Champion Rules

Chapter 162, Section 158: It's Just Beginning (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

LeBron James' thumb hovered over the remote control button, the glaring blue light of ESPN highlighting his taut jawline.

Lately, the screen has been flooded with that Chinese face. The image of Lynch holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy plays on a loop like a curse; this is the third consecutive day, perhaps longer.

What's even more disheartening is that all of this will continue.

Today is the day the New York Knicks hold their NBA championship parade.

ESPN will broadcast the entire event live.

When the broadcast switched to Fifth Avenue, the remote control in LBJ's palm creaked under the strain.

He was unconsciously clenching his fists; his jealousy had reached its peak as soon as the live stream started.

New York, Fifth Avenue, the summer sun gilds the Rockefeller Center International Building with gold leaf.

In front of the building stands one of the city's landmarks: the statue of Hercules Atlas.

When Lynch brought New York their first championship in 33 years in 2006, some fans suggested dressing the statue in Lynch's jersey to celebrate.

However, due to concerns that the sculpture might be damaged, the New York City Building Authority declined the fan's request.

But this year, they could no longer refuse the enthusiastic fans and tacitly approved of this behavior.

Therefore, the first shot of the championship parade livestream focused on the Atlas sculpture with Lynch's number 20 jersey sewn on. This towering deity had become Lynch's embodiment, demonstrating that in the hearts of New York fans, Lynch was no longer just a simple basketball player; he radiated a divine aura.
The camera slowly zoomed out from the statue, revealing a sea of ​​people thronging Fifth Avenue.

Every electronic billboard in New York City is playing Reebok ads on a loop—the guy he once mocked as a short-sighted businessman is now building an immortal monument on the ruins of his New York kingdom.

LeBron James got goosebumps all over; such a spectacle is something every basketball player dreams of creating.

This is no champion parade; it's clearly a coronation ceremony for the divine right of kings.

And the one who created all of this was his sworn enemy.

He has fallen far behind Lynch. Nowadays, people are starting to compare Lynch to Shaq, TD, and even MJ.

But no mainstream media outlets compare Lynch to LeBron James anymore.

The aura of a Grand Slam season and two consecutive titles overshadowed even Carmelo Anthony, who had the most perfect start to his career, not to mention those who had never even touched a championship.

LeBron James doesn't want to fall behind completely; he needs to succeed. He doesn't want to be seen as "the loser who tarnished Nike's reputation" a decade or two from now.

But before challenging Lynch, LBJ has a lot to deal with this summer.

Larry Brown has completely turned against LeBron, stating in an interview yesterday: "I've started to miss LeBron, I miss his dramatic performances, I miss his omnipotence, and I miss his disappearance in the fourth quarter."

He openly criticized LBJ in public without restraint. As an old-school coach whom Popovich called "the boss," he believed he was fully qualified to criticize a player who didn't perform well.

But LeBron James doesn't think so. He and Rich Paul insist that Larry Brown's behavior is harming the team.

These unfounded accusations are untrue. Everyone in the world knows that the Cavaliers lost to the Pistons last season mainly because of Jermaine O'Neal.

Therefore, LBJ needs to resolve the internal issues within the team before challenging Lynch.

He knew the team had to do this for him because starting this summer, LBJ would officially exercise the 2+1 contract that had been agreed upon long ago.

This means that in at least two years, LeBron James will become an unrestricted free agent.

The Cavaliers need to prove they have the determination to contend for the championship; they need to ensure that two years from now, the king of this land will still be LeBron James.

Just then, LBJ's phone rang; it was his agent, Leon Rose, calling.

"LeBron, I just had a formal talk with Melo's agent about that."

"How did he say?"

“He said no one can be sure about the future, but—” Leon Ralston paused, because even he couldn’t imagine how terrible it would be if it came true, “but they’re still interested, and we’ll see in the summer of 2009. Oh, and let’s try to win a gold medal at the Copa America this year.”

LeBron James glanced at the live stream camera and saw Lynch carrying Grant Hill's daughter on his shoulders.

He would have done the same, because Grant Hill helped him so much. His four free throws in the final moments were the key to sealing the game.

Of course, there was also Stephon Marbury's floater, Tyson Chandler's block, and Eddie Jones's absolutely crucial baseline steal.
Although Lynch's hook shot sealed the game, and although the media spotlight always focuses on the star players, role players delivering MVP-caliber performances are essential for winning in the playoffs.

The Cavaliers lack role players who can step up and help them in crucial moments.

