Champion Rules

Chapter 287, Section 283: Anyone else have a point to make? (Seeking monthly votes!)
With 1 minute and 04 seconds left in the game, Lynch made a cut to the basket and, as he entered the right side of the restricted area, suddenly used an off-ball screen to sprint towards the right corner.

David West was completely blocked by DeAndre Jordan, and he immediately yelled, "Amaré, switch!"

Lynch had already received the ball in the right corner and was ready to shoot, while Amar'e Stoudemire was still standing frozen in the vacuum between the paint and the corner.

What switch? What switch? What kind of switch?

That confused expression was a perfect demonstration of "each eye doing its own job, and the brain thinking independently."

At just 28 years old, he has managed to produce the defensive performance that LeBron James had at 40.

Under Amar'e Stoudemire's highly strategic defense, Lynch got a wide-open look and drained a three-pointer!

This three-pointer brought Lynch's total to 42 points.

Trevor Ariza, halfway through his rotation, covered his head with his hands. He had given it his all, but Lynch's score still inevitably broke the 40 mark.

Chris Paul also covered his head with his hands, looking equally helpless.

But helplessness was mixed with anger.

Damn it, I could play center on stilts and still be better than Amar'e Stoudemire!

The New Orleans Hornets were already down by 11 points, and with extremely limited time remaining, the outcome of the game was almost entirely decided.

The game was paused, and Chris Paul walked off the court with his head down.

Ever since Lynch attacked CP3 with that trash talk about the Western Conference Finals floor, he has become taciturn.

This superstar, who was once ranked among the top five in the MVP list, is now no different from any other disappointed visitor—his brilliance has faded and his spirit has vanished.

Lynch had defeated another opponent, but beneath the halo of victory, Philip Sanders looked at the exhausted Lynch leaning against the bench, and a sense of unease rose in his heart.

This season, Lynch has clearly taken on more responsibilities more often.

Tonight, he not only swept across the defense like a hawk, but also helped out and covered at any time, all to contain Chris Paul's brilliance.

He also needs to fire wildly on offense, shouldering a huge number of shots and creating opportunities, because Steve Nash, who should have shared the burden, is locked down by CP3 and the young DeMar DeRozan is not yet able to handle so many possessions.

This Knicks team, which has only suffered one loss at the start of the season, is similar to the Chicago Bulls in 1998; in reality, they are already at their limit.

How did Michael Jordan cope with the decline of his dynasty that year? The answer is 3181 minutes played throughout the season, a new high since he turned 26.

He burned himself, dragging the rusted chariot of the dynasty across the finish line.

Lynch is doing the same thing, following the same path.

However, unlike the Bulls' "Last Dance," a swan song known to all, the New York Knicks, though facing many challenges, may not be the end of Lynch's era.

Philip Sanders knew that if Sam Presti's audacious "Manhattan Plan" were to come to fruition, the New York Knicks would redefine the meaning of a dynasty.

After Lynch took a sip of water, Philip Sanders squatted down in front of him: "All done, Lynch."

Lynch glanced at the scoreboard: "It's done. We're up by 11 points. They shouldn't be able to come back."

"No, I'm not talking about the game. I'm talking about the trade, the Tyson Chandler trade, it's just been finalized, just waiting for the league's official announcement."

After saying that, he immediately took out his phone and handed the screen to Lin Qi.

The screen prominently displayed Woj's latest revelation:
Breaking News: Sources confirm that the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers have reached a trade agreement!

Lynch's eyes were fixed on the key bargaining chip in the leaked text—"in exchange for the Clippers' first-round draft pick in 2011."

He took a deep breath, his chest heaving.

“I’m not one to rely on luck,” Lynch said, “but this time, I really hope we’ll have good luck.”

In the final minute of the game, the New Orleans Hornets did not give up and continued to attack the defending champions with their stinger.

Trevor Ariza struck first, sinking a decisive three-pointer that ignited the last glimmer of hope.

Immediately afterwards, Italian striker Marco Belinelli completed his calibration and unleashed a sudden long-range shot from the top of the arc. The basketball slammed into the basket with the precision of a cannonball, narrowing the gap to just 5 points!
But time, the cruel judge, did not favor them, and the 5-point difference remained until the end.

The New York Knicks won another game, continuing to lead the Eastern Conference.

After the match, reporters swarmed towards Lynch, but their focus had already shifted from the match itself to another explosive news story.

With Tyson Chandler's trade in mind, this game suddenly became as irrelevant as the plot of an art film.

"Lynch, are you aware of Tyson's deal?"

"Yes, I just received the news myself."

