NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

First of all, there is a 99.9% chance that Nowitzki will not leave the Mavericks. Cuban treats him like a father and will absolutely not let him go. Nowitzki himself has clearly made Dallas his home and has no intention of leaving.

Denver's Milicic and Nowitzki are in similar situations; both are European players who don't like to move around.

Excluding these two, in terms of compatibility, Bosh, who is good at three-point shooting, is obviously a better fit for the Bobcats.

But Bosh's question is whether James will leave this year.

If James doesn't leave the Spurs, then Bosh certainly has no reason to leave. If James leaves, then Popovich will definitely do everything he can to keep Bosh and make him the team's leader, so he'll be even less likely to leave.

But of course, anything can happen. What if Bosh just likes to team up with James and the two of them run away together? Then the Spurs really can't do anything about it.
The situation with Bosh is indeed quite complicated.

However, while some people are complex, others are not.

David Lee's situation is not complicated, but he is more like a pure center. While he is efficient and useful on offense, he is almost useless on defense. Placing a 206cm tall water bucket on the court might be more effective defensively than having him on the court.

This guy's style is something Van Gundy would absolutely hate.

In addition, Boozer's contract with the Jazz is expiring. This guy, who has always only cared about money, should have left Utah as long as the money was right, especially since Jermaine O'Neal has been plagued by injuries and his performance has been declining in the past two years, yet he is still earning a high salary. The Jazz actually don't want to offer him any big contracts.

After all, if Jermaine O'Neal doesn't leave, the team can't move forward, but if they trade him away now, the Jazz will have to pay a premium for a first-round pick.

With the team completely uncompetitive and clearly on the decline, the Jazz would be crazy to put up a first-round pick.

So now they are trapped in a vicious cycle with no way out, and can only let Boozer go with tears in their eyes while cutting costs.

Boozer excels at pick-and-roll jump shots and also has a signature post-up game, making him a good fit for Yao Ming and Derrick Rose. His solid defense and court vision also make him a good fit for the Bobcats' style of play in the new season.

The only problem is that this guy can sign a maximum five-year, $80 million contract in free agency, while the Bobcats can only offer a five-year, $70 million contract at most. In terms of contract value, the Bobcats are not competitive.

But of course, if Boozer were willing to come, clearing some space for him would be a piece of cake.

Just get rid of Thomas.

The only question is: would this guy be willing to come to a small city?

Compared to Buzer, the remaining person was more to Lin Tian's liking.

David West!
A locker room leader with exceptional leadership skills, this guy is also adept at pick-and-roll and catch-and-shoot. More importantly, he's a fierce defender, looking like a villain, yet he's willing and enjoys playing defense.

In addition to his good vision and passing, and the fact that he hasn't played at a particularly high level since he hasn't met Paul, his current market value is the lowest among the aforementioned players.

From all angles, acquiring West is the best solution for the Bobcats right now!

So, let's start with West!
Hmm... that won't work either. We need to start by appeasing Bird.

The promised Muhammad was given to the Nets; the old man helped for nothing and didn't get any benefit in return.

Lin Tian felt quite embarrassed about this, and he decided to repay the favor.

"How about Tyrus Thomas?"

"Give me a second-round pick, and I'll take it," Bird grumbled, indicating that he wasn't against doing business.

"I'm even planning to ask you for at least one more round!"

"Go to hell you!"

Bird angrily hung up the phone, and at the same time, he made up his mind that from today onwards, no matter what Lin Tian asked him to do, he would accept the benefits first before doing the work.

That bastard is unethical and has no integrity whatsoever!
……

On July 1, with the official opening of the free market, the entire league was instantly thrown into chaos.

A large number of players announced they would opt out of their contracts, followed by a large number of players signing new contracts. At the same time, many players announced their transfers or stay with their teams on the first day of free agency. Of course, there were also a number of trades that followed.

In short, at this time of year in previous years, the player version of Lin Tian could rest and go on vacation, but this year, the management version of Lin Tian's work has just begun!
A week before the start of free agency, when it was officially permitted to contact free agents, Lin Tian had already spoken with several players he had his eye on.

He even called Nowitzki and Milicic, but unfortunately, neither of them was willing to leave. They had already signed contract extensions with the team before Lin Tian called them.

However, it's worth mentioning that Nowitzki revealed some information during a casual chat with Lin Tian.

“I’m not leaving Dallas. Mark said he’ll get me a super teammate this year! A top-tier teammate, an MVP-caliber teammate, and then we’ll continue our pursuit of the championship! I believe in Mark!”

Based on Lin Tian's understanding of Nowitzki, he knew that Nowitzki would never spout nonsense, nor was he the kind of guy who would exaggerate or embellish what others said.

He said an MVP-caliber star would come, so he definitely would. At the very least, Cuban must have told Nowitzki that. If he doesn't come in the end, then it's just Cuban making empty promises and fooling Nowitzki.

