The rest is just noise

Louis knows that Jerry Buss likes to show off, just like he wiped out all the bad habits left by his predecessor Jack Cook in the first year after joining the Lakers.

But Louis didn't expect that the Lakers would send out everyone in the decision-making hierarchy for this negotiation.

The owner, vice president, deputy general manager, team legend, announcer who has played for the team for decades, and the most beloved youngest son.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

Louis came on time, but the Lakers' negotiating team arrived at the meeting location a few minutes early.

Therefore, he is not late.

"Don't mind, Coach Lu, we have just arrived." After Bass finished speaking, he began to introduce his companions to Louis.

In fact, the only person who really needs an introduction is Jim Bass.

He knew the others like West, Tragedy, Kupchak and Hearn.

Therefore, everyone else was just polite, and the person Bass really wanted to introduce was his son.

"This is Jim, my son. Professional basketball is a wasteland for him, but I believe he will inherit the Lakers one day." Jim's father's words made Jim float, "But before that, he needs to learn

to gain as much expertise as possible.”

Louis smiled and asked: "Mr. Bass, do you want Jim to follow me?"

Buss was secretly pleased that it seemed like Louis had no resistance to joining the Lakers.

"If possible..." Bass would not force his son to pass if Louis refused.

Louis stopped the topic in time.

"We seem to have talked too deeply. It's too early to talk about this matter now." Louis finally got down to business. "Los Angeles is a city that I am very interested in, but I will not join rashly just because I am interested. Please introduce me."

Let’s talk about your situation and future plans.”

West gave Kupchak a look.

So, the big white man who ended up with the Lakers without showing much strength due to injuries began to say: "Our long-term goal is naturally to win the championship. After acquiring Benjamin, I feel that we are very close to this goal.

, if I get your help again, Coach Lu, I think the Lakers will become the championship in the new season."

After speaking, Kupchak nodded to Louis, as if he said it well.

West felt what Kupchak said was enough.

Bass also helped: "Coach Lu, join us and do something big, just like you did in New York!"

Louis reminded him: "I'm still in New York. Not just me, we're all in New York."

Basgan smiled and said: "That's true, but you have accomplished the greatest achievement I can imagine in New York, and the Lakers are still a virgin territory. We have not won a championship since 1982. Los Angeles

I want that damn trophy more than ever."

Louis was completely unmoved.

"That's why it's even more necessary for me to understand the situation within the Lakers." Louis looked directly at West, "Mitch just said some nice words and seemingly optimistic prospects, but what I really want to hear is not these.

I also believe you have made more preparations than this."

The Lakers negotiating team, trying to make a quick move, reached a deadlock.

Hearn asked: "Coach Lu, no one here knows the Lakers better than me. What do you want to know?"

"How's Scotty and David's relationship going?"

"Who has been the leader of the Lakers in the past three years?"

"Why does Jeff Hornacek, obviously the Lakers' best pitcher, fail to get the ball at critical moments?"

"Can Scotty and Benj coexist?"

"Do you know Scotty? What's his personality like?"

"Is the Lakers' cap space healthy? Can we spend money in free agency over the next few years?"

"You want to win the championship, and I do too, but I don't think the Lakers will be a championship team with Benj."

Kupchak said with a stiff expression: "Of course... the relationship between Scotty and David is very good."

"You're wrong, Mitch." Hearn didn't have the slightest respect for the core of the Lakers. "David is a gentleman from the big city, and Scottie is a bumpkin from the country. They are not from the same world, just like the same person.

For dogs who are kept together during heat, they end up bonding simply because they have no other choice."

Louis smiled. Just because Hearn could make such a sharp summary, he believed that this person had an extraordinary status in the Lakers.

After all, it was the person who saved the Lakers team after they moved to Los Angeles⑴.

"Isn't this...impossible?" Kupchak didn't expect Hearn to refute him. "Scotty and David have been working very happily together in the past few years. I haven't heard any rumors about the discord between the two of them.

