NBA: Start by torturing Jordan and add points to upgrade

Lin Tian and Jordan parted on bad terms this time.

Jordan thought he could persuade Lin Tian, ​​but he never expected that Lin Tian would make a condition that he could not accept. Jordan was furious.

As for Lin Tian?

He had no intention of getting involved in this matter at all, so the conditions he set were purely for provoking people.

In 98, he was still playing basketball and had just led his team to end Jordan's Bulls dynasty. He was at the peak of his career. At that time, Lin Tian didn't get involved in any labor agreements or negotiations. Now that he's retired and become a coach, would he get involved in this?
Just think about it and you know it's impossible.

He did too many similar things in his past life, and he has long since made up his mind to stay away from such occasions in this life.

I have absolutely no intention of joining in!
In particular, Lin Tian ultimately did not even sign the contract extension offered by Jordan.

He had signed a one-year contract with the Bobcats back then. Now that a year has passed, Jordan was thinking of getting Lin Tian on board before the lockout, and then talking about labor negotiations. But Lin Tian completely ignored him and didn't even look at the contract. Instead, he stood up, turned around, and left.

They didn't give him any face at all, which made Jordan so angry that he almost turned himself into a nine-fingered basketball king while cutting cigars in his office.

He wasn't just angry because Lin Tian was disrespectful and uncooperative; he was genuinely short of money.

Lin Tian's moves last summer were nothing short of unbeatable. He brought in two All-Star centers, acquired several capable second-round picks and undrafted players, and even brought in Lamar Odom, a player with a notorious reputation, giving him a second wind.

And despite completely overhauling the team and making such a big move, the Bobcats didn't pay a single penny of luxury tax! Lin Tian's actions are absolutely pleasing to every owner in the league!

That's what a top-tier manager does! Winning championships while spending every penny wisely, without wasting a single cent.

But that was last season. What about next season?

Yao Ming and Carlos Boozer's contracts are both increasing, although the increase is not much. If the Bobcats continue to keep this roster, they will definitely have to pay some luxury tax next season. Although it is not much, only a few million, it still has to be paid, right?
If the contracts of these two players aren't a big problem, then Odom's contract for next season is a real headache for Jordan. This guy signed a one-year mid-level exception contract, which expires this summer.

Should the contract be renewed or not?

If we renew his contract, Odom's price will be much higher than a year's salary. Even with his terrible past, his market value will definitely be between $800 and $1000. If we renew his contract, we'll have to pay a huge luxury tax. If we don't renew his contract...
If Jordan lets go of a key player who helped him win the championship right after the victory, he'll probably get a lot of flak from Charlotte fans.

But Odom's contract isn't really a big deal. At most, they can trade Marvin Williams. After trading away his $800 million contract, although the team will lose an important rotation player, it won't be a major blow, and they can save a lot of money.

Or to put it more bluntly, the Bobcats' number one goal this summer is to trade Williams to save money.

But besides Williams, several other players on the team also need a pay raise.

Barnes, Thomas, and Augustin all signed one-year minimum salary contracts. Now that their contracts are expiring, are you going to renew them or not?
Not renewing the contract? If they win the championship, they'll break up the team, which will still draw a lot of criticism and make them seem stupid.

Renew contracts? Even if these players don't have high status on the team, their salaries won't increase much. But once they cross the luxury tax line, it's equivalent to their salaries doubling. Jordan really wouldn't be willing to pay double their salaries for these players.

If Jordan only faced minor troubles this offseason, then the Bobcats will face real, huge troubles next offseason.

Rose's contract has expired.

Based on Rose's performance, a five-year, $80 million rookie max contract is a must. That would give him a starting salary of $15 million. Add to that Yao Ming's $23 million and Boozer's $17 million, and those three guys would take $55 million from the team.

Other players whose contracts expire next offseason include Fields, Stephenson, and Lin, all of whom signed two-year second-round contracts.

The potential of these three is already obvious. Even if only two of them are kept, it will cost at least 1000 million.

When that happens, the Bobcats' luxury tax won't be 2-300 million anymore; it'll start at least at 1500 million.

