After negotiating the terms with Stern, Min Congda opened the car door and walked into the snowy sky in New York.
This east coast super city has turned into a barren white amidst the raging heavy snow.
There was a vast expanse of white all around, snowflakes gradually covered everything, and Min Congda's figure gradually disappeared into the boundless white.
Stern sat in the car, watching Min Congda suddenly appear and suddenly disappear, feeling everything was like a dream.
He remembered the draft in the summer of 2009. The Los Angeles Clippers were still unable to select the first pick in the first round. News came that the Clippers had a new general manager. Then instead of selecting Griffin, he took Curry.
Since then, the NBA has entered a new era, and everything is developing in a new and unknown direction.
And all of this started from Smart's sudden arrival, just like him suddenly appearing in the wind and snow.
"Then when will this kid disappear?" This thought suddenly came to Stern's mind.
The partition of the Mercedes-Benz was slowly lowered, and Linda Tosi asked: "Mr. President, are we still going..."
Stern waved his hand and said: "No need to go, it's already been negotiated. Let's... go directly to the venue at around three o'clock."
Linda nodded and signaled the driver to change the route.
Seeing Stern staring blankly out the window, Linda, who had been his secretary for 25 years, knew that Stern must have something on his mind.
After more than 20 years of cooperation, Linda has become more than just Stern's subordinate. The two of them are like friends and have a lot to talk about.
"David, what's wrong? Why did Smart suddenly appear? Who acquired WSC?"
"Smart acquired WSC, so we don't need to talk. The cooperation with the alliance is already finalized."
"Smart bought WSC? He...this guy's hands are fast enough. David, he and the Clippers, are there many things that have gone beyond what a team can do? No team or manager in the past, right The league has so much influence.”
"It is certain that the team's voice is getting bigger and bigger. Adam is not the kind of controlling person. He is good at making friends with everyone. He is smarter than Smart, but... but he is not Smart's opponent. "
"Not Smart's opponent? Can Smart still become the second red head?"
Since Stern defeated the Celtics and Auerbach in the 1980s and 1990s, the NBA has basically been under the absolute control of the league office.
Although each team is a major shareholder, no one of the 30 teams is the absolute leader. On the contrary, the league office, as a worker, can use rules and tactics to achieve absolute control of the league. Stern's influence in some aspects Dictatorship has always been criticized.
Of course, in addition to his authoritarian side, Stern also has a very open and tolerant side, which is also an important reason why the NBA can become international. In short, Stern is very, very skillful in playing the carrot and stick game.
In comparison, Adam Silva basically does not have Stern's iron-blooded qualities. He is more like a social butterfly, good at establishing good relations with all parties, good at compromising, and good at making peace.
For the NBA, a league that has matured, a president like Silva is necessary because the cake has grown bigger over the past thirty years. When it comes to dividing the cake, this kind of leader who can reconcile the interests of everyone is often popular.
"Smart will not become the second red head, and the NBA will not have the second red head." Stern responded to Linda Tosi, telling her not to worry unfoundedly.
Although Linda is Stern's confidant, and Linda Tosi knows many NBA secrets and is even personally involved, Stern has not revealed the idea of making Min Congda a candidate for future league president to anyone, including Linda. -Tosi included.
After all, after a successor has been established, he immediately starts training the next successor as soon as he takes office. This feels like he is too controlling.
Moreover, by the time Min Congda can compete for the NBA president, Stern will probably be buried and will not be seen at all. Why should he worry about it?
It can only be said that Stern is indeed very controlling. At the same time, he is also very foresighted and sees problems in the long term.
In addition to the threat of "establishing a separate company", Stern knew that Min Congda was a completely different leader from Silva.
Silva is a conservative king. Let him continue to make the NBA cake bigger on the current basis and divide the cake well. He has no problem.
But once the NBA is in crisis in the future, just like it was in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Silva will most likely not be able to turn the tide.
This crisis may come in 10 years, 20 years, or even 30 years. With the entertainment and gambling of sports, as well as changes in the social situation, this day will eventually come.
If there is one person like Stern who can stand up and turn the tide and bring the NBA out of crisis, then this person will definitely not be Silva, and most likely it will not be any young employee in the current league, but Min Congda.
This is what Stern likes most about Min Congda. He has a temperament that puts him to death and survives, a courageous spirit that employees who develop normally under the current rules do not have.
