Champion Rules

Chapter 165, Section 161: Strictly Enforcing the No HandCheck Rule (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
The Los Angeles Lakers are the most talked-about team this summer.

When 31-year-old Kevin Garnett and 34-year-old Jason Kidd arrived in Angel City, the shockwave of the Big Three's combination instantly caused a violent upheaval in the league's landscape.

The formation of the Big Three even created more jobs in Los Angeles.

Major strip clubs are recruiting younger, prettier, and larger-bottomed strippers, knowing full well the spending power of the "Big Three." Any strip club that controls the sexual appetites of the "Big Three" controls the economic lifeline of the industry.

This is the influence of the three giants; the star-studded map of the Purple Gold Dynasty has once again been paved with dazzling star trails.

Although the tragic story of Karl Malone, Gary Payton and the OK combination at the beginning of the century still makes fans feel sorry, the general public opinion is optimistic about the compatibility of the new Big Three.

After all, nowadays, the Black Mamba's fangs are no longer aimed at his teammates and hotel waitresses.

KG and Kidd were younger than Malone and Payton were at the time.

They have no reason to fail; the path to the Larry O'Brien Trophy is slowly unfolding before the eyes of Los Angeles fans.

The starlight of New York was temporarily obscured, while Los Angeles residents dreamed of establishing a dynasty.

But this league is not just about the dazzling New York and Los Angeles.

For most star players, they are struggling in this storm.

The scorching Phoenix sun streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on Steve Nash's profile.

The two-time MVP crumpled and unfolded the list of potential teams in his hand. He never imagined that he, who led Phoenix to create a run-and-gun miracle, might part ways with the team next summer.

After failing to win the championship once again, and with the emergence of such a formidable opponent as the Lakers in the West, the Phoenix Suns' stingy management became very hesitant in deciding whether to exercise the team option of their MVP player, Steve Nash.

If executed, Nash's contract for the 08-09 season would amount to a staggering $1225 million. However, it's highly likely the Suns will spend that much money and still end up empty-handed, as no one knows how much power the Los Angeles Lakers can unleash. It's quite possible that even after giving their all, they still won't be able to compete with the Big Three.

The Lakers' Big Three cast a huge shadow over the entire league, forcing most teams to change their team-building strategies.

The Suns decided to wait and see for a year. If the Lakers really showed dominance next season, they would not exercise their team option and instead temporarily extend Nash's contract for two years in the summer of 2008, of course, not with a maximum contract.

Since they can't win the championship over the Lakers, they should save costs as much as possible.

For Steve Nash, who is 33 years old and has achieved success late in his career, this is his last chance to receive a maximum contract, as he has never received one throughout his career.

Therefore, negotiations between the two sides stalled.

The Suns have not guaranteed they will exercise their team option, nor has Nash guaranteed he will re-sign.

Nash had to prepare for both possibilities; if he did indeed part ways with Phoenix in the summer of 2008, he would have to find a new team in advance.

Nash eventually crumpled up the list of potential teams. "They most likely won't exercise their team option, and they won't offer me a max contract extension," he whispered into his phone, his voice filled with a dry, bitter desert-like tone. "But you know Bill, Arizona's sand runs in my veins."

On the other end of the phone, agent Bill Duffy flipped through the financial statements. "Listen, Steve, the Suns' net profit increased by 18% last year, yet they refused to match a max contract. That's a disgrace to the legends. Don't act impulsively; we need to carefully consider whatever might happen next summer."

"No, tell management that as long as the core roster is secured, I'll stay even if they don't exercise their team option for next season, even if they have to take a pay cut to renew their contracts."

“Are you crazy?” Bill Duffy practically roared. “Listen, I’ve contacted a lot of teams, and they’re all interested in you. Maybe another team will free up salary cap space. Anyway, don’t rush Steve. Just like this time last year, who would have thought the Los Angeles Lakers would suddenly form a Big Three?”

Steve Nash didn't say anything more. He didn't want to leave Phoenix, but he craved a championship and a max contract.

