Champion Rules

Chapter 140, Section 136: Be Prepared to Sacrifice Everything (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Tracy McGrady's pre-game boasts made him look like a clown once again; the two-time scoring champion seems to be repeating the same mistakes.

In the 2003 playoffs, Tracy McGrady's famous line, "I'm already thinking about my next opponent," became the second most memorable moment of his career after his 35-second, 13-point performance.

Now, after McGrady declared before the game, "The whole league knows how to beat the Knicks, it's no secret," he was brutally slaughtered by the Knicks on his home court. This will add another prominent mark to the pillar of shame in his career.

After the game, Mark Jackson gave the entire league a piece of advice: "Never say you can win before you play against Lynch, even if you have a 90% chance of winning. The moment you openly provoke him, the scales of fate have already tipped in the Knicks' favor—because that executioner in the number 20 jersey is best at turning his opponent's boasts into poison and then personally pouring it down the throat of the provocateur."

Compared to McGrady, who looked lifeless after the game, Yao Ming's mentality was clearly better.

The giant from the East faces the camera, spreading his fan-like palms, his smile tinged with self-deprecation:

"I will never say 'See you in Houston' again; it's practically a morale booster for the opponent. Of course, if I ever break that rule, it just means my opponent is a rookie who doesn't even understand the traveling rule. Only in this way can I be 100% sure of saving face at home."

Unfortunately, the NBA doesn't have a player like that, so don't worry about the Houston media; I'll never give my opponents another chance to be proven wrong. From now on, the job of being proven wrong will be Tracy's alone.

Yao Ming's joke somewhat alleviated the Houston Rockets' sense of defeat. Sometimes, the locker room needs someone who is serious enough during the game but can also help everyone relax off the court.

The Rockets' loss doesn't necessarily mean they'll fall into despair; on the contrary, the New York Knicks, who won, now have a host of problems to solve.

Compared to Lynch's stunning performance of his sixth 40+ point game this season, Michael Pietrus's DNP (Democratic Nominee) incident triggered an even more intense media storm.

Lynch's resounding declaration in the post-match interview, "I haven't won enough championships yet, and all decisions will serve the goal of defending my title," has already told the world that Michael Pietrus is not untradeable.

Although there was no prior public conflict between the two sides, when the team's chemistry was at risk of crumbling, the defending champions' leader had to show a firm hand.

Mid-season, near the trade deadline, a defending champion team making roster changes is an event that could absolutely reshape the league landscape this season.

The fate of this French winger is the focus of headlines across major sports pages, with fan discussions and trade rumors continuing to escalate.

Of course, it's not certain that the French will leave.

If he regains his form and continues to strive for defending the title, he will most likely stay with the team.

Furthermore, it won't be easy to trade Michael Pietrus for a player of the same caliber.

Some wing players are more accurate at three-pointers than him, and some are better at wing defense.

But wings who excel in both defense and three-point shooting are extremely rare.

Even if there are some high-quality targets with both offensive and defensive capabilities, the Knicks are limited by their existing assets and find it difficult to initiate trades.

This puts management in a dilemma: "It's tasteless to keep it, but a pity to throw it away."

As Stephen A. Smith put it, "The defending champions are weighing two options: tolerate locker room issues and preserve their immediate impact, or pursue unknown roster changes? Whichever they choose, it will affect the Knicks' chances of defending their title."

The day after the game, on a plane in New York, Michael Pietrus found himself isolated.

The Frenchman huddled in a seat by the porthole, the morning light slanting through the clouds, seemingly drawing an invisible barrier around him.

No one criticized him for his outrageous behavior the night before, nor did anyone exchange pleasantries with him as usual. He was like a transparent man, as if no one could see him.

Only the Knicks logo on the airplane seat reminded him that he was still a member of this championship team.

Nobody likes this feeling, and Michael Pietrus is no exception.

His gaze pierced through the dappled light and shadow of the aisle, settling on the front of the cabin. Lynch was chatting and laughing with Trevor Ariza, their championship rings gleaming coldly in the morning light.

Michael Pietrus knew what Lynch meant by his words last night; the headline on ESPN's website, "Lynch: My dictionary only contains the word 'defense of the title,'" said it all.

The last time a conflict broke out, Lynch calmly reassured everyone. But this time, the French know they are drifting further and further away from Lynch.