It's not Nowitzki's fault, that's just how reputation is!
However, considering that even someone like Cuban, who doesn't think things through, wouldn't so bluntly deceive his own star player and his own brother, it means that he was truly prepared and had reached an agreement with an MVP-caliber player.

Who on earth is it?
It couldn't be Kobe, could it?
Could this guy have actually managed to get Kobe, whom he's been longing for, and helped the Lakers rebuild ahead of schedule?

Not having time to think too much about the transfer situation in Dallas, Lin Tian asked the two least likely candidates first, and then immediately went to find Chris Bosh.

He was also the guy he wanted most in his plan.

If Bosh can come and Yao Ming can develop his three-point shooting, the team's spacing will be terrifying. With Rose's penetration ability, he could probably turn all opponents into sieves!
Unfortunately, Bosh didn't talk to Lin Tian for long before declining Lin Tian's invitation, saying he wanted to stay in San Antonio.

And he wasn't lying. On July 1st, the first day of free agency, Bosh accepted a six-year, maximum contract worth over $100 million, announcing his decision to stay in San Antonio!

But Lin Tian noticed something else.

While Bosh stayed with the Spurs, James, whose contract expired at the same time, did not renew his contract with the team.

Of course, he didn't sign with any other teams either.

This guy is starting to observe!

Or, how about we bring him in and use him for four years?
After three candidates rejected both the team and himself, Lin Tian's options became increasingly limited. Fortunately, neither David West nor Carlos Boozer were truly undesirable choices, as both were a very good fit for the team.
It's just that it's slightly less mid-range.

"David, want to come to Charlotte for a chat? We can have a proper discussion about your career plans. What? Not interested? Your team is offering you a top salary and the position of the primary core player, guaranteeing that you will be the absolute core of the team, and building a championship-contending roster around you?"

"Who's so great that they can build a championship-contending team around you? No, that's not what I meant, David. I mean, do you really think you can make your team a championship contender as the primary star?"

"What? Within 3 years? You'll be able to become the top leader and win the championship within 3 years?"

"Confidence is certainly important, but self-awareness is also very important! Ask yourself honestly, are you sure you haven't been tricked or deceived, that some fanatic fan hacked your general manager's social media account and then sent you messages to scam you?"

“I know I’m being a little offensive, but I really respect you, David. I was just asking in good faith.”

...This time, Lin Tian really couldn't hold back.

It wasn't that being rejected repeatedly, or even not getting a chance to meet, made him irritable and unable to hold back; it was simply that Lin Tian felt the whole thing was a bit far-fetched.

David West is great; he had All-Star level ability during his prime.

But the prerequisite is that he has an All-Star level guard by his side. If no one feeds him the ball, there's really not much he can do.

Throughout his career, the difference between having Paul by his side and not having Paul is striking. His stats and on-court performance are completely different; they're not even in the same league.

This guy, someone offered him a super-high salary and promised him the status of the number one core player. If this wasn't a scam, Lin Tian would have cut off his head on the spot and used it as a football.

Of course, none of this had anything to do with Lin Tian. He simply hadn't had a chance to complain in a long time, so he couldn't help but want to vent.

Especially now that this guy is relying on his seniority, he's not worried at all about offending any player and facing targeting or retaliation.

If he doesn't target or bully others, even if he's changed his nature and become kind, who would dare to bully him?

However, after David West also announced his inability to continue, Lin Tian was left with only one person to choose from.

Carlos Boozer.

"Carlos, do you have time to come to Charlotte for a chat?" Lin Tian asked, getting straight to the point.

“Of course I’m free, Lin. I’m always happy to chat and have some fun with you,” Buzel’s voice came through the phone. “But there’s a small problem: I’m afraid I can’t sign a contract with you.”

"I have reached a verbal agreement with the Jazz, and I will return to the Jazz in the new season to continue my journey in Utah."

"How much did they offer you?" If someone else said they had already reached a verbal agreement, Lin Tian really wouldn't say anything more; he would just wish them good luck.

But Boozer...

You should try it! You absolutely must try it!
Anyway, this isn't his first offense.

Even this mere act of breaking a verbal agreement is nothing compared to his past actions of deceiving the Cavaliers into giving up his team option to renew his contract, then leaving the Cavaliers in the dust and running away.

After all, one was fraud, and the other was simply breach of contract.

Fraud is a criminal offense, while breach of contract might only result in a few words of criticism.

"It's not about how many questions they asked me, it's about my love for Utah, my love for it here, and my desire to stay. We're just waiting for the free agency market to open on July 1st, and we'll sign the contract immediately!"

Boozer's tone was sincere and unwavering!

If it weren't for his criminal record, Lin Tian would have actually been fooled by him and thought he was some kind of loyal and steadfast man.

