NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 666: Brokers' "Civil War" (Daily Chapter)

On Wednesday, July 2009, 7, the NBA entered a freeze period, and players' agents had their busiest time yet.

There are not many teams in the NBA that attract attention every season. Ideally, agents naturally hope that their players can play in big cities so that the agency can also reap greater profits.

Unfortunately, the entire Eastern Conference is monopolized by the Knicks, and the New York market is indirectly monopolized by Matt Bartelstein. As a result of the chain reaction, some people have expressed dissatisfaction a long time ago.

Although Cleveland is not a big basketball city, it will naturally receive extra attention with two young stars, LeBron James and Dwight Howard.

But compared to New York, the media resources and exposure here are still a lot worse. In this regard, the two well-known agents have their own plans.

Around 10 a.m., the Goodwin brothers accompanied Dwight Howard and his party to attend a community event co-organized by Adidas.

The local fans in Cleveland love the "Happy Beast" very much. The atmosphere was very lively. Howard, who was playing with his children, was shouting loudly. When he met a beautiful female fan, he took a photo with her cordially.

Howard himself likes such activities very much, but the Goodwin brothers are not satisfied. Advertising revenue can no longer be expanded, and after being fired by James, the company's revenue still declined.

When it was time for lunch, we specially picked a place that Howard liked, which combined the features of a bowling alley, a restaurant and a bar. The "Happy Beast" liked the one-stop service.

After arriving at the restaurant, it naturally triggered cheers from the fans, and there was an endless stream of people coming forward to take photos with them.

The restaurant owner and the chef were waiting for Howard early. After the three of them took a happy photo together, the "Happy Beast" couldn't stop smiling. He just liked the feeling of being sought after.

Although the Goodwin brothers were smiling, they couldn't help but complain after they sat down near the bar:
"LeBron James and the others did this on purpose. These guys want to squeeze us out of the team!"

With the free market open, agents naturally have to promote players. Howard is also the core. The two wanted to broker some deals, but they were all stopped by James' team, and team owner Gilbert did not stand on their side.

Not only star players, sometimes agents also have to recommend some atmosphere groups. This is the time to demonstrate their abilities and allow them to gain a better reputation in the industry.

Eric Goodwin's dark face was full of anger. Hearing his brother's constant complaints, Allen Goodwin didn't say anything, but his face was not looking good either. The once obedient chosen son had begun to go against them!
Meeting the fans' needs, Howard, grinning widely, also squeezed to the bar. Seeing the two men in silence, he smiled and put his arm around each other's shoulders, then said with great satisfaction:

"See? Everyone likes me. I can even make the All-Star team next season. There is no problem activating the clause."

The contract offered by Adidas is very generous and includes incentive clauses. Howard is confident about this. The money is easy to make and he likes his current life.

"Dwight, you have to let the team know what you want. You are a superstar, not just a role player who can only grab rebounds and block shots!"

"You have to let them understand which teammates you need, instead of just following the team's arrangements like they do now."

Allen Goodwin looked serious, with a blank expression on his dark face. He took this opportunity to bring up the old topic again. Howard spread his hands and said with a chuckle, without objecting:

"I know, man! I need to get my core tactical position back."

"But Gilbert seems to be close to William Wesley. You can't be trusted. Everyone loves Wesley!"

Speaking of competitors, Eric Goodwin's face darkened. At the beginning, the two brothers got along well with James' family and relied on the family's approach to defeat a number of agents and sign the Chosen One.

As a result, it only took two years for William Wesley and Leon Rose to poach him. The conflict between the two sides was irreconcilable. In the signing of Howard, the Goodwin brothers tricked the other side and barely saved their face.

"Go talk to Mike Brown, we'll talk to management too, Dwight, you gotta get nervous!"

"If possible, we would prefer you to play in a big city. Don't be satisfied with this. Your talent is more than that."

Allen Goodwin patted "Happy Beast" on the shoulder and painted a rosy picture for him again. If the Cleveland market was divided up by James' team, they would also consider leaving.

"I don't want to leave here, man. Lee still has seven seasons left. In another four years, he will be 7 years old and will definitely lose his competitiveness."

"I will be only 28 years old then, which is my peak period. If I win a championship during the contract period, there will be a veteran clause, and I can get more money here!"