Jordan simply couldn't afford it.

He is poor!
This is why Jordan led the negotiations this time, refusing to back down and determined to extract a huge advantage from the labor side!

Otherwise, look at Dolan of the Knicks and Allen of the Trail Blazers, when have they ever worried about this kind of thing?

These are the reasons for Jordan's outburst. As for why Lin Tian refused to accept the contract...

It wasn't because of anger or arguing; it was simply because he hadn't figured out what to do next season.

When he retired, he put himself in a health pod.

Now that the three-year period has ended, Dragon King...

He is not the Dragon King, but he is better than the Dragon King.

Lin Tian has completed his own health regimen, and his current physical condition and fitness are back to what they were when he was in his early thirties.

If Lin Tian were to return to the court now, there would be absolutely no problem. He would dominate the league and be able to crush everyone.

Another factor that fueled Lin Tian's strong desire to make a comeback was the occasional anxiety and impatience he displayed while coaching this season.

It wasn't that the opponent was too strong and made him feel overwhelmed; it was simply that he disliked Rose.

It's not that Rose is bad, it's that Lin Tian is too strong!
After many losses this season, Lin Tian wished he could go on the court himself. He could see many opportunities and he had many ways to win the game. Although Rose is great, he is obviously still far from Lin Tian's peak.

He can handle some games, but there are many games that Rose can't do.

At the very least, Lin Tian had absolute confidence that if he stepped onto the court and played, the Celtics and Cavaliers wouldn't dare to drag the Bobcats into a Game 7.
Lin Tian has plenty of ways to lead the team to victory in those unfavorable and close games. In any case, Lin Tian believes that if he were to replace Rose, in the three rounds of the Eastern Conference series, he would not be able to win every game, but no team could push the Bobcats to a 1-3 deficit.

No team can beat them in a Game 7!
He can do it but can't do it on the court; the shots he can make, his teammates can't make; the open shots he can find, his teammates can't see.

This feeling of powerlessness and inner turmoil is also the biggest predicament Lin Tian has faced this season.

These missed opportunities were already frustrating enough for Lin Tian, ​​but he had to suppress his anger and not lash out or criticize the players further.

He also had to suppress his anger and praise the players for their good performance, excellent work, and progress.

There was no other way, because Lin Tian also knew that Benboerba couldn't defeat Tang Sanzang and his disciples, not because Benboerba didn't try, but because he had already done his best! If you took your anger out on Benboerba at this time, wouldn't that just be impotent rage?

All I can say is that Lin Tian has the ability to excel as a coach, but the position is really not suitable for him.

In any case, Lin Tian has already made up his mind: no matter what, he will not be a coach next season!

Maybe he'll continue in management, or maybe he'll just leave basketball altogether and find a movie to make, like a sequel to "Mr. L" to cheer himself up. Someone even promised him a Star Wars spin-off trilogy, and Lin Da Guanren hasn't forgotten that. What if they remember too?

Besides movies, Lin Tian has many other things to do.

Alternatively, if you really don't want to leave the basketball world, but you're itching to play when you see other players not performing well, since you've already recovered to almost your peak condition, it's not a bad idea to make a comeback and play for a while!

Jordan was able to make two comebacks, and Lin only made one. What's wrong with that?
Lin Tian really hadn't figured out what he should do next.

Fortunately, he doesn't need to rush at all; he has plenty of time to consider and think.

What he needs to do now is to completely relax, calm down, and enjoy life.

He returned to Los Angeles, rested there for a few days, and then, together with Theron, who was also looking forward to her vacation, and their daughter, flew directly to Northern Europe.

Let's go traveling!
Two days before Lin Tian took off, two pieces of news were released almost simultaneously, which can be said to have ignited the entire North American basketball circle.

Jordan: "After several conversations and discussions with Lin, I regret to announce that Lin has left Charlotte. He will no longer serve as the team's general manager and head coach next season. He said he no longer wants to take on these pressures and responsibilities."

"He said he never wanted to manage a team again. Although I was very reluctant and unwilling, I had no choice but to agree to Lin's request because he is a complete bastard and also my best buddy."

