NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 801 The Popular CBA (Daily Chapter)
On Wednesday, July 6, 2011, the NBA issued a statement in the early morning responding to Nate Silver's column in The New York Times.

Vice President Adam Silver clarified the content of the "essay" and pointed out its inaccuracies with reasoned evidence:
"All revenues included in Basketball Related Revenue (BRI), as well as the revenues reported in our financial statements, have been audited by an accounting firm jointly appointed by the Players Association and the League."

“门票收入与1999~2000赛季相比增长了22%，消息有误，10年期间增长了12%。”

"Forbes reported that 17 teams suffered losses, which were minor. This statement is still inaccurate. In the 2009-10 season, 23 teams suffered net income losses, which were significant."

"Seven teams, including the Knicks, Bulls, and Lakers, did not earn enough to cover the losses of 23 unprofitable teams; the actual situation at the time was a loss of $340 million."

"."

This announcement sparked considerable discussion in the morning, and the league has successfully contradicted Forbes' predictions that most teams will not be profitable and will lose at least $200 million, a situation that has also surprised fans.

Soon, media figures from Los Angeles and Boston began to sarcastically remark that this was all due to the monopoly, and that without the Knicks' eight consecutive championships, this situation might never have occurred.

This view has gained support from many fans. Monopolizing the championship is indeed problematic. Just look at this year's Finals; the Game 7 was just as exciting.

Miami fans strongly objected, arguing that if the league hadn't forced an 8-on-5 rule, they would still be celebrating their first championship. The title itself wouldn't be the issue; the problem lies in the officiating. In short:

"The referees have to take the blame. If they keep calling these calls, the NBA will be doomed!"

Fans in each region have different focuses, and the mainstream media in New York are busy fanning the flames, doing their jobs for money, and constantly questioning the league.

Fans in other regions are mostly starting to focus on the rookie players. Even without the Summer League, training can't stop, and many have already started heading to Los Angeles to prepare for the Drew League.

In contrast, Philadelphia and Cleveland were the most bustling, with Deron Williams also choosing to play in overseas leagues after Kobe!
Just two days ago, Deron Williams parted ways with his longtime agent Bob McLaren, and Jeff Schwartz became his new agent. The two sides released a bombshell announcement immediately after signing:
"Besiktas of Türkiye has offered a one-year, $500 million contract, with the official signing scheduled for Thursday."

Cavaliers fans were stunned when they saw the news. What league is this? What happened to the promised contract extensions and the "offseason championship"? After watching Philadelphia's antics, their own core player has also left.
Fortunately, Deron Williams' contract has some supplementary clauses, so he can return in time once the collective bargaining agreement is successfully negotiated and the NBA resumes the regular season.

This morning, ESPN's program interviewed the All-Star guard, Deron Williams, who was playing at sea. He seemed to be in good spirits and calmly answered the question:

"If this is what the owners insist on, then I think more NBA players will choose to leave the league. We can play overseas and maintain our physical condition just the same."

"Many players can earn more money overseas. I've talked to the union, and everyone supports me. Kobe plans to spend a full season overseas; he's a pioneer for us!"

"Honestly, Kobe made this choice purely out of passion, and from what I understand, his salary isn't that high."

The morning program had just ended, and while netizens were still speculating about how much money Kobe would receive, Yahoo Sports suddenly broke a story:
"JR Smith has been in contact with the Zhejiang club in China, and the two sides are expected to reach an agreement."

The news was quickly confirmed. JR Smith's sister and brother, along with their family and friends, all expressed their intention to play in China during the suspension of the season, as they wanted to bring their championship experience to the CBA!

New York fans were stunned after seeing multiple tweets about the 2012 championship, with even their starting shooting guard leaving.
In the afternoon, JR Smith himself also posted on Twitter, confirming the news while also adding a provocative comment:

"I've heard that Chinese fans really welcome Kobe, and I feel obligated to show them his true strength!"

"."

The championship guard is no longer acting; he just needs money to cash in, and incidentally he's putting down Kobe to show off and spread his championship experience. He's the first to be dissatisfied with Kobe being the main character!

Marbury, who had played two seasons in the CBA, was dumbfounded. Although he recommended Chinese basketball, he didn't expect these guys to be serious, especially Kobe, who went to China with 400 million yuan, which was like crazy.

The team across the ocean has received confirmation, which is very upsetting for Marbury.

Even more unfortunate was Lester Hudson, who won the championship with the Guangdong team last year. He wanted to negotiate a contract extension, but the Mamba delivered a devastating blow!
The Guangdong team was already dissatisfied with his performance in the finals, and as a result, they abandoned him without any mercy. Many Chinese brands waved their checks when they heard that Mamba was coming, which made many lower-level players extremely envious.

