Champion Rules

Chapter 285, Episode 281: 4200 Million Nuclear Warheads (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

Tyson Chandler's trade request caught the entire Knicks team off guard.

But his choice was not unexpected.

Tyson Chandler has always been a very contrasting guy.

He has a rugged appearance and an explosive playing style, but his inner strength is far less than it seems.

During his time in Chicago, he was overwhelmed by a barrage of criticism that utterly crushed him, plunging him into a deep depression.

After joining New York, Lynch created a confident atmosphere, achieved a series of victories, and shone with the glory of the championship, which made public opinion more favorable towards him and allowed Tyson Chandler to embrace the light again.

However, the world of competitive sports is not all sunshine and rainbows.

The public opinion environment is not always static.

Kobe Bryant could be a superstar, or he could become a physically imposing criminal despised by the entire nation.

LeBron James can be Cleveland's chosen one, or he can become Cleveland's chosen one.

When immense public pressure turned against him again, Tyson Chandler was completely consumed.

Lynch flew back to New York the next day to meet with Tyson Chandler along with Sean Battier.

On the way there, Lynch felt that this matter couldn't be entirely blamed on Irving!
It's not even fair to say that Tyson Chandler has a poor mental capacity.

Because some of the rumors are just too outrageous.

Lin Qi casually scrolled through a newly released online rumor that was already gaining popularity, and he was both amused and exasperated. The rumor claimed with great seriousness:
"Tyson Chandler's reduced playing time was due to him watching ball-handling video in the locker room, which was caught red-handed by Flip Saunders. When questioned by the coach, Tyson replied: 'What did I do wrong? I just wanted to be tougher before the game.'"

This is absolutely incredible! The vivid description makes it seem as if the writer was squatting in the locker room and witnessed everything firsthand!
Another viral image lists all of Tyson Chandler's career honors, with one trophy in particular standing out: a trophy where the player is seen hugging a leg. This photoshopped "leg-hugging trophy" has been jokingly referred to by fans as Tyson Chandler's greatest career achievement.

This generation of netizens can get everything except money.

Faced with such an absurd and overwhelming storm of public opinion, who the hell wouldn't go crazy?

When Lynch and Sean Battier arrived at his home, they saw several packed suitcases already placed in the corner of the living room.

Clearly, regardless of his next destination, this championship-winning center is prepared to leave completely.

Tyson Chandler brewed tea for them and brought it over. He looked calm, far from the heaviness one would expect from someone who "has a mental breakdown and has to request a trade."

He seemed to understand the doubt in Lin Qi's eyes, turned his gaze to the window, and a relieved smile appeared on his lips:

"You might not believe it, but the thought of soon getting rid of this damn media storm makes me feel so much lighter."

Sean Battier had just picked up his teacup, ready to speak, his prepared words of persuasion already rolling on his tongue—as agreed, he would offer gentle guidance, while Lynch would be responsible for igniting the hammer of conviction.

One approached with a soft approach, the other with a hard one.

No man can withstand it.

This is how they will work together to manage the locker room going forward.

However, Lynch's voice suddenly interrupted Sean before he could lay the groundwork, calm yet powerful, shattering all plans:
"If this is truly a relief for you, then I wish you well, buddy."

"What!?" Sean Battier looked up abruptly, his teacup hovering in mid-air, his face filled with unprepared astonishment.

Tyson Chandler was extremely grateful. He had thought Lynch would use his leadership and the weight of the dynasty to force him to stay, putting him in a dilemma.

Fortunately, there are still people in this world who can understand me.

“Thank you, Lynch,” Tyson Chandler’s voice trembled slightly. He let out a long sigh, his eyes sincere. “You know, this has nothing to do with my feelings for this team. I wanted to see you build a reigning dynasty more than anyone else. I just… couldn’t hold on any longer.”

“DeAndre is really great. He can completely take my place and become an important part of your legendary journey. As for my next destination—” Tyson Chandler paused, his tone relaxed and even somewhat relieved, “Tell Sam that it doesn’t matter where I go next. He just needs to consider maximizing the team’s interests.”

The farewell that afternoon wasn't as heavy as I had imagined.

The three tacitly avoided the topic of the trade, instead reminiscing about those golden memories—the celebration of winning the championship, the jokes in the locker room, and the sweat after training.

Like old friends reuniting, they simply smiled and chatted. Then they hugged, said goodbye, and left.

This is often how farewells are.

Without any fanfare or fanfare, on an ordinary afternoon, after the soft sound of the door hinges turning, life turned to the next chapter.

On the return journey, Sean Battier gazed at the rapidly receding street scenes outside the window, and finally, the long-held question came out: "So, when did you change your mind and stop trying to persuade him to stay?"

"From the moment he stepped through his door, he had already packed his bags; he was relieved to be able to leave. That sense of relief showed that he didn't want to stay any longer. Forcing him to stay would only tighten the string further. How much effort can you expect from a soul that's only struggling on the field?"

