"We couldn't do it in the end." Forman reluctantly accepted the fact and called Wade.
He didn't know why things developed like this. You must know that he initially just wanted to sign Bosh, and then signed Wade as an alternative.
But after some force bound Wade to Bosh, he seemed to be led by the nose.
And what's worse than being unable to sign Wade and Bosh is that with the failure of his trade attempts, even if they can't sign Wade and Bosh, it will be difficult to send Hinrich or Deng away.
All they can use now is the 21 million salary space.
In other words, they can only activate Plan C, and the sooner the better, because if they don’t act quickly, there won’t be many fish left in the free market pond this year.
…
Time flies to July 8th.
This day is destined to become a historic day, because three days ago, James announced that he would announce his decision on where to go next season in an ESPN column.
And just such a decision will occupy an hour of ESPN prime time.
This is an act that seems a bit incredible, but is destined to attract huge attention.
Because before this, no player has ever announced his next home with such fanfare.
This is regarded by some as a benchmark for [player awakening]. They are no longer just commodities of the commercial league, they also have their own ideas and can control their own freedom.
Yes, freedom, free air, and free wildfires are what Americans pursue 360 degrees without blind spots.
However, this approach completely angered Stern, who asked ESPN to cancel such a ridiculous program.
But in the end, ESPN showed their power and Stern was not able to achieve his wish.
On this night, most basketball fans in the United States were attracted to the ESPN channel.
Some of them were considered to be fans of James' next team. Some of them gathered in bars in their respective cities, and some went directly to the venue of this show, Greenwich, Connecticut, holding signs. Slogans such as "Come to the Nets" and "New York welcomes you LeBron".
Of course, more fans just want to take advantage of the situation.
Because before this, as the Heat had already arranged for Wade and Bosh to form a lineup, some reporters broke the news that James would go to the Heat to form the top three. They also wanted to know whether this unprecedented thing would really happen.
There are even some who treat it purely as a clown show.
Because it is hard to imagine that a player who has failed for seven consecutive years and has just been hacked will make such a big deal about himself.
Of course, no matter what the mentality is, this live broadcast is destined to be watched by everyone.
According to statistics, approximately 10 million people are watching this program at the same time.
This also includes Xu Yong and Harden.
It's not that they care about where James will go, but they just think it's fun.
From another perspective, they really couldn't imagine Nowitzki saying that he would announce where he was going after being hacked in 2007.
While watching, Harden and the others were also guessing where James was going.
DeRozan: I still think it’s the Bulls;
Ayers: No matter where I go, it's impossible to come back to the Cavaliers. If I go back, there's no need to go through this whole thing.
Harden: The Clippers have the best chance. Anyway, I don’t believe LeBron will go to the Heat, so he won’t have to play next season.
The show will start soon.
Before it began, the host announced that the estimated $2 million in proceeds from the live broadcast would be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Connecticut, an organization dedicated to exploring and cultivating the potential of children and valuing their creativity, mutual care, and civic responsibility. club.
Obviously, ESPN also knows that this approach is a bit sensational, so it first added a layer of shield to the program.
When everything is ready, the show officially begins.
To be honest, ESPN, as the No. 1 sports media in North America, is still very strong in producing programs. It provides a series of foreshadowings and then throws out "Is his Cavaliers career really over?" to whet the appetite.
But when he heard "this result made the fans and the entire NBA sweat" and "the whole country was on pins and needles", Xu Yong was a little bit upset.
Although from a certain point of view, it is correct, because those who are really worried about this matter are worried that he will set a precedent for teaming up at the top.
At the beginning of the show, there were all the kids from the Boys and Girls Club. The host and James sat on a small stage in the middle, like two drama actors, and started asking questions.
Of course, it was a long preparation process. The host started to ask some innocuous topics, such as what you experienced this summer, what you did in the past two days, when did you make this decision, etc. I just missed asking Liang Jingru to sing "Courage": You finally made this decision...
Xu Yong was speechless.
To paraphrase book fans, this is too watery.
What could have been done in five minutes was unexpectedly done in one hour.
Finally, just when Xu Yong felt a little bored and was about to get up, the host of the show may have realized that he would lose the audience if he lingered any longer, and finally asked the question that everyone had been waiting for: "LeBron, what is your decision? What?"
Yes, it's that straightforward, which is why it will be called a "decision" in the future, because it is really a decision.
Of course, later on, because he made a subsequent decision, the decision changed to decision one, and that was something that happened later.
"Later this fall, I'm going to take my talents to the East Coast and I'm going to join the Miami Heat."
"!"
"This is ridiculous!"
"I knew it."
Beside Xu Yong, Harden and the others had already started shouting.