Lin Tian has officially retired from the management level.

His professional career was pitifully short, lasting only one year. But what he left behind is incredibly dazzling. 95% of general managers and head coaches, after a lifetime of hard work, don't achieve as much as Lin Tian did in just one season.

This guy is truly a super genius.

Just days after Jordan's statement, and as Charlotte was mourning the greatest management and coach in the team's history, Stern announced another earth-shattering piece of news.

"The NBA has officially entered an indefinite lockout, suspending all basketball-related activities starting July 1st. The lockout will not end until an agreement is reached between the two parties."

Of course, Stern also reiterated his call for both sides to set aside their prejudices, put aside their impossible demands and absurd bottom lines, and have an open and calm discussion to restore order to the league as soon as possible.

After all, if everything can be settled in the summer, then only the free agency market will be affected, and the league's regular season will not be affected.

After that, the two sides did sit down and chat several more times.

Unfortunately, things didn't progress, and neither side was sincere enough, so each time it ended in a bad mood.

With each failed negotiation, tensions between the two sides intensified, and the situation between labor and management became increasingly strained.

It looks like the regular season is about to be affected, and the league is really going to be suspended indefinitely.

On August 5th, Lin Tian, ​​who had been away on vacation for almost a month, finally landed at Los Angeles International Airport with Theron and his daughter. However, to Lin Tian's surprise, there were quite a lot of people there to pick him up.

As soon as he got off the plane, he was led to a motorhome by people who had been waiting for him.

"This big guy must cost over a million dollars, right? Who in Los Angeles is so rich that they can drive such a nice car?" Lin Tian, ​​with Theron and his daughter, wasn't worried that anyone would dare to drive such an arrogant and eye-catching car to kidnap them in broad daylight, so he went to the front of the car.

"Come on in, Lin, let's have a good chat." The car door opened, revealing an incredibly kind and smiling face.

David Stern!
“David, shouldn’t you be in New York being driven crazy by those bastard bosses, Scrooge? What are you doing in Los Angeles?” Lin Tian looked at Stern, handed his daughter to Theron, and gestured for her to go home first.

Theron nodded obediently, greeted Stern, and then went to find her car.

Lin Tian stepped into the car and then saw its owner.

He was one of the 30 misers he had just scolded.

Jerry Bass.

The owner of the Los Angeles Lakers is widely recognized as the best owner in the league, without a doubt!

Old Bass looked at Lin Tian with a smile and said, "It's been a long time, Lin. I hope we can cooperate as we wish this time."

"What are you two doing?" Lin Tian found a seat and looked at the two guys opposite him, saying, "Whatever you're up to, I'm going to record it. Maybe it'll ruin your reputation!"

“You’re a real bastard.” Stern shook his head helplessly, then got straight to the point: “You’re right, I’m really overwhelmed. I hope both sides can reach an agreement as soon as possible, and I hope the league won’t be shut down again!”

"Those who experienced the last shutdown know how much we lost! It took us three to four years for our ratings and attendance to fully recover to pre-shutdown levels."

"This time, I will not allow a shutdown under any circumstances! I will do everything in my power to ensure the season starts normally!"

Stern, having said this, looked at Lin Tiandao and said, "I've spoken with Jerry, and he's willing to support me. Lin, what about you? I need your support too?"

"Then you've come to the wrong person, David. I've already retired, twice! I've retired from both management and the player world. Unless you can suddenly approve another team for me, I have no right to help you."

"Stop talking nonsense with me, Lin." Stern interrupted Lin Tian, ​​saying, "I know how much you love basketball, and I know you can't live without it! Otherwise, you wouldn't have suddenly left Hollywood after making hundreds of millions of dollars from a movie, and then become a commentator and a general manager."

"Compared to making movies, how much money does that make? I believe you came back here because of your passion, because you can't live without basketball, right, Lin?"

"So, what I want to ask you now is, what are your plans for next season? We all know you've left Charlotte, and I'm sure you don't want to leave basketball. I haven't heard that you're planning to form a consortium or acquire a team on your own."

