The arms race in the new season will be even more fierce than last season.
While all the powerful players are scrambling to strengthen their roster, the Trail Blazers are actually the most stable team because they renewed the contracts of their core players and several important substitutes last season.
The contracts of Wang Zelin, Lillard and Button as players of the same generation will not expire until the summer of 2020. Aldridge expires in 2019 and Batum expires in 2018.
Important winning puzzle pieces such as Connet Lee, Jokic, Beverley and Yi Jianlian will basically not expire until 2018.
This means that the Trail Blazers have maintained their championship core lineup until at least 2018. For them, this is the biggest reinforcement!
At present, their team is still some distance away from the luxury tax. If there is a suitable candidate, Paul Allen has said that he does not mind paying more luxury tax to further protect the Trail Blazers' four consecutive championships next season. .
However, whether it is the crazy signings of other teams or the stability of the Trail Blazers, they are no longer the most eye-catching in this year's free market.
On the fourth day after the free market opened, that is, July 4, Durant finally made the most difficult decision:
He finally decided to join the Golden State Warriors!
On the morning of July 4, Durant, the Warriors and NBA officials simultaneously announced that Durant would join the Warriors for a two-year price of 54.3 million, with the second year as a player option.
In other words, Durant decided to follow James' lead and signed a 1+1 contract with the Warriors.
Later, together with Curry, Thompson and Green, they formed an amazing super Big Four lineup!
Durant's operation shocked the world. People didn't expect that he would choose to join a super team that just won 73 wins in the regular season last season and lost in the playoffs and the defending champion Trail Blazers in seven games. Team.
Isn't this a naked thigh-hugging behavior?
As a historical super scorer, people expect Durant to be the dominant one. He should be like Kobe and Wang Zelin, leading a team to glory on his own.
Everyone originally thought that Durant just couldn't stand the inaction of the Thunder management and the way Russell Westbrook played.
But they never expected that such a super scorer would choose to join a team that had great prospects of winning the championship like a veteran who was about to retire.
In an instant, Durant's reputation and image plummeted.
At this time, Durant's choice was really shameless in everyone's eyes!
The Oklahoma media are outraged!
Thunder fans are completely angry!
My good brother the Turtle is also angry!
The fans frantically cursed the traitor, the media frantically burned his jersey, and the Turtles publicly called him a coward and announced a break with him.
"73 wins against the Warriors + Durant?! Next year the NBA will announce the finale directly!"
"A generous gift! Durant actually joined the Warriors! The league didn't stop him?"
"What about the legendary basketball reason? Why didn't the league come forward this time?"
"Although the Trail Blazers are very strong for winning three consecutive championships, the Warriors have established the Big Four. They will have nothing to do next season. Let's just award the championship trophy!"
"Durant's decision ruined the NBA, why didn't the league stop it?"
"Let us mourn for the Turtle! He never expected that he would be stabbed in the back by his good brother!"
"I gave everything for you, but you fell in love with me..."
"Once upon a time, we thought the Thunder would become the next great team to dominate the league. Unexpectedly, the Blue Youth Storm fell apart."
"Everything starts with Detonator giving away Harden for Cricket's millions!"
"That's a really sad story."
"Stop saying anything, I hereby unilaterally declare: Warriors championship!"
"Ten years of brave fans, come uninvited!"
"..."
Fans' chatter on social media was unanimous in downing the Warriors.
Whether it is the defending champion Trail Blazers or the Big Three of the Cavaliers led by James, they cannot be opponents of the Warriors next season.
As many fans have discussed on social media, the Warriors next season will be a 73-win team + Durant, an unprecedented Galaxy battleship!
Just when everyone was starting a new round of arms race, the Warriors suddenly threw out Wang Zhi and directly mentioned Durant. This seemed to directly bring the finale of the NBA next season.
The most attractive thing about the NBA is the fierce competition. The reason why so many transfer rules, draft rules and various restrictions were introduced in the past is to prevent one team from being too powerful than other teams and to balance the various teams as much as possible. The strength of the team makes the ownership of the championship as uncertain as possible.
But Durant joining the Warriors completely broke this balance and shattered this unknown.
Just because the strength of the Golden State Warriors next season will be even more terrifying than the Heat's Big Three a few years ago!
All in all, Durant's decision completely changed the league's landscape.
As for the Warriors, they are undoubtedly the big winners in this arms race.
Although Durant's joining means that they have to give up Barnes and Ezeli who were personally trained by the team, one Durant is enough to overcome everything.
Facing everyone's accusations, Durant chose to remain silent. He knew that from the moment he made the decision to join the Warriors, the impact of this choice would accompany his entire career and become an indelible stain.
Unless he can win the championship with the Warriors next season.
Just like when James, Wade, and Bosh gathered in Miami, it indeed caused an unprecedented sensation and criticism and abuse among the fan groups at the beginning.
But so what?
As the Heat later won two consecutive championships, they were greeted with countless flowers and applause.
Although there are still a group of people who are clinging to them, the entire atmosphere of public opinion has changed and has turned to support the Heat.
After all, the NBA is a winner-take-all world. As long as you can win the championship, everything is easy.
After firming up his belief, Durant chose to turn a blind eye to the accusations and doubts on the Internet, and began hard training in the offseason the day after joining the Warriors.
This time, it's my turn to be the winner!
…
Wang Zelin looked at his phone. Although he had been mentally prepared for it, when all this really happened, he was still stunned.
"Wang, why are you still standing there? We are about to get on the plane."
At this time, Kendou's voice came into Wang Zelin's ears.
He raised his head and saw someone waving to him at the entrance of the passage.
"Oh, here it comes."
After responding, Wang Zelin turned off the phone screen and threw away words such as Durant, Warriors, team-up, and finale.
He is about to board the plane back home, and there is a series of things waiting for him.
(End of chapter)
