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Chapter 165 When the GOAT falls ( words updated, begging for monthly subscription!)
As soon as the news that Qin Yue would miss the entire 08/09 season due to injury was announced, the entire basketball world was suddenly in chaos.

"I know it's hard. I felt like a fan back then. I couldn't do anything. I could only watch and cheer with everyone." The old GOAT was the first to care about his white moonlight successor. "I didn't want to be disturbed by anyone, didn't want the phone to ring, didn't want to watch TV, didn't want to listen to music. I just needed the purest darkness at that time."

After a pause, the old GOAT, whose ribs were still aching, added: "But I believe you will definitely get through it like me. Believe me, as long as you can get through this dark period, nothing will be able to restrain you in the future."

Qin Yue was undoubtedly grateful for the old GOAT's concern.

But unlike Jordan back then,
Qin Yue, who was more optimistic by nature, did not feel the darkness that Jordan talked about.

Instead, he, the player who fell due to injury, now has to comfort his teammates.

Steve Nash felt like the world was falling on him.

Is it true that he will never win a championship?

Nash chose to join the Warriors this summer just to cling to Qin Yue's extremely strong thigh. When he learned that Qin Yue would miss the entire next season, his mood could only be described as heartbroken.

Boundless darkness enveloped Nash's heart in an instant.

Kwame Brown, who is about to enter his contract year in the new season, is also very sad.

Without Qin Yue, his big partner, Brown, who lacks a sense of security, will have to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the Warriors' inside line alone in the new season.

This makes Brown very scared, and he is worried that he will not be able to show his previous performance on the court and get a big contract next season that will allow him to support his family.

There are also Jarrett Jack and Will Bynum who have been waiting for Qin Yue to return with the Olympic gold medal, and Anthony Morrow who they want to introduce to Qin Yue.

The Warriors, having lost their backbone, suddenly lost their direction.

"How should we play in the new season?" Gerald Wallace, who has recovered from the injury shadow of last season, asked in confusion, "Are we going to play badly?"

The team's head coach Mike Malone responded to the prospective star forward by saying, "I don't know."

"It's over! It's all over! This is how I felt when I learned that Messiah would miss the 08/09 season due to injury." Many years later, Mike Dunleavy told reporters, "We all know how important Messiah is to the team. His injury is a fatal blow to us."

Grant Hill, who wanted to win a championship ring before the end of his career, was even ready to retire after learning that Qin Yue was out for the season.

"I don't know if I can still stick with him after he comes back from injury," Hill said desperately, "and I feel that it is my arrival that has affected the luck of this team."

Troy Murphy, who was teaching McRoberts how to set screens for Qin Yue on the court, suddenly had his bright eyes dimmed.

"If I could, I'd like to help him bear all the pain." Murphy said sincerely, "We can't afford to lose him."

This summer, Matt Barnes, who had just obtained a long-term contract with the help of Qin Yue, went to the hospital as soon as possible.

He cried so hard in front of Qin Yue's bed that Qin Yue almost thought that he was not out for the season, but for his career.

"Matt, you don't have to be so sad. Tim said that he is confident that he can help me recover 100% from this injury."

"But I still can't help but feel sorry for you."

"."

There is no doubt that Qin Yue's season-ending injury has invisibly dealt a devastating blow to the entire Warriors team.

What should this team aim for next?

With the Warriors' current lineup, led by Nash and Wallace, they definitely have the strength to make the playoffs.

But if we just make it to the playoffs.
Does that really make sense for this team that has always been championship-driven?
Warriors general manager Chris Mullin rushed to the hospital after Qin Yue's injury report came out.

Mullin needs to confirm Qin Yue's injury and use it to formulate the Warriors' new season goals and the team's future team building plan.

结果
When Mullin learned that Qin Yue was out for the season, he remained silent for several hours even though he had prepared himself mentally in advance.

but
After calming down, Mullin still showed his decisiveness as the team's general manager.

First, Mullin told Qin Yue that the Warriors must not invest too much in the new season.

Because in Mullin's eyes, it was meaningless.

"I plan to let key players like Steve and Gerrard play half a season each. On the one hand, they can maintain their form through a moderate amount of games in the relatively easy season ahead.

On the other hand, our champion players who also need rest can get more rest time.”

Qin Yue agreed with Mu Lin's arrangement.

Then, Mullin said to Qin Yue: "But we can't just play badly without any bottom line, because this is a team that has won the championship for two consecutive years. Too many losses will cause them to gradually lose their former ambitions during your injury."

Hearing this, Qin Yue nodded without comment.

Finally, Mullin said: "I have already looked at the draft predictions for next year, and the player you have been asking me to keep an eye on is currently in the fifth to tenth pick range in the first round.

If necessary, I would put Jason, Mike and Troy on the market in exchange for a draft pick that would guarantee him.

Don't worry, as long as it is a player you want, I will make sure he appears in the team's lineup."