Shortly after hanging up, Steve Nash received another call from his teammate Raja Bell.

"How are the talks with the team going? Will they exercise their team option? Are they planning to offer you a max contract extension? I need to know whether you'll stay in Phoenix after next season. Steve, you should know very well that I'm still here because of you."

Raja Bell has had enough of Suns owner Robert Salvo.

That greasy face was always pointing fingers at the players, and he always rudely stormed into the locker room in his crocodile-skin boots, yelling. And yet, he was always reluctant to spend money.

In an interview with the Arizona Republic yesterday, he even casually counted the locker room roster as if it were a supermarket shelf.

“Sean, Boris, Raja. They can all be trade assets, and we have the opportunity to form a Big Three.”

This has created a climate of fear throughout the entire Suns team, with no one knowing when they might be suddenly traded.

Raja Bell's contract with the Suns expires next summer, and the Suns want to extend his contract a year early to prevent him from entering the free agent market. However, he has no desire to continue playing for an idiot like Robert Salvo.

However, he is willing to assist Steve Nash.

Steve Nash was the best teammate he had ever had.

He was never arrogant enough to think he was above the team. He knew he was the star basketball player of the city and the team, but he never thought, "Okay, I'm more important than the whole team." He always just asked, "What do you need me to do?"

He was extremely disciplined, not touching any sugar or alcohol throughout the entire season, setting an excellent example for the whole team.

His toughness was beyond imagination. Raja Bell had seen the Suns' team doctor administer electrotherapy to Nash's back several times. The pain was excruciating to watch, but Steve Nash never uttered a sound and continued to play despite his back injury.

Besides, playing with Steve Nash will spoil you. When you're open, the ball is guaranteed to be in your hands. You can be ready to shoot at any time because you know the ball will come to you on time and accurately.

Raja Bale respects this Canadian defender and is willing to follow him anywhere.

Therefore, if Steve Nash stays with the team, he is also willing to extend his contract with the nasty Robert Salvo early.

Raja Bell certainly knew that even after he signed an early contract extension, Nash could still leave next summer, leaving him stuck in a quagmire.

But he trusted Nash completely. He knew that Nash wasn't the kind of guy who would say he would renew his contract and then suddenly abandon his teammates and run away without a word.

Steve Nash was pleased, as extending Raja Bell's contract early would obviously be a safer option for a role player like him. But to follow his team, he was willing to take the risk.

Nash doesn't think he's that great, but it's really great to have a teammate who's willing to follow him.

“I’m not sure about Raja yet,” Nash said frankly. “Even I don’t know where I’ll be next summer or whether I’ll stay with the team.”

"So they're saying they don't intend to offer you a max contract extension? Bastard, they're not even willing to give a two-time MVP the respect he deserves. Then we'll make a decision next summer. I'm not in a hurry to extend my contract with the Suns."

"Thank you, Raju, this means a lot to me."

"Don't say that. Without you, I might never have been able to realize my dream of becoming a champion. I'll go wherever you go next summer, if possible."

Nash joked, "What if I went to see Sam Presti and Lynch?"

"Come on, the Knicks have too many bad contracts. They won't be able to sign anyone next summer. Thank God, fate won't let me be with those two bastards. If I really had to be Lynch's bodyguard, I'd rather retire and sell burritos!"

In a lighthearted joke, Steve Nash laughed and hung up the phone.

The arrival of the Big Three has made the Suns hesitant, but he will not be hesitant.

No matter where he is, he will continue to compete.
-

From the last week of August to the beginning of September, the entire basketball world's spotlight was focused on the US men's basketball team.

This Dream Team, rebuilt like the Avengers, recreated the overwhelming dominance of American basketball on the FIBA ​​Americas Cup stage.

They achieved an impressive record of ten wins and no losses, with an average margin of victory of 23.8 points, turning their training camp vows in Las Vegas into a shining golden medal in South America.

As the final buzzer sounded on Finals night, LeBron James, who scored the most points for his team, faced the swarming media, raised his gold medal around his neck, and declared in a booming voice: "The bronze medalist is dead tonight! I have the gold medal around my neck!"

