Champion Rules

Chapter 314, Section 310: I'll Avoid Its Edge!? (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
With the NBA draft over, the New York Knicks have reaped a great harvest.

On the night he was drafted by the Knicks, Kyrie Irving signed a $5000 million endorsement deal with Reebok.

This is just one of his many endorsements.

Jimmy Butler instantly went from an unknown to a household name across America, and his tumultuous life story was widely reported. He immediately used the endorsement fees he received to buy a large villa for the family that adopted him.

Even Chandler Parsons, a second-round pick who hasn't played a single official NBA game, has secured an endorsement contract with the Chinese sportswear brand Anta.

Being in the big market of New York and having the aura of being "Lynch's teammate" is enough to make any rookie financially well-off.

This is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, this solved the livelihood problem for rookie players.

On the other hand, acquiring huge wealth too early may also diminish the motivation of some players.

Lynch was particularly wary of this, especially of Chandler Parsons.

He understood that this rich and handsome guy's goal was extremely pure—playing basketball was just to make money and quickly meet young models.

In the original story, after retiring, Chandler Parsons frankly told reporters:

"If I had to choose between dollars and a championship ring, I would choose dollars without hesitation."

Therefore, he doesn't care how people criticize him as a fraudster or how they say he has no competitive spirit.

One cannot give up money for the sake of dignity!
Chandler Parsons is a player who is unstoppable in the offseason, with no ball in his hands and no one on the court. He is the strongest "three-no" product in the 21st-century NBA and a pioneer of anti-capitalist thought. He is Ben Simmons' lifelong idol.

You can't really blame Chandler Parsons. Lynch spent the whole summer trying to get quick results with different young models, so he also had back pain.

There is no right or wrong in this value system itself; everyone's pursuits are different.

But this attitude does indeed divide players into different categories.

Before the start of the new season's training camp, Lynch will test the condition of this year's rookies, and he has already invited them to his training camp this year.

He will see the changes in these people then.

The draft is over, but Sam Presti's work continues.

It could even be said that the most difficult part has only just begun.

Thanks to Lynch's contribution, everything proceeded smoothly during the 2011 offseason in this historical timeline.

There was no lockout, nor the farce of overseas leagues frantically vying for NBA stars.

The NBA free agency market officially opened smoothly on July 1st.

The Knicks acted swiftly, exercising DeAndre Jordan's final year rookie contract (in this book, Jordan is a first-round pick with a four-year contract).

At the same time, it was announced that the contract would be renewed ahead of schedule for four years and $43 million!

This completely dashed any hopes of other teams acquiring DeAndre Jordan.

Although he was dropped from the starting lineup during crucial stages of last season's Finals, his defensive value remains unquestionable.

Furthermore, Sam Presti didn't want Lynch to play center throughout the long regular season.

There is a huge difference between the secondary rim protector and the primary rim protector; the latter receives more impact and has to endure more frequent and intense physical contact.

Sam Presti must not risk injuring Lynch due to playing the center position for too long.

Lynch can occasionally fill in at center, but that should never be the norm.

The ripple effect of DeAndre Jordan's early contract extension was that Wilson Chandler instantly became a top free agent.

Multiple teams are interested in this championship-caliber starting wing player.

They generally believe that after the Knicks offered DeAndre Jordan a big contract, James Dolan, the shrewd businessman owner, no matter how generous he is with money, will inevitably have to weigh the return on investment and will not spend too much money on Wilson Chandler.

Thus, the battle for control immediately began.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban posted a photo on social media of himself boarding a private jet, captioned: "Destination: New York. I'll be bringing Dirk a championship-caliber teammate back."

He will personally visit Wilson Chandler in his private jet to recruit him!
What's the best way to seduce a married woman?
It's not about flirting with her on the phone, it's about making her feel good in person!
The same principle applies to hooking up with a player.

Mark Kuban decided to show Wilson Chandler the power of capital in person.

This summer, the Mavericks, with plenty of salary cap space, are eager to sign a star player to support Dirk Nowitzki.

Their primary target was Dwight Howard, but negotiations were not going smoothly.

After that, Mark Cuban set his sights on Wilson Chandler, having already expressed his admiration for the formidable wing player during the Finals.

A team owner uses his private jet to personally recruit a player and is willing to offer him a lucrative contract.

This sincere offensive is truly irresistible.

It is reported that the Mavericks are willing to offer Wilson Chandler a four-year, $40 million contract.

This is no small sum; it's significantly higher than Wilson Chandler's historical value, fully demonstrating the substantial increase a player's worth can have from a championship title.