Letting Min Chongda leave the Clippers and work in the NBA will not only curb his bravery, but also avoid hurting the league.
When one day history enters a cycle, the seed left by Stern may be able to play a role in bringing the dead back to life.
It can be said that David Stern, an old Jewish fox, has considered everything he can and should think about to the extreme.
When he established Silva's succession, he followed it step by step very steadily. In the end, Silva becoming president seemed to be a matter of popular opinion in the election, but in fact it was an official decision.
It's just that he is old and no longer the president. Silva will definitely have his own ideas about his successor in the future.
If Min Congda enters the alliance office, we can only leave it to fate as to what consequences will occur.
Just like the sudden heavy snowfall in the sky, no matter how well you arrange many things, in the end, it is up to people to make things happen.
On the other side, Min Congda and Stern finished their meeting and immediately took the nearest flight back to Los Angeles after the blizzard stopped.
Christopher's matter has been his recent concern. Only by explaining this matter can Min Congda devote his energy to solving the team's problems.
Compared with last season, Min Congda can clearly feel that after three consecutive championships, there is an atmosphere of slackness permeating the Clippers.
The players are still playing very hard, and there is no doubt about the professionalism of Curry, Harden, and Leonard.
But they are all human after all, and as long as they are human, they will definitely relax after a long climb.
Especially since they have climbed to the highest peak of modern basketball and won three consecutive championships, but no one knows what the scenery will be like after three consecutive championships.
After winning two consecutive championships last year, no need for Min Congda to explain, everyone knew that the next goal was to win three consecutive championships. Three consecutive championships is the standard for the dynasty.
But what about after three consecutive championships? Four consecutive championships? Is there any essential difference between four consecutive championships and three consecutive championships? There has never been a team in NBA history that won four consecutive championships.
The league only had three consecutive championships, eight consecutive championships like the Celtics, but eight consecutive championships were too old after all. At that time, the NBA only had seven or eight teams, and the level was not the same as it is now.
It's like a person who practices martial arts and reaches the ninth level of XX magical skills. He has defeated all the invincible opponents in the world and becomes the best in the world. What happens next?
Is it possible to practice to the tenth level? But there is obviously no tenth level in the martial arts secret book, so how can you practice it?
Michael Jordan actually faced the same problem back then. Three consecutive championships exhausted everything and he chose to retire.
After two years of hibernation, he returned to the NBA and continued to win three consecutive championships, creating two three consecutive championships.
But as strong as Jordan, many people also believe that if he does not retire for the first time, there is a high probability that he will not win four consecutive championships.
After all, three consecutive victories against the Suns had consumed everything from Jordan, and the Bulls were also facing their first disintegration. Jordan had no fighting spirit due to the death of his father, and all the powerful players were eager to kill the Bulls.
Jordan's retirement actually increased his legend and divinity. Just imagine if he had been eliminated by his opponents in the Eastern Conference while fully participating in 1994, or lost to the Rockets and Olajuwon in the finals, then what would he have done? There will definitely be stains on the idol.
But now, the Clippers do not have the problem of retiring. The main players are all in their prime, and Curry and Harden have begun to enter their peak period.
But the problems encountered by the Clippers are no less than those of three consecutive championship teams such as the Bulls and Lakers.
In addition to injuries, accidents, etc., the Clippers, as a dynasty team, began to face great opposition from their opponents.
All teams have begun to study the Clippers' tactical system. Whether it is passing or unlimited dislocation, as long as it is a tactic, there are ways to crack it.
For example, although the Clippers' infinite dislocation is powerful, it can maximize the player's one-on-one ability and make it almost impossible to defend.
But what if I send five players who are all very capable of one-on-one defense?
For example, the Warriors, in the first game between the two sides, Steve Kerr used a super five small lineup of Lillard, Green, James, Durant, and Thompson.
With the Clippers suffering from internal injuries and aging, this super small lineup is perfect for the Clippers' infinite misalignment. No matter how misaligned you are, I can guard you in every position. It can be said that Cole responded to the Clippers' simple and crude tactical system in the simplest and crudest way.
Although other teams do not have the Warriors' configuration, everyone has begun to consciously hoard multi-functional third-position players, further blurring the positions of the players on the court to cope with the Clippers' indiscriminate firepower.
And every opponent will go all out to take pride in knocking the Clippers down.