Although this possibility has been exaggerated before the show started, and the program team even deliberately foreshadowed it by saying that some reporters already knew about James' choice and were vaccinated in advance, this result still makes people feel ridiculous.
It's a team at the top, and it's from Stern's designated successor to the alliance.
Especially when James used the phrase so cleverly: I will take my talent to...
This sentence, spoken by Kobe and regarded as a classic by fans, was directly tainted at this moment.
He also said that you didn’t want to become the second Kobe Bryant. You did, but in the end you just looked like someone else!
The TV screen then began to cut into the street scene in Cleveland, because Cavaliers fans there had already begun to burn James' No. 23 jersey, and some even held up the "LeBum (meaning Lying Emperor)" sign that had been prepared in advance. language.
No one is a fool. People like Ayers, who only stayed with the Cavaliers for one year, knew that James would leave. Cleveland fans could actually guess it, but James fulfilled his promise to participate in the dunk contest last season, which made them hopeful. The last trace of expectation.
After all, James once personally promised them: I will not leave Cleveland.
ESPN is really good at producing program effects.
Then James showed in front of the camera that his mental quality is far superior to that on the court. He calmly said that he had spent seven years of hard work in Cleveland and that he was very happy with the choice he made today.
Not long after that, James left the show and flew to Miami to prepare for a carnival meeting with his new fans.
The live broadcast has ended, but several people are still chatting.
"What will you do next season?" DeRozan looked at Xu Yong and asked.
Among the four of them, except Harden, the remaining three are in the Eastern Conference.
Moreover, the situations of the three of them are completely different.
This is a good thing for Ayers. James is gone, and O'Neal is basically leaving. The Cavaliers will definitely not strengthen and dive directly into the lottery. Ayers, who basically had no chance in his rookie season, should also get a chance.
DeRozan is okay, Bosh is gone, and the Raptors will definitely have to wait a few more years if their strength declines and they want to make the playoffs, but he can get more opportunities.
But Xu Yong's words are different. The Bulls finished eight times last season, strengthened the lineup in the new season, and changed their coaches. They must be able to achieve something.
But now, the operation of the Heat's top three giants has not only blocked them next season, but also completely sealed the Bulls' championship window in the next few years.
"What should I do? Are they sure to win?" Xu Yong was very calm and asked with a smile. This result was the least surprising to him.
DeRozan originally wanted to say something, but when he thought of Xu Yong's character and what Xu Yong did after getting to know Xu Yong, he fell silent again.
"Tell me, DeMar, when Boston formed the Big Three, did you also feel that the NBA was coming to an end?" Xu Yong asked DeRozan.
DeRozan nodded. Not only did he feel that way at the time, but almost a lot of people felt that, at least in the next three to five years, other teams would have no hope.
"But they only won one championship in the end, didn't they?" Xu Yong then asked.
Even without Xu Yong's clairvoyance, others can feel that after last season's defeat and the Heat's Big Three teaming up, it has been very difficult for the Celtics to compete for the championship.
"But the ages of those three people..."
"You know, age may sometimes represent immaturity. How do you know that younger people may even...not have a championship at all in the end?" Xu Yong said with a smile.
This time, before DeRozan could laugh, Harden laughed first.
He originally thought that the level of insulting people he had cultivated over the past six months had been somewhat improved, but it was still not good enough in front of Xu Yong.
But speaking of it, the media previously broke the news that Xu Yong let James break the defense twice during the black eight. His level of trash talking is not only on par with Bird's, it is definitely top-notch.
"Okay, but now I'm curious about what kind of reinforcements the Bulls will make." DeRozan continued.
With the dust settling on the Big Three, the remaining big fish on the free market will have decisions to make soon.
Xu Yong also nodded.
Although his appearance has changed some things, history is still developing in his original direction, so maybe the Bulls will still sign Boozer?
Or, because of his appearance, the Bulls, which have undergone tremendous changes, will go in a different direction?
He didn't know, but he was also curious.
…
James' decision is still unfolding.
As James left for Miami, Cavaliers owner Daniel Gilbert published an open letter on social media.
In that letter, Gilbert vented his emotions like other fans. He called James a hypocritical and narcissistic departure, a coward's "betrayal" from a guy who once called himself a king.
Cleveland fans also began to gather around James' home, trying to storm his mansion to vent their emotions.
At the same time, after arriving in Miami, James had a grand meeting with Miami fans under the arrangement of Pat Riley.
It was at this meeting that James, Wade and Bosh slowly rose from the stage wearing Heat jerseys, and people saw James and Bosh's jersey numbers for the first time.
