NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 752 How to Perform Decently (Daily Chapter)

On Thursday, August 2010, 8, around 19 o'clock, many media reporters gathered outside the Olympic Building in Midtown Manhattan.

The NBA just renewed the lease for its headquarters for 10 years last year, and floors 14 to 20 still belong to the league headquarters.

The president's office is right here, and all the league's main departments are here. Labor-management negotiations have been restarted today, and even the staff of the New Jersey Technology and Broadcasting Support Center came here to watch.

The last labor-management agreement negotiations were actually not such a big deal. The reason why it was taken so seriously was mainly because of the strike warning issued by the players’ union.

The union is not joking, nor is it threatening. In fact, the players can have their current treatment thanks to past struggles. If the agreement is not sincere, a work stoppage is inevitable.

The four major sports leagues are similar in this regard. The workers are relatively united. If the management does not give a satisfactory answer, overturning the table is the basic means.

Derek Fisher, who left the Lakers, is still the chairman of the players' union. Fish is still very popular within the team, and role players can naturally get more support.

When the reporters saw the player representatives, they all quickly surrounded them. Fisher and Billy Hunter, dressed in black suits, briefly answered a few questions and then squeezed out of the crowd.

The New York Times reporter saw the serious expressions of the two and couldn't help but gossip with his colleagues in a low voice:

"Perhaps in addition to the labor agreement, we will have to discuss who will win the championship in the next few days."

Several people talked to each other, with puzzled expressions on their faces. Without talking about other regions, New York has confirmed that it will take a break next season. Many columnists have given the answer to why there has been no trade:

"The board wants to formally confirm Li's attitude"

Recently, New York newspapers are no longer satisfied with "a daily win" and have begun to brag about how Li You can lead the team to win the championship by throwing his dick around randomly. The accurate translation is:
"Unlike the previous championships that were stolen from him, the 33-year-old Lee can dominate the current league even with rookie players, even if the opponent is the so-called 'giant'."

"."

After the event hosted by Nike and USA Basketball ended last week, more and more outrageous reports have been reported.

The spectators thought that such news would be refuted by professional sports media, but after waiting for a few days, no one objected!

What is even more outrageous to the fans is that even the NBA players did not refute it. With so many big names everywhere, no one dared to question it. This made many people @ the big stars on social media.

Interestingly, no matter how the fans called out, the relevant stars did not make any questioning remarks.

It wasn't until this morning that the Los Angeles Times broke the news about Kobe's attitude towards the matter. Mamba once again showed his old-school style and succinctly criticized the big-mouthed writer:
"What a clown's statement! Basketball has always been about five people, but those who don't understand the game only pay attention to the superstars."

Recently, Kobe was stabbed in the back by Ariza, Kwame Brown and Bynum, but Mamba did not respond. He honestly carried out postoperative recovery and even rejected the invitation of the players' union.

At this time, in the conference room on the 20th floor of the Olympic Building, Fisher, the chairman of the players' union, missed the straightforward Mamba. The three parties had differences of opinion just as the meeting began.

Less than 10 minutes into the discussion, Billy Hunter and the representatives of the labor-management bargaining committee composed of the owners began to make sarcastic remarks.

The former said that the players would not accept a reduction in their income, while the latter said that most teams have been making losses in recent years, and the financial crisis and the dominance of one company have harmed the interests of investors.

When it came to the specific proportions, lawyers from both sides came on the scene and produced detailed data to prove that their side was right.

The current chairman of the board of directors is Spurs owner Peter Holt, who was sitting in the seat on the right. When he heard the argument between the lawyers on both sides, he couldn't help but start daydreaming.

Miami Heat owner Micky Arison was quite active, adding a few words from time to time. A few seats away, Cavaliers owner Gilbert occasionally took the opportunity to be sarcastic.

After discussing the specific terms for half an hour, the topic suddenly turned to the development of the league. Before David Stern could speak, Gilbert leaned back in his chair and suddenly said a few words:
"Our rules are being broken! The 25-year-old star player chose to leave the team and team up with other All-Star players. This has never happened before!"

"The league should do something about this, at least to limit this from happening again. This is a disaster for many small-market teams."

"."