LBJ was thrilled; he had finally won a championship and experienced the exhilaration of playing alongside a superstar.

Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant can shoot from the perimeter, and when the team needs to attack the basket, LeBron James can drive into the paint for them.

Unlike LeBron James, Kobe Bryant wasn't as excited at his post-championship press conference.

He told everyone, "Our work as a team is not over yet. We still need to keep sweating, keep honing our skills, and keep improving because our goal is to win the Olympic gold medal."

Do you think you have the ability to beat Lynch, who is playing on home soil, and the defending champion, China, next year?

"Of course!" Kobe answered decisively.

Meanwhile, in a good mood, LBJ was in a playful mood and deliberately leaned towards Jason Kidd's microphone:

"Of course we can win the Olympics. In this America's Cup, the US team played 10 games, and our captain scored 0 points in 6 of them. Even so, we still won 10 games in a row. So in the Olympics, which is at a higher level, as long as our captain can contribute two or three layups in a game, we can continue our winning streak."

Captain America Jason Kidd's forced smile—do you think you're funny?
The guard, who is expected to break MJ's record if he participates in the three-point contest, quickly defended himself: "That's the magic of playing with Kobe. When the best finisher in the world is by your side, even if I don't score, we can still win."

"So, how many games do you expect to score 0 points in next season with the Lakers?"

Kidd:
Kobe looked at Kidd, who was being teased, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

To be honest, if LBJ hadn't reminded him, Kobe wouldn't have realized that Kidd had scored 0 points in six games.

Because Kidd's presence was always very strong; his passing, his defense, and his rebounding consistently helped the team.

This is the value of Kidd. In the Los Angeles Lakers, in Phil Jackson's triangle offense system, the point guard didn't need to be a high scorer.

If you can consistently pass the ball and play good defense, you can play the point guard position well for the Lakers.

After teasing Kidd, the reporters turned their attention back to Kobe: "Hey Kobe, do you think the Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to build a dynasty again? Even with top competitors like Lynch in the league right now."

"We will, a three-peat is our goal. Lynch is indeed awe-inspiring, but like Hakeem in the 90s. No matter how amazing he is, he is ultimately just a shooting star adorning MJ's brilliant starry sky."

Tyson Chandler, the New York center who was also selected for the Dream Team, unconsciously rubbed the gold medal on his chest with his fingers, a hint of sarcasm flashing in his eyes.

Who will be the shooting star in the dazzling starry sky? It's still uncertain.

Lynch, who has absolutely nothing to do with the Copa America, has become the focus of everyone's discussion, while Lynch himself is currently at a training camp in Salt Lake City, preparing for the new season.

He once again invited many people to participate in this year's training camp, including Trevor Ariza, Wilson Chandler, Yi Jianlian, and Jermaine O'Neal.

On the practice court, when Lynch once again broke through Wells Chandler's defense and finished the drive to the basket, Trevor Ariza had a strange feeling—Linch's dribbling and penetration had become even stronger.

The current Lynch can break through the defense of small forwards without relying on physical contact.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what made Lynch's drives so much better; perhaps it was his improved ball control, or maybe his increased speed. But one thing was certain: Lynch had gained another offensive weapon.

Lynch himself knew that his stronger breakthroughs came from his faster first step.

TJ Ford's initial talent, acquired at the end of last season, is beginning to pay off through Lynch's hard work.

Of course, this talent can be used not only for breakthroughs, but Lynch's off-ball runs have also become more efficient.

A sudden acceleration during a counter-run can shake off the defender in an instant.

Indeed, being long, hard, and fast are the true hallmarks of top-tier talent.

These three top-tier talents are enough to defeat most opponents, surpassing all skills.

After training today, Lin Qi treated everyone to dinner as usual.

Wilson Chandler and Yi Jianlian were rookies in the same draft class, so he was always very enthusiastic about him.

