No one expected that the first wave of big deals this summer would come from the Portland Trail Blazers, who offered three maximum salaries in a row, which made countless people cry out.
Of course, strictly speaking, as long as a team is willing to burn money, a team can pay three maximum-salary contracts, just like the Big Three model that gradually emerged in the league after the Celtics.
Generally speaking, in the Big Three model, as long as one of them is cultivated by himself and can hold bird rights, the remaining two can be acquired through free market transactions.
And the so-called bird rights are the Larry Bird clause.
This means that a player can own Bird Rights by playing for the same team for three consecutive seasons without being bought out or changing teams as a free agent.
The most important effects of bird rights are two. First, the parent team can use higher annual salary and longer contract to renew the contracts of players with bird rights; second, it allows cap extensions.
Compared with the previous Big Three of the Celtics, Heat, Lakers F4 and now the Cavaliers, the Trail Blazers' three young players were all personally selected and trained by the Trail Blazers. So according to the rules, the Blazers can directly provide maximum salary contracts to three people without clearing space.
Although after giving the three maximum salaries, the Blazers' total salary and possible luxury tax in the next few years will be quite staggering, in terms of operations, the Blazers management is indeed the easiest.
After settling the three young players, Ors successively communicated with players who were interested in staying on the team, and also successively secured new contracts for a group of people.
For example, Batum, Button, Beverley, Yi Jianlian, Connett Lee, Moreau and others all reached agreements with the team in July to continue to stay in Portland.
Of course, some people stay and some people leave.
After the end of this season, Garnett and Matthews officially became free agents, and the two entered the trade market after the trade deadline began.
Needless to say, there is no need to say more about Garnett's next destination. Everyone knows that Garnett will be the last game of the old wolf king's career.
In contrast, Matthews is the one who deserves the most attention.
Matthews, who was born in 1986, is only 29 years old now. This 1.96 meter shooting guard is in his prime. In the 6 seasons he has played for the Trail Blazers, he has fully demonstrated his excellent offensive and defensive skills. Almighty attributes.
More importantly, he was the main shooting guard for the Trail Blazers' two consecutive championships last year. He has extremely rich experience in competitions and is still in his prime. He is a perfect championship puzzle piece, enough to attract any team aspiring to win the championship. team's attention.
Not only are the teams interested in the championship next season, but the moment the relevant message was posted, more than a dozen teams pounced directly on it.
That's the all-around warrior Matthews who just held two championship rings as the main player and averaged 15+3+3+1 per game during the two consecutive championships!
And since he is not yet 30, he still has 3 to 5 years of peak life in theory.
Because Matthews is a restricted free agent, the Trail Blazers can match any offer from another team. In other words, although Matthews is a free agent, it is the same as having a contract. The Blazers will only release him if they hope to meet their demands.
After several rounds of negotiations, some teams withdrew one after another.
Including the Lakers, who were eliminated in the first round this summer, it's not that the Lakers are unwilling to match, but that the Trail Blazers don't want to add a strong rival in the Western Conference next season.
In the end, the Trail Blazers reached a deal with the Knicks, the famous enemy in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks matched the four-year signing agreement worth 78 million yuan reached by the Trail Blazers and Matthews, and snatched this all-rounder from a group of powerful players. warrior.
Matthews expressed great satisfaction with the arrangement given to him by his old club.
Now that he has rings, and more than one, his pursuit of honor has become almost non-desireful. Next, he has only one goal left in his mind, which is to focus on making money.
Therefore, at the press conference where he officially signed with the Knicks, Matthews specifically thanked his old club for their generosity and for not making things difficult for him. He also burst into tears to express his deep gratitude:
"The six seasons he has played for the Trail Blazers will be the most unforgettable journey in his career. I would like to thank every Trail Blazers fan who has supported him and every good teammate he has played alongside."
Matthews left, got into the cash car driven by Knicks, and left contentedly.
However, before leaving, Matthews still greeted Wang Zelin.
In this regard, Wang Zelin also expressed his understanding that the next three consecutive championships are destined to be more difficult than any previous championship. Faced with such difficulties, not everyone can still strictly demand themselves to maintain a high competitive level.