"What do you think of this trade? Do you think the team has a place for Baron Davis? He has three years left on his contract, totaling $4200 million. Do you think this will be a huge challenge for the team's salary cap?"

"We'll discuss these things later."

"What about the Clippers' first-round draft pick in 2011? What pick do you think you'll get?"

Lin Qi curled his lips into a smile and glanced in the direction of the luxurious private room:
"Perhaps he'll be the top scholar?"
-
The trade between the Knicks and the Clippers is undoubtedly the most significant seismic move at the start of the new season.

While the Clippers' draft pick may not be the number one pick, it's highly unlikely to fall out of the lottery.

As a championship contender, this trade, which resolved internal conflicts while holding a lottery draft pick, has garnered praise from many media outlets.

However, the media also keenly noticed the other side of the coin: the New York Knicks' immediate competitiveness is quietly declining.

They just lost their championship-winning starting center from the past few years, and even though DeAndre Jordan has shown reliable growth, the depth of this wound is not something that can be easily healed.

Indeed, in the last game, when Amir Johnson played center during the rotation, the Knicks' defensive efficiency plummeted.

Amir Johnson is a hard-working defender, but his talent is limited and he is better suited to the power forward position.

Besides, asking the fighters to play basketball is indeed asking too much of them.

Clearly, the deal for Tyson Chandler is not yet finalized.

The Knicks' interior defense is far from over until Sam Presti finds a suitable backup defender for Madison Square Garden.

Just as one wave subsided, another arose. Following the Tyson Chandler trade saga, the New York Knicks were plagued by injuries.

During the game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Steve Nash's knee collided with Wesley Matthews.

The veteran's spirit supported "Son of the Wind" as he limped along, gritting his teeth to receive the ball and struggle to advance into the attacking third.

Unfortunately, he couldn't continue after the ball went out of play and was replaced by Flip Saunders, never to return.

Post-game examination revealed that Steve Nash's injury was more serious than initially thought, a non-displaced fracture of his left leg, and he is expected to be out for seven weeks, missing approximately 24 games.

This kind of injury, which cannot be prevented in advance, is a heavy blow to the defending champion. Lynch was clearly in low spirits when he was interviewed in the locker room after the game.

Another attempt at a three-peat, another injury strikes.

Everything seemed to be the same as when he first tried to win a three-peat.

Fortunately, during Steve Nash's absence, Goran Dragic perfectly took over the mantle and performed exceptionally well at the point guard position.

But the problem remains: Goran Dragic can't play the full 48 minutes.

When he leaves the court, the team can't even find a decent point guard.

Ultimately, Flip Saunders had to temporarily use Lynch as playmaker when Goran Dragic was off the court.

The tasks on Lynch's shoulders are still being added.

However, problems arose. When Ray Allen and DeMar DeRozan played together in the backcourt, their chemistry was worse than the Arctic temperature!

They barely communicated on the court, made any defensive switches, or coordinated any runs.

The two did not communicate at all in private.

Lynch simply couldn't believe what the locker room would be like if the team used the Clippers' 11 draft pick to select Kawhi Leonard.

New York's hard-hitting basketball turns into silent basketball!
The three of them combined couldn't utter more than two sentences in an entire season!
Stephen A. Smith joked on the show: "After a season, when DeMar and Ray meet in the player tunnel, they'll probably think: Damn, this guy looks so familiar. What's his name again?"

In November, the team's performance became inconsistent.

On November 27, after the Knicks lost to the Atlanta Hawks at home, their record became 12 wins and 5 losses.

The statistics are still impressive, but they are no longer as overwhelming.

The burden on the team's shoulders has not lessened in the slightest, and Lynch now faces another urgent task.

After the game against the Hawks, Lynch saw Billy Hunter, Derek Fisher, and Dwyane Wade in the player tunnel—the Flash would also be representing the players in the negotiations this time.

Lin Qi looked at the three giants of the dream team and sighed.

Billy Hunter, as the second-in-command of the players' union, lacked sufficient prestige.

Dwyane Wade is a heavyweight; if an owner criticizes him, he probably won't know how to respond until he's retired. Only Derek Fisher is somewhat useful; if any owner dares to raise their voice, he'll sneak into the owner's wife's bed in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, Lin Qi hadn't been counting on them and was prepared: "You've taken care of the data experts and the Alliance Mediation Bureau I mentioned last time, right?"

Derek Fisher snapped his fingers: "All set. They'll be in New York tomorrow to meet us."

Lynch nodded. With these preparations, plus the support James Dolan had previously expressed (James Dolan never cared about spending money), Lynch felt even more confident.

But his expression remained serious.

The Flash, who had always had a good personal relationship with Lynch, punched Lynch in the chest: "Hey, don't be upset, buddy. I'm only one win ahead of you. You still have a chance."

