Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 94 When the Storm Finally Arrived

Xu Ling hung up the phone and remained silent for a long time.

At this moment, the Grizzlies' game against the Cavaliers is about to begin, but he still cannot play tonight and can only watch from the sidelines as James triumphs at FedExCare.

Roderick Craig noticed his change and asked, "Eli, whose call was that?"

“It was Mr. Logo on the phone,” Xu Ling said. “He told me the deal was done.”

transaction
Craig was about to ask what the deal was when he realized, "Rudy Guy is getting out of here?"

“And Paul, he’s leaving too,” Xu Ling said. “There might be others, a lot of people are leaving.”

Suddenly, Xu Ling remembered a parody animation he had seen in his previous life, an NBA version of "Game of Thrones." One episode told the story of the 18 Cavaliers, in which LeBron James manipulated trades in the dark and destroyed the Cavaliers team, which was no longer worthy of his leadership. That corresponded to the real-life story of the Cavaliers eliminating all players, including Isaiah Thomas, on the deadline day.

As you know, James turned Thanos into a monster in the subsequent playoffs, acting purely on instinct, much like in the famous "Actors Never Die" series.

Xu Ling never imagined that his minor injury would lead to such a dramatic change in the team.

But this is definitely a necessary change.

However, he had just become familiar with his teammates and had even exchanged Christmas gifts with Gasol not long ago. Now that they were all leaving, he felt a sense of loss.

Craig noticed Xu Ling's unusual behavior and knew how to help this guy resolve his inner conflict.

“Take it easy, Eli. Even though you have to say goodbye to Paul and the others, at least we’ve gotten rid of Rudy the fucking Joker Guy, which is absolutely a huge good thing!”

The effect of those words was immediate; Xu Ling felt much better instantly.

Moreover, it has a strong sense of history enthusiasts making jokes about Li Shimin. Well, Li Er might regret the final outcome between him and his elder brother, but the thought of taking down Li Yuanji in the process makes him happy.

That's how Xu Ling feels right now.

Afterwards, Xu Ling simply watched the game out of boredom, and instructed Craig to keep an eye on outside news.

At this moment, Xu Ling's gaze inevitably fell on James.

After all, the opponent is the most noteworthy player on this field.

At that time, after practicing shooting, James habitually took off his long-sleeved warm-up suit.

Henry, a ball boy at the Grizzlies' home arena, ran forward with a flushed face from excitement at being so close to the superstar, reverently extending his hands to catch him.

James's gaze followed a camera on the sidelines that was giving him a close-up shot. He saw the caddie, and his arm casually swung in an extremely lazy, even theatrical, manner—the warm-up uniform didn't slip off his hand, but rather drew a disdainful arc, precisely avoiding Henry's waiting little hands, and almost condescendingly floated to the smooth floor in front of him.

Henry's excitement froze instantly, replaced by a bewildered embarrassment.

He subconsciously looked up at James, his lips slightly parted, as if he wanted to say something.

But James had already turned away, his back to him, as if he had just completed an insignificant procedure. He didn't even glance out of the corner of his eye to check if the garment had been caught, as if he had casually brushed away a speck of dust.

Then, something even more disturbing happened.

James seemed to suddenly remember that he had extra clothes on him. While chatting and laughing with his passing teammates, he casually tossed his arm sleeve, then another training shirt, one after another in the same careless manner, in different directions beside him—he didn't even look back or specify a target, like a king randomly tossing coins.

Young caddie Henry, on the other hand, was like a puppet controlled by invisible threads, frantically bending down again and again to pick up the clothes stained with the star player's sweat from the floor.

The excitement was gone from Henry's face; only a numb, instinctive service remained.

Xu Ling witnessed this entire scene.

He believes that similar scenarios will play out on every NBA home game day.

Most athletes are extreme megalomaniacs—especially these high-achieving individuals who earn millions and are worth hundreds of millions. They may maintain a perfect image in public, but once they no longer need to pretend, their true nature is easily revealed: they don't really care about the feelings of the lower-level staff. Verbal politeness is the limit; the competition is the only thing they value.

If you were to examine a person through a moral magnifying glass, you could easily find countless "deserving of death" flaws.

Xu Ling was displeased, not only because of James's behavior just now, but also because that condescending attitude easily pried open a not-so-distant memory of his.

That was before the NBA draft, at the negotiation site with various sports brands. Many things happened during the negotiation with Nike. Xu Ling especially remembered that one person: Maverick Carter, LeBron's good friend. He represented Nike and James at the negotiating table, trying to use his dual status to persuade Xu to accept an endorsement contract far below market value.

Carter's attitude at the time, his suggestive remarks that implied, "LeBron considers you a friend, don't you want to be in the same company as your friends? Do you want to disappoint your friends?" thoroughly enraged Xu Ling. That matter-of-fact, undisguised arrogance and contempt still churns within him to this day.

At this moment, Xu Ling sat in the stands and noticed that James's expression was exactly the same as Carter's back then.

A sense of physical aversion spread through Xu Ling's mind.

The game started quickly. Without Xu Ling, the Grizzlies were like a war machine without its engine. Despite Pau Gasol's efforts and Rudy Gay's extra effort in an attempt to escape their predicament, their resistance seemed futile against the Cavaliers, who were superior in overall strength and discipline.

James showed no mercy despite the opponent's key player being absent. He completely controlled the game, scoring, rebounding, and assisting with ease, like an emperor surveying his territory.

The point difference gradually widened. During the process, after successfully defending Gay's one-on-one play, James even shrugged at the former Grizzlies star, seemingly muttering something with a hint of mockery in his expression. Although it was too far to hear clearly, it was undoubtedly rubbing salt into the wound.

