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

The disastrous press conference at Staples Center exposed the Los Angeles Clippers' locker room conflicts to the world's spotlight in just a few hours.

Kyrie Irving's statement, "If you're better than me, show me," was like a resounding slap in the face to LeBron James.

The entire North American sports media and online forums were buzzing with excitement, like it was New Year's Day!

Everyone is wondering if the Clippers' Big Three will have a full-blown brawl in the training facility tomorrow.

however.

The morning after everyone had settled in, ready to watch this epic Hollywood drama unfold.

A massive, suffocating force of capital, like an invisible giant hand, has suffocated this volcano that was about to erupt!

Nike headquarters is furious!

You know, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving!

These three are all absolute top stars and cash cows in Nike basketball!

Nike poured countless public relations resources into bringing them to Los Angeles, all in an effort to create a "dream team" comprised entirely of Nike personnel to compete against Anta and the Knights, whose momentum is growing stronger in the Asian and global markets.

Now, these three cash cows are openly fighting amongst themselves in front of cameras broadcast live across the United States?!

If this situation escalates to the point of no return, not only will the Clippers' championship aspirations be dashed, but Nike's signature shoe sales and brand image will also suffer a devastating blow!

Thus, under urgent pressure from Nike's top management and the mediation of Rich Paul,

In just one night, public opinion took a 180-degree turn.

At 10:00 AM, Kevin Durant was the first to update his Twitter account:

Last night's loss was frustrating, but we fought hard in the fourth quarter. The post-game interviews were just some misunderstandings amplified by emotions. LeBron is our big brother, and we are an inseparable team. Look ahead.

Immediately afterwards, even the usually arrogant Kyrie Irving, when surrounded by reporters, toned down his sharp edge from the previous night and read a press release with a blank expression:

[My words last night were misinterpreted by the media. I was simply expressing my desire to win. I wasn't targeting LeBron; injuries are part of the game, and we desperately need his leadership on the court. It's a long season, and we'll find a way to solve the problem.]

The two individuals' "kneeling" gestures brought this locker room crisis to a temporary close.

With his teammates speaking out to defend him, LeBron James, as the team's "leader," naturally couldn't continue to play dead and evade responsibility.

At the Clippers' media day that afternoon, James appeared in front of the cameras dressed in a suit and tie.

"LeBron, what do you want to say about your struggles defending Anthony Davis in the third quarter last night, and Kyrie Irving's comments after the game?" an ESPN reporter asked, handing him the microphone.

Faced with this pointed question, James demonstrated his masterful "public relations tai chi" and his superb skill in shifting blame.

"First of all, Carey is a very competitive young man, and I completely understand his emotions last night. There are no problems between us."

James first displayed a display of "leadership tolerance," then abruptly shifted his focus, completely deflecting blame for the third-quarter blowout:

"As for the matchups in the third quarter... listen, guys."

James spread his hands, his face full of innocence and helplessness: "I'm an outside player. Going to play center and battling inside was entirely a tactical arrangement made by head coach Doc Rivers at the time to change the pace of the game."

"As a professional player, I can only obey the coach's tactical arrangements."

"Of course, I still firmly believe that I have the ability to defend positions one through five. But unfortunately, last night was not a fair matchup."

James clutched his groin, his brow furrowed slightly, and his tone carried a sense of "tragic heroism":

"I played with an injury. I strained my groin in the second quarter, but for the team and to win this tough match, I chose to grit my teeth and persevere."

"Playing with an injured leg while defending the opponent's key inside player caused me to perform poorly. I don't want to use injury as an excuse, but that's what happened last night."

Not only did he shift the blame to head coach Rivers' tactical arrangements, but he also perfectly used the "playing through injury" scenario to save face!

This impeccable public relations pitch immediately won frequent nods from the reporters in the audience.

……

However, the "tolerance and magnanimity" shown at the press conference was nothing more than a fig leaf for outsiders to see.

Half an hour later, in James' private mansion in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

That face, which had just been full of tolerance in front of the camera, was now so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

"Damn it! If it weren't for pressure from Nike, I would have gotten the team to internally suspend that arrogant Kyrie today!"

James ripped off his tie and threw it on the sofa, gritting his teeth in anger.

"Hold on, LeBron. Kyrie may be a troublemaker, but he's also a Nike employee, and he really wants to win."