Howard is not stupid either. He smiled and calculated that he could get the greatest benefit by playing for his home team. He already had expectations for the future.

"What if LeBron James wants to trade you? We won't let that happen, but you don't have a trade veto, you have to make them realize you are indispensable!"

Eric Goodwin added a sentence and was glared at by his brother. Howard was a little unhappy to hear this, but he also felt a sense of crisis.

After all, even Kobe Bryant was almost traded away. Although he belittled Mamba, the other party was a bigger star than him. This trade rumor made him understand the other side of "loyalty".

"You're right, I'll talk to everyone, who's going to give up a DPOY? This is my team."

Howard pretended to be confident and responded casually. Looking at Eric Goodwin's dark face, he felt unhappy for a moment and wanted to warn him. He laughed and joked again:

"Want me to find you an older girl for tonight? Man, you need to relax."

Eric Goodwin's face turned even darker. Howard's teasing smile was obviously mocking the gossip about him and James' mother Gloria, which was also the fuse that led to their loss of the chosen son.

After glaring at his brother again, Allen Goodwin put on a gentle smile and looked at Howard and gave his assurance:

"Just play basketball with peace of mind. No one can trade us. Don't let James ride on your head. You have to make him know that you are equal."

"."

When the steak was served, Howard was still listening to his agent's chatter with a smile. He also wanted to control the team, so he did not reject these proposals.

LeBron James moved his training camp out of Akron this year and attended the event in the afternoon, accompanied by three good friends, Leon Rose and William Wesley, and enthusiastically completed the community giving back activity.

Next season is the last year of the contract. James' team is taking this opportunity to put pressure on the management, urging the team to bring in a third All-Star.

Even without star players, James hopes to get some reliable shooters. Rookies are not of much help in the championship. Although the chosen one has the advantage of age, he has more ideas about the championship.

Who is the most successful player in the NBA besides Lee You? The answer is obvious: Shaquille O'Neal.

A championship that defeated Li You made the old Shark's reputation soar. Some basketball critics even believed that O'Neal could be ranked in the top 10 in history. What is puzzling is that there are not many people who oppose this view. As a superstar, you naturally have to have a "legendary resume". Li You ended Michael Jordan's championship. Now James has a similar script. Break out of the East and the future is his.

When taking a photo with the last little fan, James, wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt, smiled brightly. The child next to him was obviously also paying attention to the recent gossip, and looked up and asked curiously:

"They said you might leave here? Are you going to sign an extension in the offseason?"

Wade and Bosh both recently told the media that they would not renew their contracts and gave the same response, focusing on next year's free market.

James, who also has a short-term contract, was not as straightforward as his good brother, but until now, he has not been able to renew his contract with the team, which has caused some concern in the Cleveland sports media.

"I will always be a kid from Akron! Don't let your family worry"

After sending the children to the other party's parents, James did not forget to make promises with a smile. Finally, with the friendly blessings of the fans, the Chosen One ended the event.

When they got back to the car, Leon Rose sat in the front row. As the agent of the Chosen One, he saw William Wesley and the other man sitting down in the back, and immediately gave some bad news:
"Shawn Marion will not leave New York. He accepted a pay cut and is not interested in Cleveland."

"LeBron, Raja Bell is not a good choice. Every player who leaves New York will have problems. I never believe in championship experience."

After getting rid of Szczerbiak's contract, the Cavaliers had the opportunity to adjust. There were not many options in the free market. James turned his attention to the Knicks. He firmly believed that the excellent role players were all in New York.

Leon Ross served as a New Jersey district attorney when he was young. As a lawyer, he switched to the brokerage industry after William Wesley became successful.

Although he rarely takes the initiative to contact business, Leon Rose has become a professional after so many years. Seeing James shaking his head, he immediately gave his choice:

"Trevor Ariza is also a free agent. He has performed well on the defensive end. In my opinion, he is a better choice."

After his "outstanding" performance in the finals, Ariza, who was labeled as a "defensive stalwart", received the attention of William Wesley, and naturally he wanted to push his own people into the team.

"I need the three-point shot. Coach Brown told me that we will play more pick-and-roll next season. The Cavaliers need to play like the Knicks."

The driver was his good friend, and James did not hide the fact that he already "took control of the coaching staff" and simply reiterated his needs.

