basketball never sleeps

Chapter 311 Infinity Gauntlet
"I'm very happy with the team's trades this summer. You know, we were last year's Eastern Conference champions and a Finals team. Although it's a pity we didn't win the championship, I believe that after the hard work this summer, we have all made great progress. And we have been improving over the past few seasons. It only took us three seasons to go from being outside the playoffs to winning the Eastern Conference championship..."

James, with a formulaic, fake smile and a confident tone, spoke eloquently in front of the camera.

Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry sat to the side with the same fake smile, but the worry in his eyes was impossible to shake off.

Having worked with A-Zhan for two years, he knew very well what emotions were hidden beneath A-Zhan's mature and appropriate response.

disappointment.

After being groomed by his team, LeBron rarely expresses negative emotions directly, but he is, after all, a 23-year-old young man, and it is difficult for him to hide his pride.

If he were truly satisfied, his demeanor would be confident and assertive, and his voice would be several decibels louder, instead of his current composed and debonair manner, like that of a seasoned businessman or politician.

To be honest, the Cavaliers' moves in the summer were somewhat disappointing. They only re-signed Varejao, traded for Devin Brown, and let Webber go.

However, compared to the other three conference finalists last season—the SuperSonics let go of their interior pillar Darko Milicic, the Warriors traded their former star Richardson, and the Pistons let go of their playmaker Billups—the Cavaliers, who seemed to have accomplished nothing, could even declare themselves a complete shoo-in for victory without any shame.

If it weren't for the numerous blockbuster trades during the summer, according to the theory of relativity, the Cavaliers, whose strength was weakened the least, should have been the undisputed favorites for the championship.

However, the reality is that the Cavaliers are generally not ranked in the top three in various power rankings and championship rankings.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is another year older, Varejao can no longer be a pillar, and the Cavaliers have failed to solve the interior problems that were heavily attacked last season. It's like knowing there's a sharp turn ahead, but the brakes are still not fixed.

Kobe got Jermaine O'Neal, Duncan got McGrady, Harden found a helper, and Milicic started a new journey.

Against these well-balanced lineups, the Cavaliers still couldn't compete.

"How's the deal going, Danny?" Ajax asked habitually as he left the interview room.

“It’s still under discussion. I’ve already added all the chips within the range permitted by Mr. Gilbert, so all we can do now is wait,” Danny Ferry replied.

The two were talking about nothing other than a three-way trade involving Bibby, Marion, and Artest.

The Cavaliers found Bibby somewhat redundant in the Finals, but their interior defense was too weak. The Suns didn't want to keep Marion around anymore, and the Trail Blazers, after acquiring Oden, were also looking to trade for a mature playmaker. The three teams sat down at the same table, trying to achieve a win-win-win situation.

Based on the current negotiations, the deal is very likely to succeed.

After glancing back and seeing that no reporters or other staff were following, LeBron James slowly began to speak: "If the team wants to compete for the championship, it must continue to strengthen its roster. You know how bad our current situation is. Apart from Mike (Reid), I can accept the departure or retention of everyone else on this team."

"I will do my best... Don't worry, our goals are always the same." Ferry replied businesslike, but his eyes darted to the side.

Azhan gave him a deep look, then nodded without saying anything more and left through the fork in the road ahead.

Ferry didn't stop, but walked all the way to the windowsill at the end of the corridor.

Crack! The firelight illuminates the herb that dispels sorrow, and the smoke and clouds smooth out the nasolabial folds.

He glanced back at the corridor where James had left, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He recalled a private conversation he'd had with his boss, Gilbert—

“I think our current roster is good enough, so this trade is completely unnecessary. Besides, LeBron’s new contract has taken effect, and Reed has four years left on his contract. As long as they stay healthy, our roster will be competitive enough.”

Gilbert didn't mention the trade, but as a responsible employee, he clearly understood that the owner didn't want to spend another draft pick to acquire Marion, who was even more expensive than Bibby.

The acquisition of Marion might seem to make the Cavaliers' roster more balanced and powerful, but it would also create an enormous salary cap burden for the team.

Without any trades, the Cavaliers' salary expenditure (including luxury tax) for next season has already reached $100 million.

Marion is $600 million more expensive than Bibby, which means the Cavaliers will have to spend an extra $1200 million on Marion. Apart from the Knicks, who use the luxury tax as a gimmick, no owner can ignore this expense.

As you can see, in order to reduce luxury tax expenses, the Suns even made the incredible move of giving away their first-round pick this year in exchange for air (trade exception). And this time, in order to send away the currently popular stretch big man, they are even willing to give up a first-round pick.