With his salary and endorsement contracts, Kobe's income was quite substantial. However, for a superstar, competing for jobs with lower-level players naturally diminishes his prestige. Hudson, after complaining on Weibo, also updated his Twitter:

"A cowardly escapist, I will never respect a player like that!"

"."

As evening approached, more news surfaced about the championship guard going to play in China, suggesting the Knicks weren't genuinely interested in extending his contract early, with JR Smith, who was seeking a multi-million dollar deal, subtly expressing his dissatisfaction.

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski posted several tweets detailing the events, which also involved Li You:

"Many people haven't noticed that Ray Allen has quietly opted out of his contract, and we have reason to believe that Lee is seeking a higher offer for his old friend."

"At the end of his career, Lee seems to have broken the rules he set in the past. Ray Allen, who will soon be 36 years old, will become the only veteran in the New York team to have a ten million dollar contract in the last decade."

Compared to the others who were in the limelight, Ray Allen was indeed more low-key, and it was only after being reminded that onlookers realized that the Knicks had planned this all along.

As for whether the "two veterans" backcourt, 34-year-old Li You and 36-year-old Ray Allen, can play a dominant role, many commentators have begun to express their opinions. The two are indeed getting old and are close to retirement!

-

On Thursday, July 7th, New York fans welcomed Ray Allen early in the morning. Although the league does not allow teams to contact players or recruit players, no one cared about this rule.

The "unpredictable" JR Smith suddenly became unpopular. In the eyes of loyal New York fans, even if he didn't have money, he should still practice diligently during the offseason.

They ruined the 2012 championship; they are the culprits in New York's strife!

To welcome Ray Allen, fan club members even held a "Celtics Special" near Battery Park, vehemently criticizing Kevin Garnett as a "softie" and Paul Pierce as a "bandwagoner."
"Rondo brought you championship experience, but the Celtics still lost to the Heat's Joker!"

"Garnett is a softie, his Big Three basketball is a joke. Ray should have come sooner; he and Lee would dominate the league with their three-pointers."

"Pierce is an idiot. Strippers could max out his credit card. Ray should have left sooner. The Celtics lack a real winning culture!"

"They're long past their prime, who cares about those ancient champions!"

"."

A group of people were speaking freely in front of the camera. The Knicks also had an ancient championship, but this was ignored by everyone, after all, New York's championship is different!
Suddenly, the topic of Kobe's decision came up, and New York fans suddenly remembered Stephon Marbury. The crowd began to tout "Son of New York" again, with many even shouting happily:

"Let's teach that clown a lesson together with our championship-winning guard, Marbury. If you still consider yourself a Brooklyn kid, go beat Kobe!" The chubby black boy's opinion seemed to resonate with more people, and everyone cheered and started chanting "Fuck Mamba" again.

It's unclear who threw out the Garnett and Pierce figurines beforehand, but amidst shouts of "For Ray!", the group rushed over and stomped on them, creating chaos at the scene.

New York fans, always eager to get their own gossip, are also quite excited in Philadelphia lately. A CCTV team from across the ocean has been here for two days and has been filming a program about the Mamba.

As the recipient of the "Olympic Lens Award," Kobe Bryant is respected by the entire team. The latest Basketball Park program will feature him, and he will also be interviewed extensively during his visit to China.

Due to the suspension of the season, the group was unable to visit the 76ers' training center for filming, but Kobe had rented the Hagen Arena at Saint Joseph University long ago. This recently renovated arena also has excellent training facilities.

At 11 a.m., Kobe's second round of training had ended, and the CCTV team was shocked. The Mamba at 4 a.m. was not a legend!

There were also many 76ers players at the scene. Due to the team's impending sale, suspension, and management turmoil, there wasn't much reaction to Kobe playing basketball at sea.

Watching Kobe, drenched in sweat, continue practicing free throws, Zhang Weiping sighed and then muttered something under his breath:
"To train like that in the NBA and still not be able to win, Li You is truly amazing."

Yang Jian was speechless, and his co-host Wang Jie was also somewhat powerless to complain. The many "science haters" in China are inseparable from the old man's continuous "contributions" over the years.

After filming the morning training session, during lunchtime, the group followed Kobe back to his home in Philadelphia. After preparing a sumptuous meal for everyone, Mamba ate his own nutritious meal.

Although it wasn't the first time he'd seen something like this, Yang Jian still couldn't help but ask:

"Does every NBA player strictly control their diet during the offseason? That kind of life seems a bit boring."