William Wesley subconsciously stroked his bald head, winked at his partner, and did not mention the players again. Instead, he readily agreed:
"I can talk to Matt. I've got you covered with Rasheed Wallace. What do you think, LeBron?"

It is not easy to be a manager. Finding players that suit you is also a technical job. Although James was a little surprised, he smiled when he thought of Rasheed Wallace's three-point shooting attribute:
“I love this deal!”

Using the outdated stars to squeeze out the atmosphere group recommended by the Goodwin brothers, William Wesley celebrated with James by fist bumping with a smile, and then inadvertently tested the tone:
"Wade's agent talked to us, LeBron, you can consider this."

Seeing his friend shaking his head slightly through the rearview mirror, James responded with a smile, but still did not agree. The "One Man, One City Award" is an important honor, and it is too risky to join forces with his good brother:

"Maybe I'll win the championship next season. You know, the protagonist always appears last."

If he could disrupt Li You's eight consecutive championships and win the championship in one fell swoop, James felt that he would be promoted directly to heaven and would receive unparalleled attention.

William Wesley smiled and flattered him, but in his heart he was not optimistic about the Chosen One. He also hoped that Li You would lose, or even never recover and give up the New York market.

Working hard for the Lakers and later serving Michael Jordan, William Wesley had a great influence in his early years and even represented No. 1 draft pick Allen Iverson.

That is, starting from 96, the management of Hook gradually changed direction. After Matt Parker became CEO, William Wesley was completely excluded from the core circle.

In addition, Iverson became a clown and his reputation plummeted. Wesley's influence gradually declined. In recent years, he was completely surpassed by well-known agents such as Matt Bartelstein.

In order to sign James, Wesley gave up 2% of his profits and lost a large amount of US dollars. In addition, the Goodwin brothers kept causing trouble, making life increasingly difficult in the past two years.

"LeBron, if you want to expand your influence, you should consider market factors. We will help you build an 'empire'."

Wesley inadvertently brought up the previous topic again. When helping O'Hare to canvass votes, Jay-Z suggested that James come to New York to play, and the Nets, who were in a slump, were ready.

More than one person mentioned this, and even his close friends were persuaded, but James always felt that the Nets were too bad, and going to the second team would lose his superstar status:

"There is still time. I want to recruit qualified helpers first."

James changed the subject. He just wanted to recruit the Knicks' shooter and answer the question in his mind at the same time: why can Li You's teammates always hit those three-pointers?
On the evening of the 1st, the Las Vegas Desert Classic was held as scheduled at the Mandalay Bay Resort. Before the darts championship began, Li You and the hosts of Sky Sports showed off their dart skills on the spot.

Sky Sports' British commentator Sid Waddle was fawning over him. The old man, known as the "Voice of Darts", was not shy and shouted:
“Seeing Li’s performance, there is only one word in my mind – magic darts!”

"."

Li You, wearing a black shirt, basically threw the ball randomly, but he often hit the bull's eye by accident, which always made the audience cheer.

In the audience, Musk watched Li You interacting with the on-site atmosphere group with a helpless look on his face. With the Sky Sports hosts and commentators shouting, the ordinary event became exciting.

After finally completing the event, Li You began to take photos with the crowd, many of whom had come specially from the UK, and some of them were even wearing Manchester United jerseys.

The hotel spent a lot of effort to invite Li You to the casino. After the tournament started, the staff brought a group of girls to serve here.

Li You will spend money here in the next 10 days. Musk, who only wants to work, is already numb. Seeing Scarlett and the others pulling his girlfriend over, he quickly squeezed over and whispered a reminder:
"Man, the Secretary of Energy stopped our loan"

Li You waved to the Sky Sports staff again, patted the girl next to him after leaving, turned his head to look at Musk who was a little anxious, hugged him and joked again:
"Tesla has no shortage of funds. Let's toast to our star entrepreneur! Billionaire!"

A large group of people behind him cheered in delight. They were going to play Texas Hold'em in the next few days, so Li You naturally had to invite some friends.

Surrounded by the crowd, Musk forced a smile on his face and raised his glass. Li You saw that he was absent-minded, so he waved to the succubus and the others before comforting them again:
"We and Ford will get the money in September, no later than October. You should enjoy your life with peace of mind, just like me!"

"."

(End of this chapter)