Since some people want to leave, they have nothing left to stay.
As soon as the Trail Blazers and the Knicks reached a deal, Wang Zelin also expressed his blessings for Matthews on Twitter:
"Goodbye, my brother! But next time we fight, I won't show mercy!"
When Wang Zelin stood up and set an example, the Trail Blazers, from the management and coaching staff to the players and fans, also expressed their blessings for Matthews.
With the departure of Matthews, the Blazers' starting five that lasted for three seasons have come to an end. If nothing else happens, Will Barton is very likely to become the team's starting lineup next season.
…
Throughout the first half of July, the Trail Blazers could be said to occupy half of the headlines. In the second half of the month, another piece of news quickly appeared on the hot search lists in both Japan and the United States.
One wave has not subsided, and another wave has arisen.
While most people's focus was on the Trail Blazers, breaking news also broke out on the Clippers.
According to ESPN writer Tony Jackson, Griffin and Clippers assistant equipment manager Mathias Testi had an argument in a hotel. The two lost control and got into a fight.
The result was a loss for both teams. Testi suffered multiple facial injuries, and Griffin suffered a broken hand in the conflict. It is expected that he will need a rest period of 2 to 3 months before he can return to the game.
Although Griffin issued a letter of apology on Twitter afterwards, this rather unexpected farce still triggered heated discussions from the outside world.
You know, equipment managers are often the staff who manage the equipment of a team. They are responsible for the management of the players' sneakers and jerseys, and even some of the players' meals.
It is reported that Testi originally had a good personal relationship with Griffin, but the two broke out and caused a physical conflict that resulted in injuries, which was really surprising.
Not long after, Testi made the official announcement: he would no longer work for the Clippers in the new season.
Just when everyone thought that the Clippers' success was over, this was not the real breaking point.
Griffin's farce was at best a topic for fans to talk about after dinner. What really caused a new wave of shock in the league was that two days after this incident, Paul submitted a trade request to the Clippers management!
Yes, you heard it right, Paul actually took the initiative to apply for a trade!
As early as July 2013, the Clippers officially announced a contract extension with Paul. The two parties signed a five-year maximum salary contract worth 107 million yuan.
It's only been two seasons since he was fully charged. Logically speaking, Paul won't have player options until the last year of his contract extension, which is 2018.
But now, it seems that he can't wait any longer.
…
…
Across the ocean.
National team training base.
Just when Wang Zelin was following the trainer for mid-range shooting training, Yi Jianlian rushed into the training ground in a hurry. When he saw Wang Zelin, he said quickly: "Zelin! It's a serious incident! Paul has applied for a trade!"
"What the hell? Which Paul..."
Wang Zelin hurriedly asked, Yi Jianlian took a few breaths, and then said: "Chris Paul submitted a trade application to the Clippers!"
When Yi Jianlian, who was squatting in the toilet, read the news on his mobile phone, he was so frightened that he immediately clamped down hard, quickly ended the fight, and rushed out to inform Wang Zelin.
Wang Zelin shook his head. Even he, who was familiar with the trajectory of historical development, was shocked just now.
At the end of the season, he had a hunch that big changes would definitely happen this summer.
You must know that in the history he is familiar with, Paul only left in the summer of 2017, which is now two years earlier!
And the first person in my memory who took the initiative to apply for a trade to the team during the contract period was Paul George!
Even though both of them are named Paul, when it comes to influence, the gap between them is huge.
Although many competitors have emerged this season, Paul still maintains his position as the number one point guard in active service, instead of being directly replaced by Harden like Kobe.
When the news of his trade application came out, it was even more shocking than the Trail Blazers' three maximum salaries in three days.
And this time, at least half of the teams in the league will look for the Clippers immediately.
If it weren't for Lillard, the Blazers' management would probably want to join in the fun.
"A group of bloodthirsty ants..."
Suddenly, his cell phone rang, and when he connected it, it was a call from Orsi.
“Are we going to try to make an offer?”
This is the purpose of Orsi going to Wang Zelin.
This was the first incident in the history of the NBA where a superstar actively asked a team to trade him. Orsi, who was sleeping in the middle of the night, woke up instantly after hearing the news. After thinking briefly, he called Wang Zelin as soon as possible.