This statement does make sense. Peter Holt, the chairman of the board, also came to his senses, acted like a "victim", and sighed:
"I don't want to blame the players, but I also think this behavior is hurting the league's brand."

"We have to ensure the league is competitive. Fans won't like similar games every season. Killing hope will hurt every team."

When it comes to giant basketball, the beneficiaries are silent again. The Knicks' championship profits are higher every year, and everyone is jealous. Although the basketball market is not as good as New York, who can refuse US dollars!

With the blessing of the championship, the ball market is rising. If you want to sell the team, winning the championship is the best time to do so.

The board of directors remained silent, and the players' union's lawyers were instructed to immediately refute the proposal. Naturally, they strongly opposed the introduction of clauses to restrict superstars from leaving the team.

Seeing that the negotiations had turned into the same situation as the All-Star Game in February, Fisher took the initiative to change the subject and talked about the specific terms again:

"The bonus clause for 'Lee' must be supplemented. In fact, it is difficult for any player to achieve similar achievements again."

"We need to encourage young players with salary and honors, which can help players gain a sense of belonging. I think this is the best way to solve the current situation."

The Li You clause was a few years ago. After the addition, the players were excited, but the reality was a bit cruel. No one could achieve the same success as Li You, and until now no one has successfully triggered the reward.

Several young people led by LeBron James were a little embarrassed at first, but after changing the subject, they all looked at Li You who was sitting at the very end and daydreaming.

James Dolan, who was sitting opposite Li You, also came to his senses at this time. The curly-haired boss had said nothing for half an hour, allowing both sides to argue. When he heard about the terms, he tried to smooth things over:
"I agree to add some incentive clauses. Lee is unique and we can't use him as a standard."

The two sides reached a rare consensus, the atmosphere eased a lot, and the board of directors was no longer stingy and was willing to reward outstanding young players. This matter could indeed be discussed.

When it was almost 11 o'clock, a consensus was reached for the three parties to take a short break and leave the meeting room. Several board representatives approached Li You and James Dolan at the same time.

Watching the people whispering and leaving, Wade couldn't help but pull up his tie, and then whispered to his friend beside him:

"I don't like Micky Arison's attitude. This guy doesn't like basketball at all."

The Heat boss had no intention of caring about the players, but was very concerned about the championship. It was rare for him to attend the labor negotiation committee, but the old guy only cared about his own interests. The young players were not stupid either, and they could naturally hear that the bosses were more concerned about the championship today. As for the terms of the players, most of them were negotiated by lawyers.

James, who had been given several cold stares by Gilbert during the meeting, was also upset. The championship was distributed like a commodity by these people, and no one cared about their self-esteem:

"So we have to win the championship. With the championship, we can have a good talk with these vampires!"

Chris Paul, who was silent for a long time, immediately agreed with his friend's remarks and encouraged him:
"Li has always been on our side. The pension issue will definitely be resolved this time."

Increasing pensions is also a good thing for those players who have retired. Not every player can make a lot of money. In fact, most role players only have a career of about 4 years.

Carmelo Anthony, who quietly pretended to be a big shot, always felt that Fish was weak and took the initiative to help the investors change the subject. When he heard his friends whispering, he also complained:
"When Fisher retires, maybe we should change the chairman. This guy looks like a mole!"

"It is said that during the last negotiation, someone raised the issue of luxury tax, and this guy stood on the board's side and opposed the relevant terms."

"."

Old Fish didn't know that the young people had begun to oppose him. At this time, he was chatting with Billy Hunter in a low-key manner about the ownership of the championship. The two of them could also see that the board seemed to want guarantees to ensure their own interests.

"Has Lee talked to you about this?"

Billy Hunter asked in a low voice while holding a cup of coffee. Fisher immediately spread his hands. Old Fish had been busy preparing for this meeting for half a month. Li You was also very busy. Neither of them had discussed this embarrassing issue:

"I believe the Knicks are ready, and as long as there are the right chips, some deals will happen soon."

If the defending champion wants to send away a player who is in the last year of his contract, in addition to the luxury tax clause, the needs of the player himself must also be met. A long-term big contract is essential. There is no possibility of getting a bargain in this matter!
When the meeting started again, Fisher suddenly found that the attitudes of several board members on the opposite side had changed, and they even finalized the supplementary terms on the spot.