Gilbert wasn't stingy. In the original timeline, Gilbert, in order to appease LeBron James, who was "rumored to be leaving" every year, would have to pay around $1500 million in luxury tax every year to strengthen the roster starting with James' second contract.

However, since Ajax had previously signed a longer contract than in the original timeline, Gilbert was not in a hurry to worry about Ajax's troubles before he could rejoice in Ajax's happiness.

Moreover, a salary expenditure of $1 million is already twice that of a mediocre team like the Clippers, and trading Bibby has also mortgaged the future to some extent. Therefore, Gilbert believes that he has really done right by LeBron James.

However, LeBron seems to be a bit spoiled, and he always pins his hopes on strengthening the team through trades.

In contrast, Mo Wen only offered his blessings when important team members and close friends left, and even stood up to excuse and explain the incompetent management.

"Us? There aren't that many 'us'."

We need to think carefully about how to legitimately disrupt this seemingly reasonable deal.

Amidst the swirling smoke, Danny Ferry began to fantasize again: what would the Cavaliers look like today if they hadn't drafted LeBron James but instead drafted Rudy Murray as the number one pick?
……

The external assessments did not cause much emotional fluctuation for Mo Wen. He was well aware of the experts' standards of judgment. Not everyone can look at things from a developmental perspective. If you look at things out of a fixed mindset, the SuperSonics have been weakened this season.

They didn't rank the supersonics fourth or fifth, or even lower; you could even praise them for having a conscience.

Moreover, the media's perspective is also beneficial to Mo Wen. Historically, Nash won his second MVP because the Suns' leading scorer, Stoudemire, was out for the season, but the team's performance did not decline much.

Taking over Milicic's ball possession wouldn't be too much of a challenge for Mo Wen, and since the team has more players who can contribute, the ball possession vacated by Milicic might not even be enough for the replacements.

But the other players on the team don't have such a good mentality. Dude, we just won the championship, are we going to let you have your way?
The ever-gentlemanly Lei was the first to fire a scathing attack, accusing the experts and media figures involved in the rankings of being ignorant about football.

"Have you ever been champions? You're just making things up and making assumptions!"

Other SuperSonics players followed suit, also urging the media to underestimate them and the team.

However, the players shouted a lot, but there was little response.

After the deal of the century was struck, the number of flashbulbs surrounding the Supersonics visibly decreased.

Rather than the SuperSonics players' harsh words and complaints, the media is more willing to chase the Lakers' new OK combination, the TT (Duncan and McGrady) duo, the Celtics' Big Three, and even the Heat—Shaq recently had a falling out with Riley.

Isn't this more agile than your supersonic speed?

Aside from the Chinese media, which are operating as usual, the number of North American media visiting the stadium has remained at its current level, mainly because the SuperSonics' championship rings haven't been awarded yet, and there's still a wave of media attention to be gained.

Faced with a perfunctory response, the SuperSonics players, instead of feeling relieved after venting, felt even more frustrated.

It's like a warrior has finished exploring and gone, while the oblivious girl is still humming at the same frequency... It's extremely insulting.

Before the preseason began, Mo Wen and Old Hill were surprised to find that even before they had done any motivational work, the boys were already highly motivated, eager for the new season to start immediately and then crush the unlucky guys who came knocking on their door.

Gay, that clever little devil, even flipped through the schedule to find the date against the Nuggets. He wasn't very confident against other teams, but against the Nuggets, he was sure he could have a blast!

Anthony: You better not let me catch you!
On October 11, the preseason began, and Hill started experimenting with the new season's lineup.

There were no major personnel changes in other positions; the main adjustments and attempts revolved around the selection of the power forward.

Millsap followed Mo Wen's instructions during the summer to intensify his training in three-pointers and layups, while also gaining a small amount of weight. Judging from his training, he has met the basic requirements for starting.

But Scola's maturity impressed Coach Hill even more. The Argentine's skillful footwork in the paint and his versatile shooting skills reminded him of his own Spurs player who was never meant to be traded. No wonder Popovich kept him in his hands after drafting him and was unwilling to trade him.

However, Scola's problem is also obvious. Although he is 26 years old and in the prime of his professional career, he is not very adapted to the physicality and speed of the NBA due to his long-term playing in European leagues.

Because he is the core player of both the national team and La Liga, he has the same problem as Wang Zhizhi back then: a lack of awareness of doing the dirty work and hard work.

In six preseason games, the SuperSonics easily won thanks to their roster depth. Millsap and Scola were alternated in the starting lineup, with Scola performing slightly better.

