LeBron James running away? He's going all in on Curry.

The year was January 2014.

With the arrival of winter, the NBA regular season has entered a lukewarm thaw.

Many players who had just signed new contracts during the offseason were finally freed from trade restrictions at this point, causing undercurrents to surge once again throughout the league.

In the latest standings, the Cleveland Cavaliers still hold an overwhelming lead at the top of the league!

With their "death lineup" system that had been perfected, the Cavaliers were virtually unstoppable in the Eastern Conference, leading the second-place Miami Heat by a full three games!

In the Wild West, the landscape is equally clearly defined.

The experienced San Antonio Spurs firmly hold the top spot in the Western Conference.

The Los Angeles Clippers, who assembled a star-studded "Durant + Irving + Howard" trio during the offseason, have managed to regain their winning rhythm after experiencing growing pains and a losing streak at the beginning of the season, relying on the exceptional individual talent of their stars. They are currently ranked second in the Western Conference.

As for the Clippers' crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, they have fallen into a deep abyss this season.

Kobe Bryant's difficult comeback after rupturing his Achilles tendon did not bring a miracle.

With his explosive power gone and a group of aging and infirm teammates, Black Mamba struggled on the court, and the team embarked on a desperate losing streak, heading straight for the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Cleveland, the Cavaliers' owner's office.

Su Yang held a steaming cup of coffee, looked at the briefing on the Lakers' recent situation on the table, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Kobe's last two years were truly a disaster from a competitive standpoint."

For a 35-year-old veteran, an Achilles tendon rupture is an irreversible and devastating blow.

Kobe's struggles on the court rendered the Lakers' defense virtually nonexistent.

Even so, Staples Center was still packed to capacity every game, and fans were still willing to buy tickets to watch him miss shots.

Not long ago, the Lakers management, under immense salary pressure, offered this veteran, who has been plagued by injuries, a two-year, $48.5 million supermax contract extension!

"This, perhaps, is the benefit of the 'one person, one city' policy."

Su Yang shook his head, but his eyes held a hint of approval for the Lakers' management's decisiveness.

In the cold-blooded world of business, giving a veteran with a ruptured Achilles tendon a maximum salary may seem foolish, but it is actually the most brilliant strategy of "spending a fortune to buy a horse's back".

"Even if you're no longer in form and can't play anymore, the team is still willing to offer you a maximum salary so you can age gracefully. The Buss family bought not only Kobe's last two years, but also the loyalty and respect of Los Angeles fans."

Compared to the Lakers' humane farewell, the Los Angeles Clippers, also based at Staples Center, dropped a bombshell in January, just as the freeze was beginning!

"Boss! Something terrible has happened!"

General Manager Grant didn't even knock before bursting into the office, waving a transaction filing that had just been faxed from the alliance office.

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves have just completed a blockbuster trade!

Su Yang raised an eyebrow and put down his coffee cup: "Dwight Howard still couldn't hold back and they broke up?"

"How did you know?!"

Grant's eyes widened. "Just half an hour ago, the Clippers officially traded Dwight Howard, plus a 2016 first-round pick, to the Timberwolves for All-Star power forward Kevin Love!"

Hearing this result, Su Yang was not surprised at all.

Three "second-in-commands" who not only need possession of the ball but also expect others to revolve around them are not a leader who can control the situation.

The fact that they managed to hold on until January before breaking up means that Doug Rivers's "chicken soup" was already quite strong.

Irving doesn't pass the ball, Durant wants to isolate and attack, and Howard absolutely refuses to do the dirty work of a blue-collar worker by setting screens at the high post.

These three players on the court were like three drivers fighting over the steering wheel; it's a miracle the Clippers didn't sink.

"The Clippers actually traded a 16 first-round pick for Love?" Su Yang stroked his chin.

"Yeah! The Timberwolves didn't want to let him go, but the Clippers' offer was too tempting! Kevin Love's current contract is smaller than Howard's, he's younger and more talented, and his three-point shooting and rebounding abilities are exactly the spacing piece the Clippers desperately need!" Grant explained excitedly.

"As expected of Kevin Love, he's really worth a fortune."

After listening, Su Yang couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Having memories of his past life, he was very clear about Kevin Love's trade value at this time.

In the original timeline, when LeBron James returned to Cleveland in 2014, the Cavaliers traded away two undrafted number one draft picks, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, in order to acquire Kevin Love!

Even if Bennett was a bust, he was still the number one pick after only one year of playing. The Warriors drafted Wiseman later, who had a terrible first year, and they still managed to trade him for Nurkic at his peak, who was only the second pick.