David Stern seems very satisfied with the progress of the negotiations. Perhaps after a few more hagglings, the two sides will be able to reach a complete consensus.

Peter Holt, the chairman of the board, led the applause and finally praised the meeting with a smile. He then looked at Li You and said:
"The new supplementary clause can motivate more young players. Li, what do you think about young players leaving their parent teams?"

Li You, who had been standing by, could see the awkward looks of the young people around him, but he did not change his position and continued to support them as always:

"We can't hold any player hostage. During the contract period, as long as the young man works hard, he has the right to make his own choice."

"Working hard and giving back to the community is enough. There is nothing wrong with pursuing championships. Every era has its own basketball culture. I don't want to kidnap young people with old-school views."

"."

Getting the recognition from GOAT again, even Wade, who didn't like Li You, felt comfortable at this time. James felt even warmer in his heart, and a feeling of having a confidant emerged.

Compared with those stubborn old Deng, Li You truly understands young players!
Gilbert curled his lips, looked at James and said nothing, but he was angry in his heart. He was looking forward to Howard leading the team to win the championship.

At noon, the alliance hosted a sumptuous lunch. At 14 p.m., the meeting returned to the starting point, and the two sides still failed to reach a consensus on the expenditure issue.

When it was almost 16 o'clock, many sports media quickly surrounded the people who had just finished the meeting. This negotiation lasted longer than expected, and everyone thought that the three parties had made a breakthrough.

As the chairman of the players' union, Fisher did not disappoint his compatriots. Facing the camera, he smiled and announced the supplementary terms that had been finalized:
"This is a good start. You know, it's hard for young players to achieve what Lee did, but under the new terms, everyone can get the maximum salary earlier."

"This is undoubtedly a victory for the young players."

The players' union unilaterally declared itself "the winner," and for a moment, Fish became the focus of the scene again. On the other side, LeBron James, who was attending a major meeting for the first time, expressed his gratitude:
“What an amazing development, I must thank Lee on behalf of the young players for his support to us!”

"I believe that under the new labor agreement, young people will bring more exciting games to the fans."

When the Yahoo Sports reporter asked about the championship again, Wade, who had completely regained his confidence, smiled and boasted for the first time after "The Decision":
"I don't want to talk about the future, but in the new season, I am confident that I can lead the Heat to win the championship!"

"This is the first championship in the team's history. I believe that the championship can inspire the enthusiasm of the entire city. As for the future, leave it to God. Everything is possible."

"."

Li You simply accepted the interview and said a few polite words before getting into James Dolan's Rolls-Royce. The curly-haired boss shook his head helplessly with two dark circles under his eyes, and the car started as he grumbled in a low voice:

"This is the first time I've experienced this. David Stern might as well consider gambling directly. I believe everyone on the board will welcome it."

In the past, the league was at most "partial", but now it has evolved to manipulating the competitiveness. Li You is not surprised. This bottom line is not lower than expected. When he heard about the gambling issue, he even joked:
"The Las Vegas Sun reported not long ago that some investment groups wanted to bring a team to the area. In a few years, there may be changes on the board of directors."

"When Mr. Stern retires, maybe spinach will be introduced, and maybe now is the time to lay the groundwork."

James Dolan knew that Li You had taken over Donard's Atlantic City Casino. When talking about gambling, he couldn't help but ask curiously:
“Do you think the league will really introduce gambling in the future?”

Instead of answering the question directly, Li You just shrugged his shoulders. In fact, most people on the board of directors only care about making money, and the process is not that important.

Just like the owners who received promises at today's meeting, Micky Arison almost asked about the championship benefits on the spot. Miami is also a big market, and the first championship in team history is a great profit.
"I may reduce my playing time in the new season. Remember to talk to the coach. He will understand!"

Li You smiled and talked about his plan, and James Dolan agreed immediately. The curly-haired boss didn't even care about his slacking off, and didn't even talk about the contract issue:

"I think we can get the top three picks!"

"."

James Dolan, who was imagining the future, began to plan which year he would win the championship again. During the conversation, he even talked about his tour plans. Li You did not refute him, but occasionally flattered him:

“Performing well is also a technical job”

(End of this chapter)