While waiting for the food to be served, Wilson Chandler invited Yi Jianlian to his room to play games together: "Yi, I brought an XBOX 360 game console. Let's relax together tonight."

Yi Jianlian stammered, "Uh, forget it, I'm not very good at playing."

"It's okay, there's always a game that suits you."

Yi Jianlian simply did not reply.

Looking at his sullen personality, Lin Qi didn't know what to say.

But Lin Qi didn't intend to interfere. He admitted that he had ulterior motives for bringing Yi Jianlian along.

He hopes that Yi Jianlian can adapt to the intensity of the NBA in advance, gain confidence after performing well enough in the NBA, and then become a better version of himself at the 2008 Olympics.

The 04 Olympic gold medal was already a miracle for the Chinese team, but in 2008, playing on home soil, Lin Qi certainly hoped to seize every possible opportunity to defend his title.

Trevor Ariza, looking at the news on his phone, nudged Lynch with his elbow, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey, this isn't the reason you've been working so hard to break through this summer, is it?"

Lynch glanced at Ariza's phone screen, which displayed an interview with David Stern. The main point could be summarized in one sentence: "The league will enforce the No HandCheck rule more strictly next season."

The times are about to change.

The era of dark defense won't disappear overnight, but the door to offensive basketball has been opened.

“No, I only just found out about this news myself,” Lynch replied, “but I have to say, it will definitely make breakthroughs easier.”

"Damn it, is the league handing out candy to penetrators? How are we supposed to defend them now? They're not allowed to use their hands to stop the ball handler above the free-throw line, are they going to just lay out a red carpet for the ball handler from now on?" Ariza complained.

Lynch simply shrugged: "Rules can never save the weak, nor can they directly kill the strong."

After dinner, Lin Qi lay back on the hotel bed and opened the system.

The system store will refresh after midnight tonight.

Lin Qi had already accumulated enough talent points, waiting for the opportunity to use them.

As the midnight bells rang, a ghostly blue light, visible only to him, was reflected in Lynch's pupils. The instant the countdown to the Talent Shop's refresh reached zero, golden attributes poured forth like a galaxy.

[Increases lateral speed to Tony Allen's level. Price: 200 Talent Points. (Final speed is affected by a combination of factors including height and weight.)]

[Raises clutch shooting ability to the level of Robert Horry. Price: 200 Talent Points.]

[Raise the ceiling of your long-range three-point shooting to the level of Mohammed Abdul Rauf. Price: 200 Talent Points.]

Note: Winning MVP proves you're already an excellent player, and excellent players naturally have to pay a higher price to continue improving. The price of the item will increase after this redemption.

Looking at the extra annotation, Lin Qi cursed under his breath: "Bullshit."

Why should an MVP have to put in more effort to continue getting better?

The original LeBron James won the MVP award in 2009, but his progress was still very rapid.

By 2025, his fast breaks will be even better than when he was younger.

Of course, Lynch couldn't change the rule; he could only accept it.

For this exchange, Lynch chose Tony Allen's lateral movement speed.

Lynch is already very confident in his ability to handle crucial moments, and he's unlikely to need his long-range three-pointers for now.

Excellent lateral movement gives Lynch better flexibility in switching defenses.

This talent also gives Lynch the ability to reduce weight and change positions.

When David Stern opened the door to offensive basketball, the arrival of the small-ball era was only a matter of time.

At that time, the league will no longer need heavy, muscular power forwards.

To avoid being left behind, you must be prepared to adapt to the times.

With his excellent shooting ability and defensive flexibility, Lin Qi believes that even if he loses weight and plays the small forward position in the future, he will not have too much of a problem.

After redeeming the talent, I turned on the TV, and ESPN was still reporting on the Dream Team.

Kobe Bryant's declaration of a three-peat and his description of him as a "shooting star like Hakim" reached Lynch's ears.

Lin Qi stretched and lay comfortably on the bed.

The battle is far from over, and no one can determine who will rule the entire era at this time.

However, Lynch already has the ability to become a rule-breaker spanning two eras, extending his dominance for a very long time.

(End of this chapter)