Those were two number one draft picks! It was only with that they managed to bring Love away from Minnesota!

What level is Love at now?

He averaged 26 points and 13 rebounds per game!

He even put up an epic performance of 30 points and 30 rebounds in a single game!

He is undoubtedly the "double-double machine" and the ceiling of stretch big men in the entire league!

"What a pity, such a promising inside player."

Su Yang leaned back in his chair, his mind filled with the tragic experience of Kevin Love taking the blame for the Cavaliers during his previous life.

In the years that followed, during the "Cavaliers vs. Warriors" rivalry, countless LeBron James fans and so-called "basketball commentators" attacked Kevin Love.

They called him a coward, said he was unworthy of his reputation, and said he dragged down James and Irving.

But the question is, did Love choose to play that way?!

"The current Love is a formidable 30+30 player who can dominate in the low post, grab offensive rebounds, and shoot three-pointers!"

"But what if you end up with a king who 'has his own system'?"

Su Yang sneered, peeling away the disguise of those brainwashing packages.

In order to adapt to James's all-around ball-handling and penetration style of play, all the big men must make a suicidal sacrifice.

First and foremost, it's about losing weight!

Love was forced to reduce his interior weight, which he relied on for survival, because he had to run faster and become a fixed-point artillery platform on the outside!

Secondly, make room for dessert!

The inside game is the easiest position to score in, and of course, it's also the easiest position to grab rebounds. When playing alongside LeBron James, you should let him drive and grab defensive rebounds!

An inside player was forced to spend his days floating outside the three-point line, enduring the cold wind!

"A heavy-weight center, without the weight to fight in the paint, without the sweet spot under the basket to eat lobs, and without the ball to post up and find his rhythm."

Su Yang shook his head mockingly. "You disarmed him completely, leaving him as a role player who takes the blame and shoots threes, and then you turn around and criticize his stats for shrinking and being unable to hold his own against the opposing center? What stats does he have left? Just those highlight reels of missed threes that you all laugh at!"

This is the tragedy of being the inside teammate of that "chosen one".

First came Chris Bosh, now comes Kevin Love.

If you start losing weight and giving up your dessert spot next to him, then you're destined to take the blame for this heavy burden.

"However, the Clippers' trade was a lucky break. Both Irving and Durant have the ability to score in isolation, and if Love goes to stretch the floor, the Clippers' offense will definitely take a step up."

Su Yang tossed the Clippers' trade briefing aside, his expression turning serious.

"We don't need to worry about other people's business. Now that the trading market has been unfrozen, it's time to start reinforcing our own backyard."

"Grant, go and initiate contract renewal negotiations!"

"Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson, even though their rookie contracts don't expire until next summer, I need you to finalize their contract extension framework around the time of this year's All-Star Game!"

Rookies from the 11 draft class can apply for an early contract extension after playing their third season.

Although there is still more than half a year to go, Su Yang must nail these two cornerstones of the dynasty to Cleveland!

"Boss, these two are definitely top-tier performers."

Grant quickly reviewed the salary cap in his mind. "However, while Klay and Leonard have been performing amazingly, they haven't won MVP or made both All-NBA First Team selections yet, so they won't trigger the Rose Rule, which takes up 30% of the salary cap!"

"This means we can offer them a four-year contract with a relatively healthy standard of 25% of the maximum salary!"

Su Yang nodded in satisfaction.

Under the current salary cap, offering these two top-tier 3D and top-notch offensive and defensive core players a four-year contract worth tens of millions is an absolute steal!

Adding to that the 5-year, $8300 million "child labor contract" previously offered to Stephen Curry...

The Cavaliers' core structure is incredibly healthy in terms of salary structure!

"Renew your contract as soon as possible; don't delay!"

"Not just those two, but when Anthony Davis's rookie contract expires next summer and he can get an early extension, no matter the cost, give him a max contract immediately!"

As a time traveler, Su Yang knew what would happen in 2016.

That was the craziest year in NBA history: with the new broadcasting contract taking effect, the salary cap was about to experience an unprecedented and insane surge!

The salary cap, which was in the tens of millions, instantly soared to over a hundred million!

Those players who used to be paid a maximum salary of 20 million can now earn that amount even as a starting blue-collar player, after 2016!

If the long-term contracts of Curry, Klay, Leonard, and Davis hadn't been locked up before the salary cap skyrocketed in 16.

If they wait until then to renew the contract, even if the Cavaliers have mountains of gold and silver, they will be crushed by the super luxury tax!