LeBron James running away? He's going all in on Curry.
Chapter 62 The Galactic Battleship Takes Flight, The Ultimate Counterattack of Copying Homework!
June 27, 2013, Barclays Center, New York.
The 2013 NBA Draft, widely regarded by basketball experts across the United States as a historically weak draft class, kicked off in a lukewarm atmosphere.
Just as Su Yang predicted, the Bobcats, holding the number one pick, indeed selected Anthony Bennett under Michael Jordan's renowned drafting eye, eliciting a symbolic gasp from the crowd.
However, as David Stern took the stage to announce the tenth pick, a temporary deal flashed across the broadcast screen.
The Cleveland Cavaliers traded guard Danny Green, along with an unprotected 2016 first-round pick (from the Cavaliers) and two future second-round picks, to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the 10th overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft!
Then, Stern uttered the name that left all the American commentators speechless:
"The Cleveland Cavaliers selected the tenth pick... Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece!"
When the Greek lad with limbs as long as a spider walked onto the stage, wearing the Cavaliers' hat with an incredulous expression, the American broadcast booths were filled with mockery and bewilderment.
"Has Su Yang gone mad?! He actually traded away Danny Green, a championship-winning 3D player, for a skinny guy playing in the Greek second division?!"
"He also threw in a first-round pick and two second-round picks! This is definitely the most baffling trade of this year's draft!"
Just as several ESPN draft experts were preparing to launch into a scathing critique of the Cavaliers' "huge loss" trade on television, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the director's headset.
The next second, the TV broadcast was forcibly cut off and replaced by the famous "Woj God" breaking news live stream!
"Ladies and gentlemen! Stop focusing on this boring draft! Los Angeles has just witnessed the most sensational trade in NBA history!"
Wojnarowski, his face flushed with excitement, waved several trade filings just confirmed by the league office in front of the camera. "Super-rich Steve Ballmer officially completed the acquisition of the Los Angeles Clippers this afternoon! And in just the past half hour, the Clippers' new management has completed three earth-shattering, interconnected trades!"
The first nuclear bomb sent chills down the spines of football fans across the United States!
The Los Angeles Clippers traded Chris Paul, hailed as the league's best point guard, along with starting center DeAndre Jordan, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Kevin Durant, a superstar scorer who has publicly requested a trade!
Under pressure from Durant, the Thunder had no choice but to reluctantly take on Paul and Jordan in an attempt to stabilize Westbrook's locker room.
And Durant has arrived in the City of Angels as he wished!
Before everyone could even recover from this landmark deal, Woj dropped a second bombshell!
The Clippers traded their star power forward Blake Griffin to the Utah Jazz in exchange for talented point guard Kyrie Irving!
Kyrie Irving, who was rejected by Su Yang and ultimately selected by the Jazz, had long been impatient to stay in the harsh and cold Salt Lake City.
The Clippers acted swiftly, using All-Star power forward Blake Griffin as trade bait to bring this guard with historic one-on-one scoring ability to Los Angeles!
Then came the third fatal blow from the free market!
"Just now, Dwight Howard, the unrestricted free agent who ended a disastrous season with the Lakers, officially announced that he rejected the Lakers' contract extension offer and joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent!"
boom--!!!
At this moment, all network servers in North America completely crashed!
Kevin Durant! Kyrie Irving! Dwight Howard!
Overnight, the Clippers used drastic measures to clear out their original core of Paul and Griffin and rebuild a super trio that was even younger than the Miami Heat!
"My God! Is this real?!"
In TNT's studio, Charles Barkley, clutching his bald head, screamed wildly on the broadcast table, "The Los Angeles Clippers have become the most terrifying championship favorite in the entire league! This roster is overflowing with talent!"
But what truly terrified the general managers of the other 29 teams in the league was not the fame of these three stars, but the salary cap planning behind the Clippers' move!
ESPN's salary experts quickly pulled out the Clippers' current salary table:
"That's terrifying! Kyrie Irving is still in the prime of his rookie contract, earning only a few million a year! Kevin Durant's contract extension is around seventeen million! And Dwight Howard voluntarily took a pay cut to sign for less than twenty million in order to win a championship!"
"The combined salaries of these three players are just over forty million! The Clippers' total payroll isn't even close to the luxury tax threshold!"
"What's even more critical is..." the salary expert's voice trembled, "Through this major overhaul, Steve Ballmer has freed up a maximum salary cap space worth $20 million within the Clippers' original salary structure!"
Who is the maximum salary cap reserved for?
Anyone with a modicum of common sense can make that connection to LeBron James, the Miami Heat's star player who will have a player option next summer!
"This is a premeditated attack targeting the Cleveland Cavaliers!"
The entire American media was in an uproar, but the Clippers' actions did not stop.
After establishing Durant, Irving, and Howard as the absolute core of the team, Ballmer wielded his checkbook and began a frenzied process of strengthening the team by adding more players.
They used two second-round picks to snatch sharpshooter Kyle Korver from the Atlanta Hawks!
Add to that the Clippers' top shooter, JJ Redick.
Irving drives to the basket, Durant goes one-on-one, Korver and Redick are lurking on the perimeter, and Howard stands in the paint.
"Copying homework! The Clippers are blatantly copying Su Yang's three-point spacing system!"
On the defensive end, the Clippers have signed Tony Allen, one of the league's top wing defensive stalwarts, as well as tough guy PJ Tucker!
Even veteran Paul Pierce, who was just bought out by the Celtics, announced that he would join the Clippers on a minimum contract in pursuit of his second championship!
Finally, when the Clippers officially announced the hiring of Doc Rivers, the championship-winning coach who had just left Boston, as the team's new head coach, this unprecedented super team finally had its last perfect piece of the puzzle!
Durant, Irving, Howard, Korver, Redick, Tony Allen, Tucker, Pierce!
Championship-winning coach Doc Rivers!
Plus that top-salary spot next summer that sparks endless imagination!
In this crazy draft night, nobody cared who the Greek player the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired in the trade for Danny Green was.
All eyes in America and fear throughout the league were captivated by this galactic warship, anchored in the port of Los Angeles, radiating wealth and talent!
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