Agent Rich Paul walked over with a cup of coffee. "If he wants to win, he's a sharp knife on the court. He won't tank like those slackers, and that's something we can take advantage of."

"He's definitely not the most critical problem right now."

James took a deep breath, his eyes turning incredibly sinister.

His mind kept replaying the image of Anthony Davis wreaking havoc on his head last night.

"The real problem is our inside game!"

James slammed his fist on the table, furious: "That softie Kevin Love! Not only is he as slow as a log on defense, but he can't even do the most basic help defense or protect the rim!"

"Last night, Doug put me at center, and what was Kevin Love doing?! He was just standing in the corner watching! He couldn't provide me with any inside support or screens at all! It was because of his weakness that I was isolated in the paint and ended up even pulling a groin!"

James pinned all the blame on the hardworking and dedicated Love.

Rich Paul nodded: "Love is definitely not a good fit for our system. He relies too much on ball possession and position in the offense. We need a tougher, more mobile big man."

"My original plan was to use him to trade for Paul George..."

James scratched his head in frustration. "If Paul George could come, we could play the ultimate small-ball switching defense and wouldn't need any heavy centers at all! But who would have thought that poor Paul George would break his leg in the summer!"

George's broken leg disrupted James's plans to build the "perfect small-ball lineup".

"Since the small-ball lineup isn't working, we have to find a true dominant force in the paint!"

James looked at Rich Paul, his eyes gleaming with greed: "I need an inside player like Anthony Davis! Fast, agile, able to protect the rim, and absolutely lethal inside! Help me break down their defense!"

"LeBron, as you know, there are only a handful of centers in the entire league with Davis's caliber."

Rich Paul stroked his chin, his mind racing through the current big men in the league, when suddenly his eyes lit up.

"However... looking at the current league, besides Davis, there really is someone who meets your requirements in terms of talent and destructive power!"

"Who?" James suddenly looked up.

"Sacramento Kings – DeMarcus Cousins!"

Rich Paul read out the name that made all the general managers in the league both envious and troubled!

DeMarcus Cousins! Currently the most technically complete and physically gifted heavyweight center in the league!

He has a three-point shot, good footwork in the paint, excellent playmaking and passing skills, and his size on the defensive end is impeccable!

"Cousins?!"

James' eyes gleamed with fervor. "Yes! That's him! If he's in the paint, that Gasol from the Cavaliers will be crushed to a pulp! And he can create space, so he won't hinder my drives at all!"

"But will the Kings easily let go of their cornerstone? Cousins ​​is known for his fiery temper," James said with some concern.

"So what if he has a fiery temper? As long as he can help us win the championship, he's the best brother!"

Rich Paul gave a confident, cold laugh. "As for the Kings... Sacramento is a complete mess right now, and the management is in utter chaos. Cousins ​​is also very unhappy there and keeps throwing tantrums."

"If we traded Kevin Love, an All-Star caliber player with a great temperament, for two double-double machines, the Kings would definitely be interested."

"The stakes aren't high enough to guarantee absolute security."

James is a perfectionist. He looked at Rich Paul and said, "Rich, we're the Los Angeles Clippers, the face of the league right now! To make this trade a sure thing, we need some 'upper-level' help."

Rich Paul understood immediately.

"I understand. I will go to New York immediately to meet with President Adam Silver."

Rich Paul's lips curled into a sinister smile: "I will explain the pros and cons to Adam Silver. We need his intervention to salvage the ratings in Los Angeles and the league's idol-making scheme."

"If only the league were willing to give the Sacramento Kings, who have consistently finished last, a number one draft pick in next year's draft lottery as a hint..."

"Plus Kevin Love, who was traded by the Clippers, and the last first-round pick in Steve Ballmer's hands."

"The Kings' management will definitely clean up DeMarcus Cousins ​​and send him to Los Angeles!"

……

The gears of capital begin to turn in the darkness.

Just half a month later.

A blockbuster trade that shocked the entire league was suddenly announced without any prior warning!

[Woj's bombshell: Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings complete blockbuster trade!]

The Clippers traded All-Star power forward Kevin Love and a future first-round pick to the Kings in exchange for All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins!

The news caused an uproar across the United States!

"They're insane! The Clippers are insane! They actually traded Love for DeMarcus Cousins, the league's most troublesome player?!"

"Irving, Durant, Cousins, James! This is a true All-Star starting lineup!"