Pelinka and the others seemed quite satisfied with the interview, while Kobe, oblivious to the cameras, ate the fish that appeared to have very little sauce and forced a smile as he responded:

“I don’t know how other players create their own diets, but I’m almost 33 years old, and if I don’t strictly demand my body, it will be difficult for me to remain competitive.”

"I received a completely new treatment for this knee surgery. I don't remember the complicated medical terms anymore, but it's all worth it to keep my knee young."

"."

Many people looked on with admiration. Kobe truly gave everything for basketball, living a life of asceticism.

In the afternoon, Mamba gave his final interview at home. Yang Jian thought Zhang Weiping might be a little embarrassed, but the old man immediately asked many questions that Chinese fans were concerned about:
"Kobe, was your decision to come to China to play a momentary impulse? If the NBA resumes the regular season, will you return to the 76ers early?"

The question wasn't exactly friendly, but Kobe showed a sincere expression, as if he had long wanted to give back to the fans. He smiled and said earnestly:

"The suspension was just an early opportunity. You know, I made a promise in China that I wanted to play for the fans who support me."

“I am not optimistic about this negotiation. Unless the regular season proceeds as scheduled, I will play the entire season in China.”

"Many people may be confused, but this is how I express my respect. When I was most frustrated and helpless, it was Chinese fans who supported me. I will never forget that moment."

"."

Because news from across the ocean is selectively reported, rarely emphasizing the critics' disparaging remarks and the fans' malicious comments about the stars, most of the staff at the scene were quite surprised to see Mamba with slightly red eyes.

Pelinka was also upset to hear these words. Since being traded by the Lakers, no one in the league has respected Kobe anymore.

In addition, Vanessa Bryant's revelations about Kobe's numerous mistresses led many feminists to take the opportunity to protest against the Mamba.

The reason I went to play in China was because the fans there are the friendliest.

Look at the New Yorkers next door. If Kobe continues to lose in the new season, helping the 76ers extend their losing streak, that would be a very unseemly scenario.

Kobe's sincerity eventually moved Zhang Weiping, a self-proclaimed "Kobe hater." The old man realized that Kobe was serious, and when asked about his goals for joining the team, the Mamba once again firmly answered:
"Championship! The championship is the best gift for the fans!"

-

On Saturday, July 9th, at 7 PM, colorful lights began flashing at Pier 36, near South Street in Manhattan's Lower East Side.

This 70000-square-foot industrial-style facility was officially completed at the beginning of this year. At that time, the 55000-square-foot parking lot was already full, and many tall and beautiful women were taking photos at the huge deck at the back.

The prime location offers stunning views of downtown Manhattan, South Street Harbor, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty, and the massive "Basketball Lee" sign identifies the owner.

The party hadn't officially started yet, but people around the stage that had been set up inside were already getting excited. Tonight, the Ace of Spades was 50% off, and the golden bottle looked especially captivating in the dark.

Construction began in 09 and it took two years to complete. It is currently in trial operation.

This enormous venue, featuring a full-size NBA standard indoor basketball court, air conditioning, glass backboards, electronic scoreboards, an automatic video recording system, and luxurious locker rooms, has become Li You's private training base.

The restaurant and VIP room are not yet fully completed, but that doesn't stop young people from having fun. Due to the suspension of the season and the cancellation of NBA training camps, Li You didn't invite many players, so he simply held a midnight party as a trial operation.

Many invited media outlets were dazzled by the young woman's revealing outfit and graceful figure, and only breathed a sigh of relief when they found Li You. Many almost thought they had come to the wrong place.

In addition to basketball events, we also cater to catering events, company gatherings, concerts, technical conferences, fashion and trade exhibitions, and many other events.

Of course, there are also ferries and yachts docking here. This is also the dock of the New York Yacht Club. Most of the young faces tonight are family members of club members, and the girls are of very high quality.

Reporters in New York saw Li You and Ray Allen chatting and laughing together, both wearing white T-shirts. Everyone quickly realized that the previous rumors were true, and this was real brotherhood basketball.

Inside the still-unfinished VIP room, the Vanity Fair group was still sycophantically flattering the staff when a New York Times reporter squeezed to the front and discovered that the group had already finished a round of drinks.

Before anyone could ask any questions, Li You, in high spirits, put his arm around Ray Allen and introduced him:
"Ray will be my new partner next season. The Connecticut duo is back. Although we're both getting old, age is not a problem!"

Having completely let go of his burdens, Ray Allen also started taking out loans, raising his champagne glass and enthusiastically calling out:
"No apocalypse, cheers to the 2012 champions!"

"."

(End of this chapter)