The man who once brought him to the peak of his career now seems as distant and suffocating as a flag atop Madison Square Garden in New York.

He had to talk to that man because he didn't want to leave New York.

Being around Lynch, in the vast market of New York, Michael Pietrus received unparalleled exposure.

Last summer, he signed a contract with a Chinese sneaker brand, which promised to develop a series of signature shoes for him.

If he hadn't played alongside Lynch, a player like him would never have had his own signature shoe in his lifetime.

He wanted to set things right, believing that his relationship with Lynch would allow him to put an end to all trade rumors—the team's general manager was Sam Presti, and the owner was James Dolan. But the Frenchman knew that no one could let him go without Lynch's approval.

Isaiah Thomas' departure last season proved that even Dolan was willing to listen to Lynch.

After the plane lands, the players will go directly to the parking lot and drive home.

Lynch was no exception; he unlocked the Land Rover's door, but someone called out to him from behind.

"Lin Qi, do you have time? I'd like to talk."

Lynch didn't need to turn around to know who it was; only Michael Pietrus on the team spoke English with a French accent.

"Michael, is something wrong?" Lynch's tone filled the Frenchman with despair; it was utterly cold.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I've just been too tired lately. You know, with the season past the halfway point, we've been playing at a high intensity in every game, and I've been a bit..."

“Do I need to remind you? There are quite a few players on this team who are much older than you,” Lynch interrupted Michael Pietrus rudely, a smile colder than the New York snow. “But I’ve never heard them complain about being tired, and I’ve never seen them slack off in a game because of fatigue. What? Are all the French girls in New York too hot? Making you tire more easily?”

"Lynch, I promise this won't happen again. I'll do anything. What do I need to do to regain the locker room's trust?"

"I don't think anything you do will make a difference. When you complain about those veterans who earn millions a year, you hurt our feelings. When you give up on defense on the court, you hurt our game. And all of this hurts our goal of defending our title."

"I deserve a chance for redemption, just as Stephen did."

"Shut up! Don't say I didn't give you a chance! The first time you two argued in the locker room, I made Mike Malone apologize to you first! I remember Eddie Jones was the one who shook your hand first, and I never made you apologize to the whole team! I gave you plenty of face and opportunities, but you played like a piece of shit in the next few games!"
Don't compare Stephen to you. I never intended to give him a chance. I kept urging management to trade him away. He proved himself with his performance that he deserved to stay.

And you proved last night that you're not worth it!

Lynch's words chilled Michael Pietrus; he was utterly merciless. "I gave it my all last season too. I gave it my all in the Finals, guarding Dirk Nowitzki and fighting to the last drop of blood for the championship."

"So you're wearing a championship ring on your finger, have millions of dollars in your account, and Chinese sportswear brands are chasing after you to release signature shoes. You worked very hard last season, and you got the rewards you deserved, but those have nothing to do with this season. Right now, they're like retired jerseys at Madison Square Garden, belonging only to the past."

I know what you're thinking. Maybe you think I'm a cold-blooded jerk, completely heartless towards my teammates from last season. Don't forget, Michael, you were the one who showed no mercy first, you abandoned us! If you had any mercy, you wouldn't have scorned victory, you wouldn't have complained about the brothers who fought alongside you!

Lynch climbed into the driver's seat, the leather creaking under the weight. He closed the door and rolled down the window: "When Chuck Hayes knelt before me, his fighting spirit was more worthy of my respect than your slackness last night. Failure isn't terrible, but complacency and weakness are incurable."

Michael Pietrus stood there, stunned. He had thought that if he simply apologized, Lynch would say, "You've always been an indispensable part of us, and I believe you'll get back on track."

But Lynch didn't at all.

When it comes to defending his title and dealing with locker room issues, Lynch will never act impulsively.

He preferred to tell the truth to Michael Pietrus.

He didn't want to pretend to be a brother and then have the management trade him away.

He doesn't want fake brotherhood basketball; he only wants a pragmatic championship.

Lynch admitted that the Knicks would have a hard time finding a qualified 3-and-D wing on the market. But sometimes, talent isn't everything when it comes to competitiveness.

The team atmosphere is like a stack of building blocks that is stacked very high. If any one link goes wrong, the whole thing could collapse. Lynch can't risk having the whole stack of blocks completely destroyed by Michael Pietrus.

