me down!

If there really is a basketball god in this world, then I'm fucking the god!

After Lynch's almost arrogant declaration, the room fell silent.

He closed his eyes slightly, his chest heaving almost imperceptibly. The emotions that surged from his excitement surged forth like a storm, then subsided quietly like the receding tide.

There was not a trace of pressure or unease on his face from calling himself the "God of Basketball," as if he were stating a perfectly natural truth.

After catching his breath, Lin Qi surveyed the entire audience with a confident and composed gaze.
"Next question!"

(One update today, but no reduction in output; 10,000 words combined into one)
(Thank you so much to Z-Taoist and other big shots for the donations, I'm so grateful!)

(End of this chapter)