"But he is, after all, our starting center, and we are still on the road to defending our title." Shane Battier frowned.

“So,” Lynch gripped the steering wheel, looking at the road stretching ahead. No matter what, he could only keep going. “We need to find another center who’s willing to risk his life for every defensive play.”

He pressed the accelerator pedal firmly and added confidently:

"Believe me, Shane, on the court, a soul burning with the desire to win, even if slightly less talented, is far more likely to smash through the door to victory than a genius with a calm and collected mind."

Shane Battier nodded: "That makes sense. Your old friend LeBron James is a genius who can't win."

“No, no, no, that’s not the same,” Lynch corrected. “My old friend doesn’t not want to win, he’s just bad at it.”
-
Even after the Knicks made it public that Tyson Chandler had requested a trade, public opinion remained unfavorable towards him.

Many media outlets condemned him as a coward who ran away at a critical moment.

There were similar sentiments within the Knicks organization, with Amir Johnson finding it difficult to understand why Tyson Chandler had broken down.

"He won championships, endorsement deals, and the offensive game, but he can't handle even the slightest criticism?"

But Lynch didn't argue with anyone about it, because it's unrealistic to expect one person to fully understand another.

The depth of the gap between people is often beyond imagination.

After realizing there was no hope of salvaging the situation, Sam Presti immediately threw himself into the trading process.

Clearly, after Tyson Chandler's departure, the Knicks face a situation far more complex than simply "DeAndre can completely take over my position."

DeAndre Jordan cannot play 48 minutes.

When the spotlight of starting center falls on DeAndre Jordan's shoulders, who will fill the rotation time that originally belonged to him?

Tyson Chandler, a highly renowned New York champion center, was extremely popular, and Sam Presti received several phone calls within an hour of announcing the trade.

All the teams submitted their offers.

The Washington Wizards are willing to trade Mike Bibby, Yi Jianlian, JaVale McGee, and a second-round draft pick for Tyson Chandler.

The Portland Trail Blazers, desperately needing a center after losing Greg Oden, are willing to give up Wesley Matthews, Andre Miller, Fabricio Oberto, and a second-round draft pick.

The Oklahoma City Thunder also need a strong rim protector, and they offered Nick Collison, whose contract is about to expire, and a first-round draft pick.

All of these offers had one thing in common: they all included a center for the Knicks.

The entire league knows that if the New York Knicks trade Tyson Chandler, they will need a center themselves.

Therefore, they all unanimously regarded "replacing the center forward" as the ballast of their trading bargaining chips.

Sam Presti doesn't intend to make that kind of trade. He has a plan to separate "maximizing Tyson Chandler's benefits" from "strengthening the new center position." However, his plan requires money, a lot of money.

Moreover, the risks are considerable.

The game won't wait for the Knicks to make their adjustments before it starts.

Although Tyson Chandler, who has requested a trade, is still nominally a member of the New York Knicks, he is no longer part of the battleground in this arena.

His mission quietly ended the moment he submitted his application; Philip Sanders had already removed him from the DNP list.

So in Game 7 of the season, the New Orleans Hornets invaded the depleted New York team.

This is not an easy opponent to deal with.

The arrival of Amar'e Stoudemire has given the Hornets wings to soar, and their 5-2 start is a formidable record.

Chris Paul entered the top five of the MVP rankings for the first time in his career. Despite his modest stature, he stepped onto New York soil full of ambition, ready to climb the highest mountain.

During the pre-game warm-up, a familiar face to New York fans crossed the center line – Trevor Ariza was spreading his arms wide, smiling and giving each of his veteran teammates a fist bump and hug.

Reality is harsh. Trevor Ariza arrived in Houston with the title of "the second Tracy McGrady," but ended up leaving a mess behind.

He simply couldn't handle that many shot attempts; his offensive efficiency was abysmal, and the excessive offensive workload actually dragged down his otherwise decent defense.

Last season, he provided an answer to the question: "If an ordinary player is given a tactical status and shot attempts comparable to a star, can he also become a star?"

It turned out that Trevor Ariza was not cut out to be a star player, and after just one season, Houston hastily ended the experiment and traded him.

But he is still an excellent defensive wing player.

After moving to New Orleans, he finally broke free from his shackles, put down the burden of being "the second Tracy McGrady," and quickly returned to his familiar role, delivering an outstanding performance.

As Trevor Ariza hugged Lynch, he raised an eyebrow: "Man, don't expect to score 40 points easily tonight. Our defense will lock you up like an iron band!"

Sean Battier shook his head, "Listen to this, is this how you speak human language?"

Is this how you threaten people?!

It's like a woman warning her partner: "I'm a very traditional woman, you can only have sex with me three times tonight, not even once more."

The game started quickly, and Chris Paul assisted Amar'e Stoudemire for a mid-range jumper right from the start.