.”

Hearn shrugged and said: "It's not that these two don't get along, it's that they can't play together. David and Scotty both have their own worlds, which makes them have no connection at all on the court."

West respected Hearn and although he disagreed with Hearn's views, he did not come forward to refute it.

"Chick, Karim and I are from two different worlds, but we can often create sparks." The tragedy master said with a classic smile on his face, "How can we explain this?"

Hearn dished out another typical fan comment: "You and Karim are rare players, and Scotty and David are not in this category."

Louis understood what Hearn said.

Kupchak believes Pippen and Robinson are close and united, while Hearn is the one who sits courtside and commentates on the game every night.

He's watched more Lakers games than all of them.

Whether it is West or Kupchak, they will miss many Lakers games for various reasons, and Hearn is like the 16th man of the Lakers. He not only has to commentate on home games, but also

Travel with the team to away games.

In every game of the season, he will never fall behind.

So when he saw Pippen and Robinson playing like strangers on the court, how could he believe that these two people would unite with each other?

But in the end, he could only explain what he saw from the perspective of a fan, so when the tragedy expert pointedly pointed out that he and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did not play together, but it did not affect the game, Hearn could only say that they met once in a century.

.

This is actually just arguing.

Of course Kupchak was not convinced. He brought up Wilson and Ewing. The two were incompatible off the court but still cooperated on the court.

"They are also once-in-a-decade talents, Scotty and David are not."

This negotiation is so... why do they bring so many people?

"Actually, you don't need to convince each other. What I want is accurate information, but... obviously, there are too many of you. Everyone has their own opinions. If the opinions are inconsistent, there will be arguments, and we are sitting here.

Not trying to argue about the Lakers, right?"

Bass asked: "Coach Lu, what do you mean?"

"How about this, let's extend the time of the talks." Louis decided to change the way of negotiations, "Extend it to three days. During these three days, you can explain to me various problems of the Lakers in pairs. Today you obviously

Not ready."

The Lakers' negotiating team felt like students with homework assignments.

How could there be such negotiation since ancient times?

However, the success or failure of signing with Louis is related to whether Wilson can successfully join the Lakers.

No matter how ridiculous or outrageous it is, they have to accept it.

"Okay, Coach Lu, Chike and I will meet you here at this time tomorrow," the tragedy master said.

West then added: "The day after tomorrow it's me and Mickey."

Bass glanced at his son helplessly, "I'm responsible for finishing."

"Well, see you tomorrow."

Louis left simply without looking back.

There was a pile of food on the table, which they didn't even touch.

Buzz was a little annoyed.

"We should be ready to come again!"

West did not respond. He had already expressed the problem of too many people in the negotiating team, but Bass did not listen.

Now this is asking for trouble.

"What do you think is the probability that Coach Lu will sign a contract with us?"

"It's very big." The tragedy master laughed, "The team before this may not survive until the second day, and we still have three days to convince him. I really feel that we are very close."

"I hope you're right, Evan."

Bass could only persuade himself to be optimistic, and then shouted: "Pay the bill."

The boss came over and said kindly: "Since you are all friends of Coach Lu, this meal is free of charge, but please promise me not to take him away from New York."

Several members of the Lakers team have heard about Louis' popularity in New York.

Jerry Buss believes that for a Chinese to enjoy such honor in a cosmopolitan city like New York, he must have abilities that others cannot imagine.

Thinking of this, Buss, who is eager to love talent, felt that this might be the closest the Lakers got to Louis, and they would bring this man back to Los Angeles no matter what.

In order to show his determination to win, Bass filled out a check and slapped it on the table: "I'm going to book him!"

⑴ In the 1950s, NBA games were not broadcast on television, so if fans did not go to the scene, they basically had to listen to the radio. Therefore, announcers were crucial at that time. Hearn greatly enhanced the Lakers' popularity in Los Angeles and made them become

Popular. In the words of West and Baylor, Hearn's brilliant game commentary enhanced their historical status.