“Ha-ha-ha-” Lynch forced out a few dry, fake laughs. “Whatever makes you happy. As a friend, I’ll allow you to see the best scenery in the East for now.”

“Alright, gentlemen,” Billy Hunter, who had been watching silently, interrupted the brief exchange. He lowered his hands, his expression serious, and his voice a few decibels. “Put your on-court grudges aside for now.”

"After so much preparation, the next step is—"

Let's challenge Michael Jordan together!
-
645 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York.

NBA headquarters, conference room.

The heavy wooden table is flanked by distinct walls.

Michael Jordan, the leader of the hardline capitalists, leaned back lazily in his chair, cigar smoke swirling around his fingertips.

He arrogantly raised his chin, and his eyes, which had once looked down on the alliance, were now fixed on the figure opposite him, who was known as the strongest in the world and claimed to surpass him, with an emperor-like scrutinizing gaze.

Lin Qi looked him straight in the eye without flinching or showing any fear.

MJ took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaling a greyish-white smoke ring like a defiant horn, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips.

"Lynch, I heard your team hasn't been doing well lately. You know, a three-peat is never easy. A three-peat based on media hype is not the same as a real three-peat."

Lynch wasn't provoked. He leaned forward and said, "The record has indeed slipped, but it's more than enough to keep your biggest star (Melo) in check. Dwyane, is Melo third in the East now?"

"Looks like we're fourth now," Flash immediately chimed in.

Michael Jordan didn't like the offense, and he frowned: "But you can't deny that AJ sales are still strong. Speaking of which, Dwyane, I heard Converse has completely withdrawn from the basketball market? It's a shame you couldn't save them."

“Just a heads up, Michael,” Lynch said, coming to the Flash’s rescue, “AJ and Nike are no longer the best-selling sneaker brands.”

“It’ll be like this again soon,” MJ said with a hint of disdain. “After all, nobody thinks someone who can’t build a three-peat dynasty is a true ruler. Once this Reebok-orchestrated myth finally collapses, we’ll know who’s really in charge.”

"Yes, if I were a guy who couldn't play anymore and was leading a terrible team, I would also be afraid of my precarious position."

"Lin Qi! You—"

Everyone present could feel the temperature in the conference room rising, as if the explosives could be detonated at any moment.

At that moment, the sound of a door being pushed open temporarily broke the tense atmosphere.

David Stern stepped onto the battlefield with a professional smile, routinely shaking hands with everyone before finally stopping in front of Lynch. As their palms touched, his tone was deliberately warm: "The League is very pleased that you could take the time to come."

The NBA commissioner took the lead, posing as a mediator and urging both sides to seek constructive solutions rather than engaging in endless arguments.

However, this effort is more like mentioning the number of championships in front of LeBron James—it carries no weight whatsoever.

The floodgates of negotiation had barely been opened when Michael Jordan's tough stance poured out like a burst dam:

"I don't know what else is there to talk about. We made it clear enough during the last negotiation. Hard salary cap and 47% cut, it's that simple. If you don't agree, there will be no progress in the negotiations."

MJ's toughness once left Billy Hunter and Derek Fisher helpless.

In the past, when they stood up to argue, no one would even bother to give them a second glance.

This time, however, it was Lin Qi who spoke.

Faced with MJ's arrogance, he remained calm and composed: "Why should players accept a 10% pay cut? I need a reason."

"With the league losing $3 million annually, and 22 out of 30 teams barely surviving last season, players are taking too much of the profits, as are big-market teams like the New York Knicks. But you have to understand, not every team is sitting on a mountain of gold in Manhattan!"
If the players don't take a pay cut, we can't continue running the team.

Without a hard salary cap, teams from smaller towns will remain stuck in the mire and never be able to turn things around!

"You think I didn't want to re-sign Gerald Wallace? But I couldn't keep him, just because my team is in Charlotte!"

Michael Jordan spoke while slamming his fingers on the table.

Faced with MJ's overwhelming barrage of spittle, Lin Qi simply brushed off the ash from his cigar.

He didn't even bother to utter a single syllable, his gaze merely sweeping lightly to his side, glancing at George Cohen, the pre-arranged director of the Federal Mediation and Mediation Services Bureau.

Sitting to his side and slightly behind, George Cohen understood immediately, straightened his back, and spoke with unwavering conviction:

Regarding the alleged losses, the players' union is preparing to file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Committee, accusing the league of malicious negotiation. This is because the league has never provided any crucial financial evidence to support this claim.