The other party is Chris Paul after all!
Although 58 has been ridiculed for so many years, if there is a chance to get this famously stable court brain, it is estimated that not many people will be able to resist the temptation.
If it is feasible, even if Lillard is used as a bargaining chip, Paul + Aldridge + Wang Zelin will become an even more terrifying Big Three lineup!
"I don't recommend that!"
Hearing this, Wang Zelin frowned and expressed his thoughts.
Let’s not talk about whether the Trail Blazers can get Paul over. Even if they do, it won’t be of much benefit to the Trail Blazers.
The Trail Blazers' current lineup, even though Lillard's organizational ability is far inferior to that of a top field control master like Paul, is by no means an ordinary person. Looking at the league, it is above the standard.
What's more, when the main force is on the court, Wang Zhelin can also cooperate with Lillard to provide high-position support, so that the ball rights are distributed reasonably.
Moreover, Paul is the kind of traditional defender who needs to hold the ball for a long time to organize. If he really comes, Wang Zelin will definitely have to change to playing without the ball. If he really wants to transform into an inside man like Jordan, what is the difference between self-defeating martial arts?
Whether it is now or Wang Zelin's impression of Paul, this guy has never been a good off-ball player.
Especially during the lightbulb combination with Harden, when the two of them were on the court at the same time, the ball was not visible to the naked eye.
Because Harden also plays with the ball as a core player, and Paul also has this attribute, it is difficult for the two of them to play a 1+1≥2 role.
What's more, after trading for Paul, the ultra-high luxury tax that the Trail Blazers will face in the next few seasons is also a big problem.
Although the Trail Blazers now have three maximum salaries, strictly speaking, Wang Zelin and Lillard are still within the rookie contract period, and the Trail Blazers will have to wait until next season to actually pay the ultra-high luxury tax.
Next season, the team will only have Aldridge with a maximum salary of 20 million, and Wang Zelin and Lillard are still in the rookie bonus period, and this year happens to be the crucial period for the Trail Blazers to win three consecutive championships.
As long as they grasp the final rookie bonus of the two, the Trail Blazers management can make a difference in the trade market this summer.
But once Paul is traded, the team will have two maximum salaries next season, and the room for maneuver will drop off a cliff. They will also have to consider the future contract renewals of Batum and Jokic...
If you really get such a great man, the future of the Trail Blazers will be worrying!
Besides, according to St. Paul's lofty character, after coming to the Trail Blazers, will he be willing to be the second child or even the third child?
This is also a potential problem.
"Nell, you just need to know one thing, whether it's me, Damien, Barton or Nikola, we will only be stronger next season. We never need to form the so-called Big Three!"
Wang Zelin conveyed his meaning very seriously on the phone and stopped Orsi's thoughts.
Starting from the Big Three of the Celtics and then to the success of the Heat brothers' basketball, everyone seems to think that if you want to succeed in the league, you must work together.
The influence of this group-building culture is so bad that Wang Zelin doesn't like it very much.
There are currently four main players left by the Trail Blazers. Aldridge was selected in 2006, Batum was selected in 2008, Wang Zelin and Lillard were selected in 2012, and the four main players were selected by the Trail Blazers themselves. and cultivated.
The Trail Blazers' road to winning the championship is completely different from that of the giants. Wang Zelin does not want to destroy the good team atmosphere and team culture of the Trail Blazers because of an outsider.
After Wang Zelin expressed his stance, Orsi quickly agreed.
Even the oldest Aldridge in the current main lineup of the Trail Blazers has just turned 30 and is in his prime. In addition, last season's rookie Jokic has also established a good chemical reaction with the team. He can play the role of the team's sixth man very well.
After thinking about it, Orsi also discovered that the Trail Blazers only need to maintain their current lineup, and they are destined to have a terrifying invincible record.
Perhaps, he was really confused by Paul.
After his emotions were suppressed, Orsi regained his senses and sat on the bed, took a few puffs of cigarette, put down the phone, and fell back to sleep.
It seems that this summer is destined to be unprecedentedly crazy, but this has nothing to do with the Trail Blazers. He just needs to watch the show.
7017k