At this moment, Mullin happened to talk about Jason Richardson
So, Qin Yue asked curiously, "What has Jason been busy with recently? On the day I was injured, he seemed to have asked for a personal leave and missed the team training?"

Mullin smiled bitterly: "Since we acquired Steve Nash through the trade, Jason has been hinting to me through his agent that he wants to play in a different environment."

Qin Yue was puzzled and asked, “Jason and Steve have a conflict?”

Mullin shook his head and said, "There is no conflict between the two of them, but I roughly know why Jason wants to leave the team."

As an important member of the Warriors' two consecutive championships, Richardson, who holds two championship rings, has always been eager to gain a higher status in the team.

He doesn't want to remain "Champion Jigsaw Jason".

Instead, he wanted to go one step further and gain a position second only to Qin Yue in the Warriors.

Originally, after Artest was traded, Richardson, who felt he could barely suppress Wallace with his qualifications, thought he had already achieved such a status.

But with the arrival of Nash in the new season, Richardson immediately felt like he was back to square one.

Because compared to Wallace, Nash, who has won the MVP twice in a row, is destined to be a star guard that Richardson cannot suppress by his qualifications.

This made Richardson very frustrated.

At the same time, having tasted the taste of championship, he also had the idea of leaving the Warriors and pursuing a higher status in other teams.

Although Richardson's move was also intended to test the Warriors management and coaching staff's views on his future positioning, with Qin Yue out for the season, Richardson, who felt there was no hope of winning the championship, gradually put his test into action.

"After the new season, my employer's current contract will expire in two years." Richardson's agent told Mullin, "Given his current position in the team, I am very sure that you will not offer him a maximum salary contract that will satisfy him in the future."

Mullin said: "If Jason can maintain his form in two years, we are definitely willing to offer him a contract extension with an annual salary of nearly 10 million US dollars."

Richardson's agent shook his head and said, "That won't satisfy Jason. He's a championship player. In my opinion, if he wasn't playing for the Warriors, he could easily score like a star guard."

"Jason has already sacrificed his most precious youth for the team. He even changed his style in order to win the championship. You can't ask Jason to keep sacrificing. That's not fair."

Richardson's agent's attitude forced Mullin to prepare to put it on the shelf.

Mullin has always valued personal connections, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know the dangers of offering a maximum salary to a player like Richardson who is far from a top star.

When Richardson's contract expires, he will be 30 years old. If Mullin offers him a maximum salary, it will not only completely lock the Warriors' future operating space, but even Richardson's trading value will inevitably decline because of the garbage contract he carries.

"In that case, it's up to you to arrange it." Qin Yue said after listening to Mullin's account of Richardson's recent mental journey.

Friends come and go, but the championship flag remains flying in the wind.

It is true that Qin Yue is willing to fight for the interests of his teammates, but that does not mean that Qin Yue has to fight for every teammate to get a fat contract that is not in line with their strength. Qin Yue is not Richardson's agent.

He has no obligation to ask for the next maximum salary contract for Richardson.

After hearing Qin Yue's statement, Mu Lin was completely relieved.

Because of Qin Yue's attitude, it means that the other party will support his decision to put Richardson on the shelf.

……

The Warriors are about to usher in a new season without Qin Yue.

When the powerful teams learned that Qin Yue was out for the season, they immediately became like the Rockets in the past. They were like being injected with chicken blood, and they all prepared to launch an attack on the championship while the new GOAT was recovering from his injury.

With Duncan's help, Ginobili, who had a very unsuccessful contract renewal with the Spurs, switched to the Celtics in a sign-and-trade deal.

The Celtics got Ginobili as they wished.

And what about the Spurs?

They will receive a future draft pick from the Celtics and Wally Szczerbiak, who is entering a contract year.

Qin Yue discovered that since losing Duncan, the Spurs have reached a new level in saving money.

Unlike the Spurs management, which, in order to maintain the team's competitiveness, eventually chose to forgive Ginobili for not listening to the team's advice and insisting on playing in the Olympics with an injury,
In this life, since the Spurs are no longer competitive, why would they need to keep Ginobili?
The Lakers gritted their teeth and matched the Kings' four-year, $4 million offer to Monta Ellis at the last minute.

Originally, considering that Ellis is a die-hard fan of Kobe, Lakers general manager Kupchak thought the Lakers could complete the contract extension with Ellis at a relatively low price.

Unexpectedly, the Kings, who suddenly appeared, offered Ellis a high-paying contract.

So Kupchak immediately fell into a dilemma.

Then, the news came that Qin Yue was out for the season.
After an urgent communication with Jerry Buss, Kupchak immediately matched the Kings' offer at lightning speed.

"Mitch, don't worry about the luxury tax. As long as we can win the championship in the new season, I am willing to pay any luxury tax!"

By keeping Ellis, the super sixth man, the Lakers showed the world their determination to win the championship.