He believes he has done his best, but the Cavaliers have not done their best, which is the root cause of the loss.

Before the summer of 2009 arrives, he will see what happens that summer, see if the Cavaliers can find some role players who can play in key moments, and see if they can get rid of those guys who love to criticize them.

Under Lynch's dazzling spotlight, it wasn't just LBJ and the Cavaliers who faced criticism.

Two days ago, when a reporter interviewed Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni and asked him to comment on Kobe's mid-season trade request, he bluntly said: "Kwame Brown is really bad, Lamar is a very average player, and Sasha Vujacic can't guard anyone. Therefore, I can understand Kobe's decision."

There are still many critics of the Los Angeles Lakers this summer. It's hard not to feel disappointed when people see Lynch, who has a huge market, succeed while Kobe, who also has a huge market, is succumbing to the Lakers' indifferent decisions.

People are eager to know what will happen when a scoring machine like Kobe Bryant meets a defensive stalwart like Lynch in the playoffs.

Two fanatics could have sparked a spectacular explosion of talent, but their efforts were extinguished by the Lakers' management's foolish indifference.

Kobe Bryant was also watching the Knicks' championship parade live, but unlike LBJ, he wasn't jealous; he was just a little impatient.

He couldn't wait to replicate it all in Los Angeles.

Just a minute ago, he had hung up on his friend Kevin Garnett.

KG asked him what he thought about joining the Lakers.

Kevin Garnett has been on the Timberwolves' trade list for a long time, and the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the potential trade targets.

But Kevin Garnett wanted to hear Kobe's thoughts. He didn't want to end up like Shaq after joining the Lakers; he cherished their friendship.

If Kobe doesn't want another star playing alongside him, and if Kobe still wants to be in control, Kevin Garnett will understand.

Kobe simply told him, "The snow in Minneapolis is freezing you to the bone, man. If you want to come to the West Coast and soak up some sun, then come on. We'll win a championship together. That's all I can think about right now."

Kobe doesn't know if his good friend will show up in Los Angeles. He can't wait to find out the answer and can't wait to make next summer's Los Angeles look like this year's New York.

Aerial footage pans across the Hudson River, showing Lynch standing atop a double-decker convertible, shaking the championship trophy. Kobe smirks at the black screen; he'll be back in the competition, he definitely will!

In Central Park, as Lynch began his victory speech, Dwight Howard was inside Adidas' North American headquarters in Portland.

In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 23rd floor, Orlando's new Superman is whistling a flippant whistle at the LCD screen.

In the live broadcast, several female fans with amazing bust and hip ratios were lifting their jerseys in front of the camera.

If it were him, he would definitely invite the enthusiastic girls to the basketball court in his villa to practice their back-to-the-basket techniques, and he would personally instruct them. And unlike Hakeem Olajuwon, he wouldn't charge them; he'd even give them champagne.

The sound of leather shoes clicking on the marble floor shattered the idyllic fantasy as Michael Ledinig, Adidas's basketball sports marketing director, walked into the office. He glanced coldly at the jovial Howard and slammed a folder onto the custom walnut wood table: "Dwight, it's good to have you here."

"Michael, I'm also glad we reached an agreement. Let's sign the contract quickly."

Although he was swept in the first round of this year's playoffs by his fellow draft classmate Lynch, Dwight Howard is in good spirits.

In the summer of 2004, Dwight Howard, who had just been drafted by the Magic, received a three-year, $30 million contract from Adidas—a contract far less lucrative than Lynch's at the time, but still a fair price.

Three years later, he has proven himself to be fully worthy of the contract.

This year, Adidas has prepared a new six-year, $65 million offer for Dwight Howard and plans to launch a signature shoe for him.

With the Adidas Five Tigers gradually aging, Dwight Howard will be a crucial asset for Adidas' future.

Today is the day they sign the contract.

Unlike Dwight Howard's beaming smile, Michael Reddini had a gloomy expression.

"This isn't right!" The smile on Dwight Howard's face vanished the moment he opened the contract. "Michael, what's going on? This is completely different from what we agreed on! 6 years for $4800 million? This is far from what we initially agreed on!"

“It’s different, Dwight. We changed our minds at the last minute. We felt it was too risky to sign such a big contract with you, because you haven’t proven yourself yet.”

Adidas once again lowered the price on the day of the signing.

They used this daring tactic before in the summer of 2003, which resulted in them missing out on LBJ and driving away Sonny Vaccaro.