This price also means that if the Knicks choose to match the offer, they will face enormous salary pressure.

Meanwhile, Goran Dragic has also been linked with other teams.

Before the draft, the Slovenian guard had no intention of leaving New York.

But when the team didn't hesitate to use the number one pick to select Kyrie Irving, he knew that he couldn't take over Steve Nash's starting role with the Knicks.

With his mentor and spiritual icon Steve Nash announcing his retirement, Goran Dragic's desire to join another team has suddenly reached its peak.

Coincidentally, Steve Nash's former team, the Phoenix Suns, expressed strong interest in him.

Suns general manager Lance Blanks told him, "We all think you're the next Steve, the one who will make Phoenix great again."

This is unbeatable; even the world's best painter couldn't create a pie like this.

This promise struck a chord with Goran Dragic, who dreamed of following in Steve Nash's footsteps.

If this ambition cannot be realized in New York, then what about Phoenix?
With contract renewal negotiations looming, Sam Presti cannot afford to let these two key rotation players leave easily.

He has been actively in contact with both of them and has asked owner James Dolan how much he is willing to spend on the contract extension.

The super luxury tax rule is no joke; it could double the cost of running a team.

During this time, Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest were the first to leave.

Both players joined the Indiana Pacers on minimum salary contracts, having already made up for their regrets and fulfilled their dreams, and are eager to ignite the last flame for that basketball city.

Sam Presti's departure was expected, as he had no intention of renewing the contracts of the two veterans.

Their physical condition is deteriorating, and their performance will only decline further next season.

They occupy a spot on the roster but are unable to contribute much in the new season.

Of course, the team still thanked the two players for their contributions on their official social media accounts.

Lynch also treated them to a farewell meal at his own restaurant.

This was originally just an ordinary dinner party, but Ron Artest, the NBA's top crab-catching expert and Lynch's loyal henchman, revealed some information:
"Larry told us on the phone that we're not here to retire. The Indiana Pacers might make some big moves this summer because Larry believes the team has accumulated enough talent and it's time for them to make a name for themselves."

Lynch didn't seem to care: "So, we might meet in the playoffs next season?" Before he finished speaking, Ron Artest's drunkenness seemed to vanish instantly:

"Damn it, if that really happens, I'll 'accidentally' break my ribs in the bathtub the night before the game so I won't have to play."

Although it was a joke, Lynch knew that Ron Artest was telling the truth.

The Pacers have indeed accumulated enough talent, especially since they did not choose to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Spurs.

Daniel Granger has recently been put on the trading block; this is the Daniel Granger who was never tripped by LeBron James.

This suggests that Larry Bird's team-building strategy may have changed due to the Knicks and Lynch.

After the meal, there was also new news about the Knicks' own contract extensions.

According to Woj, the Dallas Mavericks are close to officially signing Wilson Chandler, and the Knicks may lose an important wing player.

Mark Cuban felt incredibly pleased as he read the breaking news.

He has just reached a verbal agreement with Wilson Chandler.

He didn't know where Woj got his information, but his revelation was indeed true.

With Devin Harris already an All-Star, a young and strong wing player would bring the Mavericks even greater strength. Therefore, he's willing to offer Wilson Chandler $4000 million.

This is a price that James Dolan absolutely cannot match.

Mark Cuban has never liked James Dolan. He finds it incomprehensible that the man would side with the workers in labor negotiations. Although he didn't explicitly take sides, James Dolan's indifferent and passive attitude during the negotiations still annoyed Mark Cuban.

James Dolan's attitude has always been: I'm rich, my team is rich, I'm very wealthy, so I don't care whether the players get more or less.

Mark Cuban feels a great sense of accomplishment now that he has been able to personally steal James Dolan's player away.

Didn't you say you didn't care about money? Didn't you say you didn't care about operating costs?

Now, we still have to give up a player who is crucial to the team because of 4000 million and the super luxury tax!
You are pretending to be your mother!
Mark Cuban couldn't wait to take to social media to mock him: "LeBron should pardon Lynch so he can successfully avoid taxes. Don't be stingy, LeBron, let's see your skills."

For half an hour after posting the update, Mark Cuban spent the time watching LeBron James's outrageous plays to kill time. In his opinion, the comedic effect of this show was comparable only to "Tom and Jerry".

The laughter hadn't faded when the phone vibrated, shattering the silence. The caller ID showed it was Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson.

On the phone, Donnie's voice was tense: "Mark, have you seen the news?!"

"No, what happened? LeBron James ran away again? Is that news?"

"No! Not LeBron! It's Wilson, he's re-signed with the Knicks!"