“Carlos, have you forgotten that we share an agent? We both know very well what kind of person Rob is. He has said to me many times that Carlos is a smart man and a good partner of his.”

"What kind of good person could become his good buddy?"

"Just tell me how much the Jazz offered you, and I'll see if I can match it!"

“5 years, $8000 million! But I’ve already agreed to it, and according to the rules, you can’t offer a higher salary. This is the maximum salary I can get.”

"So, Lin, you can't convince me. Charlotte is great, and you and Michael are great too, but you don't have an advantage, at least not an advantage that would make me make a choice that's completely against my character, or an advantage that would make me break my promise!"

"No advantage? We have a huge advantage, let's go to Carlos! And just by looking at you, I can tell you're not an idiot, you're smarter than anyone else."

Give me two minutes, let me analyze this for you!

"First and foremost, his performance is terrible. Jermaine is finished! He'll never be back to his peak. At best, he'll be just an ordinary rotation player for the next three years, yet he'll still be taking away more than $2000 million a year!"

"This means that the Jazz will not be competitive for the next three years. At best, they will only be able to fight for a playoff spot and then be eliminated in the first round. And after three years, when Jermaine's contract expires, how much ability will they have left?"

"Do you really have no plan for your career? Do you really have no ambition for success? Come here, come to Charlotte, and I guarantee that the team will be a strong contender for the championship this year, and we can win the title in three years at most!"

"And Jermaine's injury might be the reason why the Jazz are unwilling to give you a real max contract! The Jazz have your Bird rights, and they can only give you a maximum of 5 years for $9000 million, right? But they only gave you the highest contract that other teams on the market could offer you, 5 years for $8000 million."

"Do you really think they're sincere? Do you really think they want to build a team around you? Do you really think they won't trade you away as soon as they get the right offer?"

"Wake up, Carlos. The Ukrainians don't see you as a savior. You're just the option they have to renew the contract under the current circumstances."

"Then there's the attention. What can you get in Salt Lake City, that godforsaken place? It's the most hated place for fans across America. It's the most xenophobic place and the hardest place to gain fans from other regions."

"You're not really just planning to earn a fixed salary and that's it, are you? Don't you have any interest in any side income, endorsements, or other additional revenue? Come on, tell me a number. Tell me how much money you've made in Salt Lake City over the years, besides your damn salary? I bet it's less than what I make in a month!"

"Yes, Charlotte is a small place, and the basketball market here isn't big, but it has a lot of attention! There's plenty of exposure here. With Michael and me, we're guaranteed to have a lot of viewership and attention! I don't need to count how many news stories and discussions there were about my return to the league this summer, do I?"

"Come to Charlotte, and you'll have all of this! Compared to Utah, the number of nationally televised games here will double, and the number of people watching your games will double. Maybe you still won't be an All-Star starter, but with your ability, do you think there's no problem with an All-Star reserve or an All-NBA team selection?"

"There's another point: timing! If it were any other year or time, and you chose to break your verbal promise and come to Charlotte, you would face countless criticisms. But this year is different!"

"This year, the league will see huge changes. I bet a lot of players will choose to transfer or change teams, and many top stars will switch sides. Doing something like this at this time won't attract anyone's attention! Everyone's eyes will be on those guys with higher popularity. Now is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak around, no, to do something underhanded!"

"Oh, and lastly, we have Derrick Rose and Yao Ming here."

"A tall, top-class center and a superb point guard who can pass the ball and likes to play his role."

"Yao Ming can't run too many pick-and-rolls. You and Rose will be the starting point for our tactics in the new season. You will get countless open looks and countless easy scoring opportunities. Your stats and efficiency will definitely skyrocket!"

"Alright, that's all I wanted to say. Choosing Charlotte means choosing money, statistics, a suitable system and playing style, exposure, and team performance! I really can't see any reason why you would refuse us!"

"But Lin, according to what you said, I'm only the third most important person on this team, right?" After listening to Lin Tian's long-winded explanation, Boozer hesitated for a long time before asking a question.

Asking a question means there's a chance! Lin Tian was even more confident now, saying, "The third option on a championship team or the second option on a team on the edge of the playoffs, which do you think is more suitable for you? Or would you prefer to play second fiddle to Jermaine, who is no longer able to return to his peak due to injury?"

"Think it over carefully. I can offer you the same contract as the Jazz, 5 years, $8000 million. Come to Charlotte, and I'll make you a top-five power forward in the league!"

"One last thing: the Jazz offered you 5 years for $8000 million because that's all they were willing to give you, while I'm offering you this much because that's all I can offer! Think about it, Carlos. We need you more than the Jazz do!"

After a long pause and silence on the other end of the phone, Boozer said, "I need to talk to my agent." Then he hung up.

Should we discuss this with the agent?
This guy's agent is none other than Pelinka, isn't he?
Should we discuss it with him?

At this moment, Lin Tian was certain that it was a success! (End of Chapter)