But this time, Michael Rediniger was confident he could drive down the price.

“Damn it, this is a waste of time!” Dwight Howard was furious, feeling like he’d been played. “I came all this way not to play numbers games with you. Call me over to sign the contract after you’ve settled things with my agent! But remember, I won’t give you a third chance!” “No, you will, Dwight,” Michael Reddini said calmly, his expression unchanged since he entered.

“You will give us a chance, because right now, I have another option for you. We’ll offer you a one-year, $10 million extension first, and if you win a series next season, we’ll exercise our six-year, $65 million offer. Of course, there’s also your signature shoe. Ultimately, we’ll pay you, but you have to prove yourself first.”

Adidas hopes this approach will help Howard focus on competition instead of spending his days joking around and hanging out with female fans.

They knew that Dwight Howard was exceptionally talented and that he deserved even greater achievements and influence.

As long as he focuses on basketball, he can be the face of Adidas for a long time.

They can no longer survive in the cracks between Reebok and Nike; they must strive to expand their market, and expanding the market requires star players.

"Why should I believe you'll keep your word?" Dwight Howard feigned toughness, but the anger gradually fading from his face betrayed him; after all, he was too young.

Dwight Howard knew very well that only with Adidas could he secure a $65 million contract. Just a week earlier, Reebok had offered him only a three-year, $18 million deal.

So even though he really disliked Adidas's approach, he had to swallow his bitterness like those tech guys who took the money.

“We can put these things in the contract. If you sign this one-year short-term contract, and you win just one round in the playoffs next year, the six-year, $6500 million deal and your signature shoe will all be yours. We'll make sure you have ten times more billboards than you do now. You can have your agent talk to me about the specific details. I just need to make sure you understand what your most important task is next season.”

The television continued to cut to aerial footage, showing crowds thronging Central Park and Reebok's flames engulfing the entire East Coast. What did Lynch pay for all of this? Victory.

This is his most important task next season.

The moment Dwight Howard picked up the pen, he seemed to see his reflection in the French windows overlapping with Lynch's.

That big boy who filmed funny videos at Disneyland was eventually thrust into this competition that belongs to men.

Michael Reddini put his hand on Howard's shoulder: "Don't be confused, Dwight, it's not hard. First step, tell your team that they better not come away empty-handed this summer."

As the championship parade proceeded, undercurrents were stirring throughout the league.

Lynch's star power has burned too many people, and no one wants to become a backdrop for defeat in this league full of stories.

Of course, Lynch's starlight also illuminated many others.

Grant Hill breathed a sigh of relief as the team returned to the Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden after the parade and placed their fourth trophy in its honor.

He felt that his mission was finally complete.

When it was all over, Grant Hill lingered, reluctant to leave. Looking at his familiar teammates, it felt like the last day of summer camp, when everyone would soon be going their separate ways.

He was reluctant to leave, but he had no regrets.

His professional career ended in 2007, a perfect ending.

Although he didn't become Jordan's successor, he became the best version of himself.

Grant Hill looked away from the championship trophy: "Can I make one last request, Lynch?"

"You said."

"I want to leave a message on the wall of the locker room."

Lynch leaned against the display case containing Ewing's jersey: "Of course, what's up?"

"I will hand him over to the management of Madison Square Garden and Greenburg Training Center, and you should be able to see him in the locker room next season."

"I wish you all the best in the future, Grant."

"I hope everything goes well for you too. Well then, goodbye everyone!"

After everything was over, Lynch said goodbye to his teammates and walked into the underground parking lot, where a silver Rolls-Royce Phantom was already quietly parked in a VIP parking space.

He remained silent in the luxurious back seat.

Alberto Erreros and Grant Hill, two of his mentors on his professional basketball journey, have both retired. One is fishing for marlin on a Caribbean beach, while the other's retirement announcement is being streamed on ESPN.

This gave Lynch a sense of loneliness, a feeling that he would have to walk alone in the future.

He's already 21 years old, he's already an MVP, he can't keep being supported by others.

As the Phantom entered the Lincoln Tunnel, darkness engulfed the vehicle like a monstrous beast.

Lynch gripped the ring tightly; no matter what, he couldn't stop moving forward.

Otherwise, he would never be able to get out of the "tunnel".

Beside Lynch, Sam Presti was preparing to confirm with Lynch the next step after "getting out of the tunnel".

"Have they decided to draft him in the first round this year?"