At this time, a steady coach like Tyronn Lue seems to be insufficient.
In two games, the Clippers fought their opponents until the end. As a result, Tyronn Lue failed to arrange tactics appropriately, causing the team to lose.
Under this circumstance, Tyronn Lue also had to complain, "I have never fought such a poor battle."
At this time, it is often the time for the general manager to play a role, either by trading, changing coaches, or making some changes.
But Min Congda, who always had his own ideas, did not fret like an ordinary general manager once he felt there was a problem.
To be honest, he has long concluded that the reason for Min Congda's success in recent years is that he doesn't mess around.
His various operations are actually reverse twists, and the core structure of the team has never been affected.
In fact, many super teams have been tortured to death. When faced with problems, they always want to break the game. In the end, the game is not broken, and they break first.
The first thing Min Congda did was to come to New York and find Stern to resolve Christopher's matter, hoping to have an explanation as soon as possible.
Don't let the shadow of the murder hang over the team and have a bad impact on the players.
The second thing was that after discussion between Min Congda and Shelly Sterling, they decided to give all Clippers members a salary increase.
After winning three consecutive championships, the Clippers' income has expanded again, and there is simply no end to all kinds of business cooperation.
Shelley Sterling is not particularly interested in improving assets, and she is happy to share the increased income with her employees.
Because Shelly Sterling’s ultimate goal is to have her name engraved on the outer wall of the Huawei Center, four consecutive championships is undoubtedly a great achievement.
The purpose of increasing wages for employees is also to stabilize military morale so that staff can concentrate on their daily work without being disturbed by the outside world.
The third thing is that Min Congda began to organize the power of the "Intelligence Department" and cooperated with NBA-Batman to launch a counterattack against the major media in terms of public opinion.
Min Congda spent a large sum of money, bribed some media writers, and began to write a large number of articles on social media and forums, praising the Golden State Warriors, James and Kevin Durant.
Min Congda is well versed in people's psychology. He knows that if he keeps attacking James, Durant and the Warriors at this time, it will have the opposite effect.
Because the Warriors want to defeat the Clippers and avenge the Clippers from top to bottom. The more you anger them, the more united they become and the more they want to win the championship.
Since the start of the game, the Warriors have not lost a single game so far, and the energy they have shown is indeed amazing.
Therefore, titles such as "Golden State King", "Oakland Death", "Bay Area Tsunami" and so on began to appear in large numbers on Internet forums.
These contents are not random flattery, but a well-founded analysis, saying how strong the Warriors are, and this year's championship must be the Warriors.
As a veteran "ship black" NBA-Batman also published an article, in-depth analysis of the Warriors and Clippers' lineups, believing that the Clippers' situation this year, the possibility of defeating the Warriors is infinitely close to 0.
After a series of moves, Min Congda quickly created a scene of the Clippers' "internal and external troubles". But in fact, there are indeed external troubles and internal troubles, but the team is still quite united. Even under external pressure, the players Gradually becoming more united.
Entering December, Min Congda asked Randolph, Anthony Davis, Curry and other injured players to take a good rest and make a full recovery.
At the same time, he activated PJ Tucker, Bazemore and other marginal but actually good players, increased their playing time, changed their tactical characteristics, and made the Clippers' regular season play more unpredictable.
In fact, Min Congda is spending his time secretly accumulating ultimate moves, reintegrating the player resources on hand, planning and training new tactical strategies for the current Warriors, and starting to prepare for the playoffs early.
For the regular season, Min Congda's request is very simple, just enter the top half. As for the home court advantage, it is not important at all to the Clippers.
Their away games are always better than their home games.
However, Min Congda also encountered a little trouble when tapping the team's potential.
It’s this year’s 30th overall pick, Fatty Jokic. This guy is really a bit lazy, although he is really talented.
Min Congda thought to himself, it would have been better if you had come to the Clippers two years earlier. If you had been the core then, maybe the team would have been really bad.
I was born at the wrong time, really I was born at the wrong time.
However, when the Clippers' big man Lan is old and Anthony Davis suffers from many injuries, developing Jokic is a necessary step.
However, if this step is taken well, it will definitely be a life-saving operation for the Clippers dynasty. A young successor is already in the lineup.
From this point of view, Min Congda, like Stern, is a person with a long-term vision.
(End of chapter)