“I think it’s best to let Luis (Scola) start for now. He’s already starting to integrate into our tactical system,” suggested Schremf, who was serving as an assistant coach in the meeting room.

Old Hill adjusted his glasses and, unexpectedly, shook his head.

What do you think our tactical system is?

Schramf frowned, and the other two teaching assistants also seemed to be thinking.

"Solid defense and fast break three-pointers? Pick-and-roll combined with off-ball movement in half-court sets? Developing a combination of inside and outside play in the 'Moreyball' style?..."

Payton, who was idly picking at his nails, noticed that his old teammate hadn't reacted yet, so he reminded him.

"You idiot, we don't have any fixed tactical system, we all rely on Mo!"

These words were so blunt that everyone present coughed as if they had been poked in the throat.

"Cough cough!"

Old Hill touched his nose, but quickly composed himself and raised his head calmly. "Gary said... well, so the primary task of our starting lineup is to coordinate with Mo's performance. Paul (Millsap) is young and lacks experience, but his technical characteristics are a good fit for Mo. In comparison, Luis has more comprehensive skills and stronger individual abilities, but his defensive capabilities are limited, so let him adapt to the bench for now."

Millsap breathed a sigh of relief after learning about the team's arrangements. He had watched the Summer League and Scola had put a lot of pressure on him. During the holiday, he had considered intensively working on his inside game so that he wouldn't get overwhelmed. However, he was persuaded to stop after talking with Mo Wen.

Millsap's height limits him to a somewhat unconventional path; developing his dynamic talent, face-up and shooting skills is what he should be doing, while back-to-the-basket moves are not for young players.

Scola didn't have any objections. The SuperSonics' starting lineup consisted of a group of fast men. He could keep up with the team's pace for a short time, but his stamina would be depleted very quickly over time. Considering that there are 82 games in the NBA regular season, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to perform well if he were to start.

Furthermore, Scola prefers a style where he has the ball in his hands, and only being a substitute can satisfy this need.

The media were also surprised to find that the SuperSonics' interior defense did not seem to have weakened much after Milicic left.

Normally, when Milicic starts, he usually does Millsap's job and assists Mo Wen. He only takes over as the main attacker when he comes off the bench. Now, it's just that one person's job has been split into two.

However, because it was a preseason game, it didn't attract much attention and didn't make much of a splash.

The regular season officially kicked off on October 28, with the SuperSonics hosting the Trail Blazers.

Considering that the SuperSonics lost their core center in the summer, Stern didn't intend to cause trouble for the SuperSonics in the opening game, so he arranged for the number one draft pick to conquer the championship.

With the SuperSonics' interior defense significantly weakened, and Oden being a dominant center, this arrangement allows the SuperSonics to easily secure victory, and Oden to easily rack up stats. Everyone has a bright future ahead.

When the August schedule was first released, Oden was somewhat uneasy upon hearing the news.

Is this really that exciting? Going straight to the championship team? Me?

But he soon didn't have to worry about it anymore, because he discovered a joint problem during training. After examination, the doctor determined that he needed arthroscopic surgery, which would end his season!
Everyone at the Trail Blazers was stunned. They had been eagerly awaiting this arrival, only to find that the goods hadn't even left for inspection yet. What a joke!
It feels like ordering takeout when you're starving and your health is dropping, only to find yourself robbed of your food when you pick it up.

It's not that I'm shivering from the cold, it's that I'm shivering from the chill.

Oden's injury turned what was originally a somewhat interesting game into a one-man show for the SuperSonics.

Before the game, Bennett, beaming with joy, presented championship rings to each of the previous season's champions.

Payton, the first to receive the ring, had a truly fascinating expression on his face. From a young kid to an old man, his youthful dream had finally come to an end at this moment.

A feeling of fulfillment welled up in his heart, as if, as if the eunuch had been given a second chance at life.

When he put on the ring and pointed it to the brand-new championship banner in the sky, countless veteran fans were moved to tears.

Payton simply tilted his head back without acting like a timid woman. He had already vented most of his intense emotions when he won the championship trophy, and now he felt more sentimental than moved.

However, seeing several familiar faces in the TNT commentary booth on the sidelines, he felt a little uneasy.

Barkley and Reggie Miller also noticed Payton's gaze, their faces twitching in unison as they gave each other a menacing look—

Don't come over here!

The role players who received the rings after Payton also showed genuine smiles. This championship ring is a guarantee that they can perform well in the NBA for at least one or two years, and it can also serve as a safety net if they go bankrupt after retirement.

As Guy accepted the ring with a joyful expression, his agent's words echoed in his mind: with a championship, he could pursue bigger contracts without any burden in his future career.