"It's confirmed. He played well, but unfortunately he was recently injured and couldn't participate in the trial. It's unfortunate, but to be honest, it gave us the opportunity to sign him at the end of the first round. He happens to be a winger, which can fill the void left by Grant's departure."

“Great, I know what to do. By the way, Mr. James Dolan wants you to meet with him when you have time. He wants to talk about your contract extension. You know, LBJ and Chris Bosh's 2+1 contracts with their respective teams make him uneasy. He hopes you can sign a long-term contract with the New York Knicks.”

Sam Presti spoke carefully and as humbly as possible.

He and James Dolan both knew that the New York Knicks might go through a tough period after their glory days, which could affect Lynch's contract renewal.

It is very difficult to win consecutive championships with the same core lineup.

The first problem is age. Players like Marbury, Sam Cassell, Eddie Jones, and Nazir Mohammed are well past their prime and rely almost entirely on experience on the court.

The second problem is the lack of personnel replenishment. Due to winning championships year after year, most of the draft picks have been traded to aging players who can contribute immediately, and even if there are any, they are drafted relatively late. Therefore, the team can only rely on signing free agents to strengthen the team, but the limited salary cap space greatly restricts the options for free agents, making it difficult for the team to maintain a virtuous cycle.

The third issue is injuries. Winning consecutive championships not only brings players rings, but also a host of injuries. Playing until the very last minute every year greatly reduces the players' recovery period, making it easy for minor injuries to develop into major ones.

The New York Knicks will soon face a similar difficult period.

Unfortunately, this is an irreversible cycle under the David Stern Rules. He didn't want any one team to dominate indefinitely, so all the rules in the league are designed to prevent that.

In today's increasingly results-oriented atmosphere, Lynch, as one of the league's top stars, has every reason not to stay with the team during this period.

He could easily follow in the footsteps of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, signing a 2+1 or even 1+1 contract and then playing it by ear.

This is exactly what Sam Presti and James Dolan were worried about.

After listening to Sam Presti's words, Lynch smiled contemptuously: "Why the special emphasis on a long-term contract? What? Are you afraid I'll run away like a coward? Tell James I'll meet with him in person to talk."

The following day, the 2007 NBA Draft took place at Madison Square Garden.

The Portland Trail Blazers selected Greg Oden with the first overall pick, and as it turns out, they would have picked him again if they had the chance.

With the second pick, Kevin Durant, as usual, wore the green hat of the SuperSonics. He was excited because he could finally give his mother a good life and finally drink the bathwater of female celebrities.

Sixth pick, yet another Chinese player has been selected in the lottery.

After Yi Jianlian was selected, the transaction information immediately appeared on the big screen at the venue.

Yi Jianlian glanced at the big screen with delight; he had no desire to go to the icy wilderness of Milwaukee. He and his team hoped to play in a big market, like their predecessors Yao Ming and Lynch.

Unfortunately, the trade information had nothing to do with Yi Jianlian, but rather with Jeff Green, who was selected in the previous draft.

After failing to acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the Boston Celtics decided to send Jeff Green and Tony Allen, both selected with the fifth overall pick, to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal to acquire Josh Howard as the cornerstone of the team's rebuild.

This also means that Paul Pierce's departure is a done deal, because the Celtics will not specifically bring in a player whose position conflicts with Pierce's.

A minute later, Woj broke the news that the Boston Celtics had reached an agreement with the Miami Heat to send Paul Pierce to the Heat in exchange for Antoine Walker, James Posey, PJ Brown, and the Heat's 2008 first-round draft pick.

This history-changing deal surprised Lynch, because it not only affected Paul Pierce, but also meant that the destinations of KG and Ray Allen would change.

The draft continued, and the Knicks traded their 30th overall pick and a second-round pick up to acquire a 23rd overall pick, selecting Wilson Chandler, a sophomore forward from DePaul University.

The Knicks have successfully completed their draft plans for this year.

In the second round, Pat Riley, after acquiring Paul Pierce in a trade, also preemptively snatched Marc Gasol.

No one knew what the fortune teller was up to; he was just like everyone else, yearning to get back into the competition.

ESPN writer Marc Stein, who is close to Lynch, called: "Will Miami be a threat? Which other teams do you think could be a threat? I need your honest opinion, Lynch!"

Lynch shook his head: "To be honest, I don't know, because it's not over yet. This crazy summer has only just begun."

(Thanks to the generous donors like "走走烟云岁月" and "钟云蜀州" for their generous donations! Thank you everyone!)
(End of this chapter)