Mark Cuban's amusement at LeBron James's outrageous plays suddenly vanished; his smile froze on his face, and he could hardly believe his ears.

Has Wilson Chandler gone mad?!
He just promised himself he would sign with the Mavericks!
"What happened?!" Marcus Cuban's hoarse shout almost shattered the receiver. "Why is Wilson suddenly willing to re-sign with the Knicks for a lower price than we are? There's definitely something wrong. We're going to file a complaint against the Knicks for illegal recruitment. There's definitely something fishy going on here!"

“No, Mark,” Donnie Nelson’s voice was filled with helplessness. “Wilson didn’t take a pay cut, and the Knicks re-signed him for the same price as us. After giving DeAndre a $43 million extension, they re-signed Wilson for four years and $40 million. My God, James Dolan is insane, he’s practically playing with money!”

boom--!
It felt as if an invisible hammer had struck Mark Cuban's heart.

He simply couldn't believe the Knicks' decision: a $4000 million contract extension for Wilson Chandler. Next season, the Knicks' salary cap can't be described as explosive; it's been blown to smithereens!

This means that the Knicks will have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in luxury tax over the next few years!

Mark Cuban pulled out his phone to call and question Wilson Chandler, but instead saw a post from the Knicks' official social media account.

That short, powerful line of text was like a resounding slap across his burning face:

"Have you seen our true strength now?"
-
Fifteen minutes earlier, Sam Presti told Lynch:

"After careful consideration, James Dolan has decided to renew his contract based on your advice."

Of course, his original words were not so refined:

"To hell with the super luxury tax. There's always a price to pay to realize the Manhattan Project, and money is the least significant price."

If Wilson wants 4000 million, then give him 4000 million! If Golan wants 4000 million, then give him 4000 million too! Luxury tax? Consider it a small token of my appreciation for those poor little teams!
Listen, for any player Lynch wants, don't worry about the price; that's not your concern!
I'm not a stupid miser like Jerry Reinsdorf (Bulls owner), I won't let a great dynasty end like this!

They think that if I renewed DeAndre's contract, I definitely won't renew anyone else's? Ha, what a pathetic mentality.

I don't make choices, I want them all!

Tax avoidance? I'll avoid it!

LeBron James is awesome!

Who says there aren't superheroes in real-life New York?

Isn't the sheer financial power that caused WoJ to fail obvious enough?
Lynch promised to give James Dolan more screen time in the documentary by Spike Lee to improve his image.

James Dolan continues to spend money recklessly, to the point of being irrational.

The difference is that after Sam Presti took over the management of the Knicks, the money was finally spent wisely.

And so, the contract renewal took place.

Wilson Chandler's decision to first agree to a contract with the Mavericks and then quickly re-sign with the Knicks earned him a new nickname – "Chandler the Trustworthy".

This contract extension surprised the entire league.

But James Dolan's attitude did not solve all the problems.

There has been no progress on Goran Dragic's contract extension.

Wilson Chandler and Goran Dragic are in completely different situations.

The former did not have a strong desire to leave the Knicks; everything depended on whether the contract was suitable.

Goran Dragic has clearly been brainwashed by the promise of "successor to Steve in Phoenix".

The trick of "Someone, feed the young master some cakes" has never failed in any era.

One team promises him a core role, while another only allows him to be a substitute. This is not a problem that can be solved by the amount of the contract.

Even if the Knicks force him to stay, his dissatisfaction with his role on the team will cause cracks in the locker room.

Therefore, Lynch decided to let Goran Dragic go where he wanted to go.

Of course, it can't be a free ride; Sam Presti needs to guarantee that he can get some assets back for the Knicks through a sign-and-trade deal.

As for a backup point guard?

Lynch already has someone in mind.

It's time for Lynch to play some brotherhood basketball.
-
You know, I'm a very trustworthy player. I never said I was going to leave New York. I love it here, and I want to win more championships here. — Wilson Chandler on contract renewal saga.

Congratulations to Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal on officially achieving the highest honor on social media: One Man, One City (Cheating Version). — Kenny Smith joked on social media about their decision to return to the Pacers.

Goran Dragic is close to signing with the Phoenix Suns, and this time it's for sure! —Woj emphasized in his exasperated report.

The New York Knicks traded Jordan Crawford and a 12 second-round draft pick to the Orlando Magic in exchange for the Magic's 12 first-round draft pick. After the trade, the Knicks will have two first-round picks and one second-round pick in 12. —ESPN Trade Brief

Watch out, we might see the Knicks with a bunch of draft picks again next year. Please, stop making trades with the Knicks! — Charles Barkley on the Jordan Crawford trade.

(End of this chapter)