He originally agreed with this statement, but feeling the warm cheers and the envious looks from his new teammates and opponents, could he really let go of all of this?
Ray Allen wanted to imitate Mo Wen's nonchalant demeanor.

However, the moment he put the championship ring on his finger, all his composure crumbled.

Unlike Pierce and Kobe, what he experienced after being "conquered" by Mo Wen and giving up his ambition to be a subordinate was a pure and unadulterated joy and sense of accomplishment.

Everyone says he has willingly degenerated into a dog that no one knows. Today, he will show those who look down on him what's wrong with being a dog.

Woof woof woof woof!
As for Mo Wen, who was the final performer.

When it was his turn, he somehow acquired a custom-made, oversized Infinity Gauntlet.

The place where the gemstones were originally placed has been turned into a ring clasp, and now three rings are placed on it.

Shaq, who was watching the live stream at home, slapped his thigh twice, exclaiming, "Fuck! Why didn't I think of that back then!"

Compared to Mo Wen's well-proportioned and athletic physique, his appearance is closer to Thanos, and he has even more rings.

He'd made up his mind: once he got the sixth ring, he would be the first to collect the Infinity Gauntlet.

But does he still have a chance?
Bennett grinned and carefully pressed the ring onto the ring with his own hands.

He felt that Mo Wen was a marketing genius, and with this move, Supersonics would have no shortage of attention for a long time to come.

But there's still a small problem.

“Mo, shouldn’t you find a container with more space? There are only two spaces left,” Bennett asked.

Mo Wen smiled without saying a word, but snapped his fingers with his other hand.

Little Payton, who had been wandering behind the crowd, suddenly peeked out from somewhere, holding a brand-new, empty mirror glove in his arms.

Stern, who was watching TV, had a big smile on his face. He was happy that Mo Wen had the ambition to keep striving, and he was also happy that Mo Wen was prepared to become a villain.

But when he saw the other glove leaving the country, the smile on his face collapsed and crumbled at a visible speed.

When did we get two Infinity Gauntlets?

Little Juice, isn't your ambition a bit too big?

Russell only has 11 rings. If you were to collect 12, the NBA might be in serious trouble.

Grant Hill stared blankly at Mo Wen's gleaming golden gloves.

This thing must be really heavy, right?
Having faced numerous setbacks throughout his life, only to be eliminated in the first round, he simply couldn't imagine the weight of this glove.

He suddenly felt like the farmer who imagined the emperor hoeing the ground with a golden hoe.

At this moment, he longed to see the glove filled even more than Mo Wen.

Meanwhile, in the commentary booth, Barkley and Miller, who had just been upset about Payton's ring, were now in complete agreement.

Gloves are not allowed on the court, so this must be confiscated!
They can't sleep if they don't confiscate it!

After receiving their rings, the afterglow of the championship fueled the SuperSonics team's fighting spirit, but after looking at their opponents, they calmed down again.

Randolph was traded, the number one draft pick was sidelined for the season, and Artest was still embroiled in trade rumors.

In a word, it's boring.

As expected, once the game started, the Trail Blazers were completely overwhelmed from the outset. They managed to hold on for two minutes thanks to a motivational pep talk they did two hours before the game began to collapse in an orderly fashion.

However, Atai, as always, went against the tide and launched a forced battle against Mo Wen with red eyes.

"Put away your damn pick and roll and come fight me like real men!"

Mo Wen sighed. "Serves you right for never getting a top salary. Why don't you learn from Randolph? Just boost your stats, enjoy life, and you'll easily land a big contract."

"What, you're not scared, are you? Don't worry, I won't break your ribs until you get all six rings." Atai licked his lips, pretending to be a gangster.

"You should focus your energy on scoring," Mo Wen said calmly, while casually dribbling the ball between his legs as if taking a leisurely stroll.

Suddenly, Mo Wen's knees turned, his body leaned to the right and his shoulders dropped in a feint, but after the ball was put down, his body immediately straightened up and dribbled with his back to the ground.

Artest didn't rush in easily, but instead used a small sliding step to maintain his defensive presence, blocking with one hand while simultaneously stepping forward with the other to provide contact, always ready to intercept the ball.

His choice wasn't the problem; the problem was that he misjudged Mo Wen's potential.

He capitalized on Artest's hesitation with two back dribbles, then accelerated with a low shoulder, resisting Artest's pressure and driving into the paint in two steps.

Artest put up a lot of physical contact, even trying to hold onto Mo Wen in the paint, but facing an empty basket, Mo Wen simply spun around and spun the ball into the hoop.

"If you score enough points, you'll at least see me on the court in the second half."

(End of this chapter)