Michael Pietrus may be a very capable player, but he is no longer a good fit for this Knicks team.

Michael Pietrus looked at Lynch in despair: "Has it really come to this?"

“Yes,” Lynch nodded without hesitation. “Since we have different goals, there’s no need for us to keep hurting each other. You can go to a less stressful team and continue earning the $500 million annual salary you just signed, and we can stop arguing because of you.”

Lynch knows very clearly what he wants; he has always been that kind of person.

“I want to request a trade myself,” Michael Pietrus said, no longer struggling with the decision. He knew his New York career was over. “That way, at least it will be more dignified.”

"Whatever you like, Michael. Best of luck."

After saying that, with the roar of the V8 engine, Lin Qi rolled up the car window and drove away.

He recalled Michael Pietrus's unwavering defense last season, and the "championship basketball" he gave Grant Hill, which also bore Pietrus's signature. Last season, they were so perfectly in sync.

He respected their past friendship and didn't want things to escalate to this point. In fact, he felt a slight pang of reluctance; after all, he wasn't heartless, and he had many fond memories with the French.

But Lynch knew that these were the necessary costs to pay for the championship.

Just like the twelfth rule of the "Winner's Rule" advertisement: Be prepared to sacrifice everything.

He has a high tolerance for teammates who are willing to work hard but have average talent.

But he is ruthless and cold-blooded towards anyone who hasn't given their all.

That's Lynch for you; that's the kind of leader he is.

Will you be soft-hearted towards those who disregard victory because of emotions? Just look at what happened to Dwyane Wade.

The next day, all the media in New York simultaneously reported that Michael Pietrus had requested a trade.

Michael Pietrus did not attend training at the Greenburg training center that day, and his name was removed from his locker.
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Sam Presti started staying up all night again, constantly drinking coffee and answering phone calls.

The complexities of the mid-season trade market were on full display on this winter night – the window of opportunity was short and the margin for error was extremely low. New signings did not have a full preseason training camp to adapt to the team, so the painful integration period could directly impact the title defense campaign. This made every decision made by the general manager as risky as walking a tightrope.

Despite multiple teams extending offers to French winger Michael Pietrus, as Sam Presti predicted, the market response consistently failed to match the defending champions' expectations.

The Milwaukee Bucks are willing to offer Ruben Patterson, another player who has exploded in his contract year. This season, Ruben Patterson has had the best performance of his career on both offense and defense.

It turns out that a championship may not make a player love winning, but money certainly can.

Sam Presti abandoned the idea due to locker room issues, and Ruben Paterson was a persistent locker room problem; you couldn't expect him to turn over a new leaf like Zach Randolph.

Zach Randolph's ability to rise from the ashes stems from the reawakening of his reverence for basketball in a winning environment.

Ruben Paterson is a complete jerk; he clashes with everyone, and you never know when he'll be arrested and miss a game.

Mike Miller of the Memphis Grizzlies is another option, but the Grizzlies may be planning a rebuild, hence their demand for two first-round draft picks.

For the Knicks, who also needed to prepare for a rebuild, Sam Presti didn't want to trade away draft picks again, and the trade ultimately fell through.

The Knicks played two more games during this period, but neither fans nor reporters saw Michael Pietrus.

The New York Times asked Lynch, "Have you communicated with Michael? What are the chances of him returning to the roster? After all, the trade seems to have stalled right now."

Lynch knew the deal would be difficult, but he wasn't going to try to persuade Michael Pietrus again.

"I will never ask you for a second favor after my first request was rejected. That's it. I've already talked to Michael. I asked him to take the game seriously before the Rockets game, but he didn't. We won't have another conversation."

The next day, Sam Presti called Lynch to confirm a deal that could be executed.

He finally found someone he could use, someone whose static or dynamic talents were not as good as Michael Pietrus', and who occasionally had off-court troubles, but Presti told Lynch on the phone: "He is definitely a man who wants to win."

“Then let’s make the deal,” Lynch replied decisively.

That evening, Woj broke the news.

"The New York Knicks traded Michael Pietrus to the Washington Wizards in exchange for DeShawn Stevenson and Lithuanian forward Darius Sangaila. The defending champions' path has become completely unpredictable."

(End of this chapter)