The so-called losses of 22 teams and the 3 million shortfall are merely astronomical figures unilaterally announced by your side. Gentlemen, the cornerstone of negotiation is honesty and transparency, not a one-way transmission of information through 'I speak, you listen.'"

MJ's brown eyes practically spit fire:

"You want evidence? Fine! Then let me ask you, aren't New York and Los Angeles the only two teams to win the championship in recent years? Are only these big clubs willing to spend money like water? The competitive balance of the league has long been smashed to pieces by these money monsters!"

Lin Qi remained silent. He didn't even bother to turn his head, and his fingertips tapped the back of the chair almost imperceptibly.

Andrew Zimbarrist, an economist at Smith College wearing thick-rimmed glasses, stood up and respectfully presented each person with a sheet of data.

He adjusted his glasses, his voice clear yet detached, like someone reading court testimony:
"Based on my research and that of my team, at least in the NBA, there is almost no statistical correlation between salary and winning percentage."

In the past decade, among the core factors influencing the outcome of the competition, the efficiency of the draft process accounted for 34%, while the salary level accounted for only a paltry 7%.

I can give some examples. Small-market teams in the South, like the San Antonio Spurs, have won multiple championships, and their salaries weren't high during their championship seasons.

The Detroit Pistons, whose salaries exploded last season, did not win the championship. Of course, the Cleveland Cavaliers were also among the highest-paid teams, but they never even made it to the conference finals.

Teams in big markets are indeed more willing to spend money, but that's not the reason why teams in small markets can't succeed.

At the negotiating table, Daniel Gilbert's lips twitched; it was as if his sore spot had been reopened.

Lin Qi smiled as he looked at the investors who were stammering and unable to immediately refute him.

From a regulatory standpoint, the practice of investors not providing key data is illogical, thus discrediting the "loss theory."

The data shows that winning games has little to do with financial investment, which refutes the "market-driven" argument.

This means that the employers' demands for salary reductions and a hard wage cap are completely untenable.

The King of New York watched his bosses, who were starting to get flustered, but still didn't say anything.

He simply leaned back slightly, letting the rich aroma of the cigar waft between his fingers.

The smile that slowly bloomed on that handsome face was like a crack in an ice lake that was silently widening in the dead of winter, beneath which surged a chilling aura of all-seeing insight and absolute certainty of victory.

Michael Jordan, unable to tolerate Lynch's victorious attitude, continued to retort:
"Stop your damn data analysis, Lynch. You yourself are a beneficiary. Year after year, the New York Knicks burn through the league's largest checkbook to build you a championship-contending roster. Recently, James Dolan swallowed Baron Davis's rotten contract—a whopping $4200 million—without batting an eye for a mere lottery pick!"
For him, it was equivalent to spending $4200 million to buy a lottery draft pick.

Is this fair? Just because they have money, the Knicks can contend for the championship while…

"boom!--"

The King of New York broke his silence, slamming his fist on the table and roughly interrupting Michael Jordan, his finger almost poking his face: "Enough!"

"How dare you mention draft picks? Haven't the Charlotte Bobcats already acquired enough high draft picks?"

From 2004 to the present, the Charlotte Bobcats have had a lottery pick every year, and even twice as a top-three pick.

And the result? Why is Charlotte the Lynx still wallowing in the mud? Because of your incompetence!

Look at the players you picked, look at the stupid decisions you made on draft night that made the whole league laugh.

This is the key reason why the Charlotte Bobcats failed to achieve success!
Stop using those bullshit excuses like 'small market' and 'insufficient capital' as a fig leaf for your incompetence, Michael. If your team management is so bad that it can't even make a profit—”

Lynch's gaze was like a judge's blade, piercing straight into MJ's chest: "Then the best thing you should do is immediately sell this team to an owner who is more level-headed than you!"

The entire arena fell silent. Michael Jordan's cigar hung frozen in mid-air, the ash breaking off quietly.

His once domineering eyes were now filled with shock and a hint of awkward emptiness, as if all his glory had been stripped away in an instant.

All eyes—the astonishment of the employers, the shock of the workers, and even the incredulous gaping mouth of federal mediator George Cohen—were fixed on Michael Jordan's face, which was losing its color for the first time at the negotiating table.

No one could have imagined this scene: the greatest player in history, who had always dominated his opponents with his toughness in countless rounds of verbal battles and never lost his composure, was now being nailed naked to the pillar of shame for his failure in management by Lin Qi's surgically precise and scathing remarks.

A single sentence, though silent, profoundly resonated in everyone's minds: Times have changed, and MJ is no longer the dominant force.

After speaking, Lynch regained his composure, sat back down on the bench, and steadily put the cigar into his mouth.

"Does anyone else have a rebuttal?"

(End of this chapter)