Steve Nash finally realized just how disgusting his pick-and-roll with Amar'e Stoudemire was.

Chris Paul possesses unparalleled mid-range accuracy, and if the defender doesn't switch after a pick-and-roll, he can score with ease.

However, if he switches to defend, Amar'e Stoudemire can easily score a goal.

This forward, who possesses both monstrous rim-attacking ability and silky-smooth shooting, is a terrifying weapon born specifically for pick-and-roll situations.

One round later, Steve Nash repeated the same move, setting a pick-and-roll with Lynch.

But Chris Paul bypassed the screen and stole the ball the moment the Wind Child caught it.

Chris Paul's defensive abilities are something Steve Nash didn't have back then; he can play defense efficiently even without the protection of a big man.

Limited by his height, CP3 is not the kind of player around whom a defensive system can be built, which is the biggest difference between him and another defensive point guard, Jason Kidd.

At his peak, Jason Kidd was capable of single-handedly transforming the Nets into a defensive powerhouse.

But from a purely defensive standpoint, Chris Paul is currently the best point guard in the entire league.

One possession later, Chris Paul continued to run a pick-and-roll with Stoudemire. DeAndre Jordan immediately switched onto CP3, positioning himself in front of him.

Paul glanced at Amar'e Stoudemire cutting in, intending to pass the ball, but then noticed Lynch had already quickly moved back into the paint.

So, Chris Paul pulled up in the middle of the court and, facing the towering DeAndre Jordan, launched a fadeaway jumper!

Despite his height disadvantage, CP3's exaggerated body tilt created a good shooting angle. The basketball grazed DeAndre Jordan's fingertips and swished through the net!
The Charlotte Hornets started strong, leading 4-0.

A guard like Chris Paul, who combines individual scoring ability with excellent passing skills, is a nightmare for any defense.

In the following rounds, CP3 performed quite impressively.

He could either tear through the defense with a brilliant assist or transform into a cold-blooded assassin to score solo points, locking Steve Nash firmly into his meticulously woven defensive cage.

On the offensive end, Lynch had to rely more on himself to take the lead, and the Son of the Wind struggled against CP3.

Sam Presti watched the Wind Child's disheveled state from his luxurious suite. In fact, this was the Knicks' biggest problem right now.

The Knicks' biggest problem right now isn't their center, but rather that the secondary striker who was supposed to relieve some of the pressure on Lynch is no longer up to the intensity of the Kings of New York.

Steve Nash is still an excellent player, but he can relieve less and less of the pressure on Lynch.

This season he has basically made no breakthroughs and can only maintain his offensive influence by still having excellent jump shots and playmaking.

However, for a point guard, the lack of penetration ability greatly limits their ability to change the defensive formation, and the inability to change the defensive formation makes it difficult to create space for teammates.

Lynch has fewer and fewer easy opportunities.

DeMar DeRozan is not mature enough yet. He could become the team's second or third number one player in the future. But right now, he certainly can't shoulder such a heavy responsibility.

Goran Dragic's growth has been unexpected, but his ceiling is not high enough to support the responsibilities of a number two or three player.

The team desperately needs a second or third star player whose potential and talent surpass those of the others.

Therefore, Sam Presti became increasingly interested in that deal.

He looked at James Dolan, his heart pounding: "Regarding the plan I mentioned, I must remind you again. We will need to pay approximately $4200 million for it, and most importantly, it is highly likely to be like a boulder thrown into the deep sea, not even making a splash."

James Dolan had barely looked away from the court when Chris Paul once again tore through the defense and scored easily.

He swirled his wine glass, his knuckles tapping unconsciously on the sofa armrest. "Stop talking to me about money, Sam. Just tell me, do you think that kid is worthy of the title? And does Lynch like him?"

"His potential is undeniable; he can definitely become a readily available second-in-command for Lynch. As for Lynch, although that kid was very rude to him when we last met, it's clear that Lynch likes him."

"Then let's fucking get it!" James Dolan downed his drink in one gulp, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Spend $4200 million on a 'nuclear warhead' for the Manhattan Project, and you call that spending money? But I'm warning you, Sam Presti—the point isn't whether the money's burning! It's about setting this damn 'nuclear bomb' ablaze! I want to see it echo throughout the Union like it echoed through Hiroshima!"

"Of course I will do my best to increase the chances of success."

On the court, CP3 broke through and scored once again.

He had already scored 8 points in the first half of the game.

In the VIP box, Sam Presti saw Chris Paul yelling something at Lynch from a distance while on his way back on defense.

Sam Presti slowly shook his head, looking at the court outside the glass, and whispered with a smile: "Now, you can just enjoy tonight's show, James. Someone's about to get very badly hurt."

Then, Sam Presti picked up his phone and sent a text message:
"We can discuss your proposal in more detail."

Recipient: Clippers General Manager Neil Olshey.

(End of this chapter)