"So, Lin, tell me, do you want to make a comeback? I watched your warm-up video from last year's Finals, and you were in much better shape than Michael was during his Wizards days. If you want to make a comeback, absolutely no problem!"

"So what do you want me to do, David? I still don't understand." Lin Tian looked at Stern and began to play dumb.

"Don't release the hawk until you see the rabbit." Before Stern revealed his purpose, Lin Tian would absolutely not reveal any information about himself. This was an experience he had gained after dealing with this old fox for many years.

“I knew it.” Stern shook his head. “I don’t need you to do anything. Or rather, if you’re sure you’re coming back, I just want you to be high-profile, very high-profile, to tell everyone that you’re coming back.”

"Then use my fame, popularity, economic benefits, and influence to expedite labor-management negotiations?" Who is Lin Tian? Upon hearing Stern's words, he immediately understood Stern's meaning and gave his own answer.

"Fans want to see me play, they will protest the lockout, they might even have some marches or similar events, which puts pressure on both labor and management."

"At the same time, the owners know that if I make a comeback, no matter which team I go to, I will bring additional huge attention and influence to the entire league, and their tickets and other merchandise will definitely sell better."

"As for the labor side, if a number one bastard like me wants to make a comeback, those guys will definitely want to beat me up and teach me a lesson. They'll be eager to tell me that my era is over and that I'm too old."

"Therefore, they will also want to speed up the negotiation process. With all these factors combined, the speed and efficiency of the negotiations will definitely be greatly improved!"

"Is this what you wanted, David?"

"I told you we couldn't hide it from him, didn't we?" Bass said with a smile. "This guy is more like an old fox than us! I even suspect he's been in business longer and has more experience than I have!"

“But it’s precisely because this guy is smart that I enjoy talking to him and chatting with him.” Stern also said with a smile, “There’s only one super genius like him in the entire history of the league, Lin.”

"The others are all a bit lacking."

"That's right. I originally thought magicians were the best, but Lin is a level above magicians. I admire him, I really admire him! And I regret that I have never worked with Lin in my life."

"So that's why you're here too?" Lin Tian looked at Bass and continued to speculate, "After David talked to you, you decided to bring me to the Lakers?"

“If you want to make a comeback, and if you want to maximize your benefits, then the Lakers are your best choice, Lin,” Stern said. “You’re not one to go back to the past, so you won’t choose Chicago or New York, which leaves Los Angeles.”

“I can go to the Clippers,” Lin Tian shrugged.

“But the Clippers aren’t even an NBA team,” Bass laughed. “If you ask around in Los Angeles, 90 out of 100 people won’t think the Clippers are an NBA team.”

"Even though they share a stadium with us."

"And Los Angeles is the perfect place for you to reignite your era of dominance once again," Stern continued. "It has Kobe, Durant, and Bynum. Although their playoff performance hasn't been great in recent years, isn't that exactly what you want and love?"

"A place that is strong, but not strong enough, allows you to maximize your energy and abilities, and make yourself a savior."

"Los Angeles hasn't won a championship in a long time," Bass said with a bitter face. "Since Magic Johnson, we haven't tasted the sweetness of a championship for almost 30 years. You bear the greatest responsibility, Lin!"

"So this is what you owe me, and you have to come to Los Angeles to make it up to me."

"Wow, you're so shameless." Lin Tian pointed at Bass and said, "You can even say that I owe you something? That's outrageous."

"So, what's your decision?" Stern looked at Lin Tian and said softly, "Are you willing to help us get the league's season going smoothly?"

Stern's tone was quite sincere at this moment, much like a helpless old man begging for help. If you looked closely at his tears, you could even see them!

If it were anyone else, seeing Stern so sincere right now, they would probably want to give their lives for him.

"What's in it for me?" But unfortunately, Stern was facing Lin Tian, ​​a complete bastard who wasn't buying it at all: "If there's no benefit, why should I cooperate with you and let you designate my next partner?"

"I don't care if the league shuts down or not unless I get something in return!" (End of Chapter)