Bosh is still wearing his No. 1 jersey, but James did not continue to wear No. 23, but changed to No. 6!
Miami fans are excited, because in their opinion, there is only one reason why James chose No. 6, to take revenge on Xu Yong!
If it weren't for Xu Yong, the Cavaliers would not be hacked, and James would not have to leave the Cavaliers.
Although he looked a little embarrassed when he left, his attitude was very tough after he arrived with the Heat.
And just after the three sat down, when a reporter was asked how many championships he wanted to bring to the Heat, James' answer made Riley, who was sitting upright, laugh.
"More than one, more than two, more than three, more than four, more than five, more than six, more than seven."
James counted them on his fingers as he spoke, as if they were so readily available.
His number finally stopped at seven, because to surpass Jordan, seven championships were enough.
The fans in Miami were absolutely in a frenzy.
This unprecedented super lineup, coupled with James's words, has made them seem to see a pile of golden championship trophies.
…
Chicago.
Forman was in the general manager's office, having a tense discussion with a bald man.
"Our best choice now is Carlos Boozer, provided that we give up two future first-round picks to send Hinrich away." Foreman said and wanted to slam the table.
He now knows that Pat Riley is behind it, but it is obvious that he, a rookie general manager, is no match for the opponent and is still very passive now.
"Of course Luis Scola is also an option. I heard that Yao is likely to leave Houston and the Rockets may be disbanded." Foreman continued.
"Can you get Ron Artest?" Thibodeau, who had been listening in front, said at this time.
"It's difficult. I heard that Ron will probably follow Yao Ming to a new team." Foreman shook his head.
"Wait a minute, do you want to play the ultimate defensive counterattack?" Forman has been in the NBA for so many years and knows a little bit about tactics. Thibodeau's words just now made him react instantly. This is not a conventional power forward. , playing one grade one and four primary school?
"If I could get Bosh, I definitely wouldn't choose that. After all, we need a stronghold inside, but now we can't get him. What I need to consider is the team's overall defense, and..." Thibodeau said and looked at it. Eye Foreman, "Ball possession issue."
Thibodeau's words made Forman quickly react. This defensive coach may not even want Bosh.
Because zone defense requires quick movement, if you have a strong small forward like Artest, you can quickly flank and return to defense.
As for low-post defense, Noah is more than enough for him after gaining weight.
And the key thing is the ball rights issue he mentioned.
The biggest difference between the Bulls and history is that they have Xu Yong, a player who ranks second on the team in both scoring and shots.
Rose and Xu Yong took almost 34 shots last season.
As they continue to grow in the new season, their demand for shots will further increase.
And Deng also needs to take action. If another inside attack point comes in, one ball will really not be enough.
The likely result is that either newcomers such as Bosh or Boozer's shots in the paint plummet and conflicts arise within the team; or the evolution of Rose and Xu Yong is curbed and the team's strength cannot improve.
You must know that no matter how talented a player is, he still needs the ball to play.
Your team full of young players will be a piece of shit if a goat lands in the air.
"This is difficult to operate," Foreman said after thinking for a moment.
It's hard to find a swingman like Thibodeau who can meet Thibodeau's requirements. Not only is Artest difficult to find, but similar Kirilenko also has a large premium contract of more than 16 million, like Gerald Wallace. That kind of thing is the core of the Bobcats.
Both fell into silence.
"You just said that Ron will probably follow Yao to a new team?" After a while, Thibodeau suddenly asked.
I thought that no one who had read the previous drafts would say that this book is water anymore. The whole chapter 71 that mentioned water comments is still there. Now that I have finished writing the draft and read it, do I still think it is water? Of course, those who are fully subscribed can complain as long as they don’t directly curse people. The following paragraph is mainly aimed at the trainees who skipped reading and then criticized: If you skip a chapter in this book, you will miss the foreshadowing. For example, if you haven’t watched the All-Star Game, you will be disappointed with Wei De's return to Chicago will feel unexpected. It's not that I didn't foreshadow it, it's that you chose not to watch it! There is also this plot. I conceived the last chapter for a long time and tried to make the characters' behaviors reasonable. Do you call that water? How many authors can do that? In the end, it is logical for me to write like this. Let’s not mention that the first goal of the Big Three in history is to go to the Bulls. However, the Bulls cannot clear space. It is the background of the Bulls’ eight in the book, plus the salary space. Who wouldn’t want to be a free agent? go? But why didn't you go in the end? Need an explanation! These plots are explanations, and they are reasonable developments. Otherwise, why would I have space, opportunities, and players with ideas? I could form a five-star lineup but I didn’t. Is it because I am worried that I will rule the league for too long? The Warriors have already proven this.
(End of chapter)