When Cleveland learned that Qin Yue was out for the season, James, who initially thought it was just a joke, immediately became excited.

Although on the surface, James felt sorry for Qin Yue in an interview: “You know, none of us want to see him get hurt, I hope he can make it.”

But privately, James, who felt that God was helping him, immediately asked Rich Paul, who had officially become his agent, to put pressure on the Cavaliers management.

"I knew he was going to get hurt," James said. "Who told him to play so hard all the time?"

The Cavaliers made two trades before the start of the regular season.

They first traded Pavlovic and a future draft pick to the Celtics for Delonte West.

Then, preparing to use West as Iverson's successor, they immediately traded Iverson and Gooden to Washington for Antawn Jamison and Brandon Haywood.

Arenas suffered a serious injury last season and his return date for the new season is uncertain.

Therefore, the Wizards urgently need a star guard to lead the team.

In addition, the Wizards selected the incredibly talented McGee in the summer draft, so Haywood is no longer in the team's future plans.

This is a transaction where both parties get what they want.

Under repeated pressure from James, the Cavaliers sent away Iverson, who had a bad temper with James, and introduced Jamison, the star power forward, to improve the team's court space.

In addition, Haywood is also a high-quality defensive center.

just
In this deal, what the Cavaliers management least expected was probably that West would be promoted to the emperor.

Although West was well-known for his organization and his ability to use sticky defense to entangle the opponent's ball-controlling core during the game.
But outside the court, Delonte West, who was never a worry, was still famous even in later generations because during his time with the Cavaliers, he was rumored to have had an affair with James' mother, Gloria James.

but
Before West was promoted to the position of emperor, James was very satisfied with the operations of the Cavaliers management this summer.

"Brown, this will be your best chance to wash away the shame of you and the Redemption Team's failure in BJ's Redemption." Rich Paul said, "You have to tell people that you also have the ability to play the role of a ball-handling core."

As early as last season, James, who wanted to play like Qin Yue, nodded and said, "I will definitely tell the world in the new season that I am the player second only to the Messiah in the league today."

As Qin Yue's largest sponsor, the news that Qin Yue was out for the season was like an avalanche for Nike.

Therefore, Maverick Carter, who has always had a close relationship with Nike, also said: "Brown, if you can prove yourself in the new season, Nike will definitely reconsider offering you a bigger contract extension."

Hearing this, James felt instantly filled with endless motivation, and he hated that Qin Yue's injury was not serious enough this time.

That's right, James no longer has any feelings for this superficial brother.

……

In October, under Grover’s arrangement, Qin Yue’s operation in Chicago went smoothly.

At the same time, Qin Yue also learned from Chris Mullin that the team owner Cohan was negotiating the sale of the team with a former Celtics minority shareholder named Joe Lacob.

Although compared with many wealthy people, Lacob's financial resources are limited.

But Mullin told Qin Yue that Lacob was the one with the highest bid among many potential buyers interested in buying the Warriors.

In this regard, Qin Yue, who knew that Lacob was the owner of the Warriors in his memory, smiled and said, "How much time do you expect Chris Cohan to spend arguing with Mr. Joe Lacob?"

Mullin reported based on the current situation he has: "I estimate that Chris Cohan will be able to complete all the sales work within half a year. Because your injury has caused him to fall into an unprecedented panic, he now just wants to get rid of the Warriors as soon as possible."

Qin Yue said disdainfully: "If the Warriors are really a hot potato, then how could Mr. Joe Lacob be so concerned about acquiring the Warriors?"

After a pause, Qin Yue added: "Chris Cohan is just worried that I won't be able to return to my peak. Plus, after this season, my super-max salary will be officially included in the team's salary space."

"Once the Warriors are successfully sold, this will most likely be my last season serving you." Mullin, who has deep feelings for Qin Yue and the Warriors, said, "Because the new owner will definitely bring his new team to the Warriors."

"is it?"

At this moment, Qin Yue suddenly smiled at Mu Lin and said, "Chris, do you remember what I told you?"

Qin Yue knew Lacob very well, and he was not worried that he would be like Cohan and not be considerate of the star player.

Moreover, no matter who the owner of this Warriors team is, in Qin Yue's eyes, this Warriors can only be his team.

If Lacob thinks not.

Then it was time for Qin Yue to officially say goodbye to this team.

"Chris, I believe that we will work together for a long time in the future." Qin Yue said to Mullin with a firm face, "So, now I need to recover from my injury, and you need to help me manage this team."

After the Beijing Olympics.
Mu Lin discovered that no matter the demeanor or the way he spoke, Qin Yue was becoming more and more like a true GOAT.

Or
He is the GOAT in his imagination.

Although it will take some time for the GOAT to return to the court.

But Mullin believes that when he returns from injury, the entire basketball world will be under his rule again.

……

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(End of this chapter)