As expected, Gay immediately lost his composure, repeatedly dribbling and attacking one-on-one but inefficiently, failing to create an effective offensive. Instead, the opponent seized the opportunity to launch a major counterattack, and the point difference continued to widen.

Ultimately, the game became a blowout in the fourth quarter. When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard showed 89-108, with the Cavaliers securing a resounding victory on the road. LeBron James finished with a near triple-double of 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists, showcasing both efficiency and all-around play.

After the game, James was once again surrounded by the media.

The sweat on his clothes hadn't completely dried, but James had already composed himself, his tone full of humility and respect for his opponents: "Like I said, the Grizzlies are a very tenacious team, they fought to the very end. Paul played exceptionally well. They played very tenaciously tonight without their star player, but I know it's still a tough night for them. I hope Eli comes back soon."

At that time, Xu Ling had already left the scene, so he didn't know what James said after the game, nor would he care.

But the next day, a reporter from the Memphis Commercial Daily angrily revealed in a report how James disrespected the caddies at FedExCare.

Although the news spread quickly, it was still early 2008, and it was impossible for negative news about players to spread around the world in a short period of time like in the social media era.

Moreover, due to the lack of follow-up from major media outlets, this news, apart from arousing indignation among fans in the Memphis area, disappeared without a trace in the fan community.

This is the Grizzlies' standing in the hearts of other fans.

Without Xu Ling, no fans from other places would care about their situation.

Xu Ling naturally knew that there would be no follow-up to this matter. In the end, what is a trivial matter like disrespecting the away ball boy on a winning night compared to other bad deeds of NBA players that make headlines?

However, he still casually retweeted the Memphis Business Journal article on Twitter, along with a quote from John Wooden, the GOAT college basketball coach: "A person's character is revealed in what they do when no one is watching."

After posting this tweet, Xu Ling happily began her training for the day.

He will participate in the team's full training session today, and if all goes well, he will return to play in the next game.

However, Xu Ling clearly underestimated the influence of his Twitter account.

As one of the most followed Twitter accounts, Xu Ling's tweets are retweeted by celebrities, industry insiders, and fans. Thus, he inadvertently plays the role of a "major media outlet," turning what was originally a trivial matter into a hot topic in the NBA.

To third parties, this seems like something that was bound to happen.

Xu Ling was quiet for ten days due to a sprained ankle, and the Grizzlies also kept a low profile for ten days. But just as he was about to return, he finally couldn't help but cause trouble again.

The angry LeBron fans played the "putting aside the facts" card, and then played the trump card that Xu Ling and his fans could hardly refute: "We are all the same."

LeBron fans pointed out that Xu's most notorious act is his blatant disregard for the fans in the arena. When has he ever responded to the fans' cheers? When has he ever given them a kind look? When has he ever cherished their support? How can someone who is stingy with even basic respect have the right to stand on moral high ground and criticize LeBron's character?
The top-voted comment under Xu Ling's tweet reads: "Said by a bastard who never knows how to respect fans."

The gust of wind quickly reached James's ear.

Upon learning of this, James first showed just the right amount of surprise, then revealed a hint of disbelief, calmly responding into the microphone: "I don't usually pay much attention to the online gossip; it's not my focus. You know, Eli Xu is my little brother; we were friends long before he entered the NBA. I will never let outside rumors affect our friendship."

However, before the controversy surrounding LeBron James' character had subsided, a shocking piece of news broke by reporter Marc Stein: "The Lakers, Grizzlies, Mavericks, and Nets are finalizing a four-team trade, and Kobe Bryant is about to leave Los Angeles, where he has played for eleven years!"

So, at the end of January, this long-brewing storm finally reached its center.

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The Los Angeles Times

[Exclusive] Epic four-way trade completed, marking the end of the Kobe era.

—The Lakers traded Kobe Bryant in exchange for a host of young players and future draft picks; Dallas finally acquired a superstar.

Reporter: Mark Medina | Published on February 1, 2008

In an epic four-team trade that could reshape the NBA Western Conference and end an era, the Los Angeles Lakers officially sent their cornerstone and superstar Kobe Bryant to the Dallas Mavericks before yesterday's trade deadline. This complex trade involving more than ten players from four teams not only marks the end of a glorious era for the Lakers but also signifies that the team will enter a full-scale rebuilding phase around a group of young assets and an unprecedented reserve of draft picks.

According to the official announcement, the core framework of the transaction is as follows:
The Dallas Mavericks acquired: Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Bosco Nachbar.

The Los Angeles Lakers acquired: Devin Harris, Pau Gasol, Juan Navarro, Mike Miller, and three unprotected first-round draft picks (Dallas 2008, 2010, 2012).

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired the signing rights to Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Trevor Ariza, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Marc Gasol.

The New Jersey Nets received: Rudy Gay, Diop, Terton Hassell, Mo Agger, Keith Van Horn, and two future first-round draft picks (the Grizzlies swapped their 2009 and 2011 first-round draft picks).

For the Lakers, the core of this trade isn't immediate impact, but rather absolute control over the future. They acquired three unprotected first-round picks from Dallas, undoubtedly the most valuable asset in the deal.

General Manager Mitch Kupchak stated solemnly at the press conference: "This was an extremely difficult decision, based on a sober assessment of the team's long-term interests. We thank Kobe for everything he has done for Los Angeles and the Lakers over the past twelve years, bringing three championships and his legendary status is undisputed. But now, it's time to move forward."

Meanwhile, in Dallas, Mark Cuban's gamble shocked the entire league. He traded away the core of the team's past few years—Harris, Howard—along with all available future draft picks, just to acquire the superstar scorer who had been demanding a departure from Los Angeles for the past few months.

Cuban successfully found an All-NBA-caliber partner for Dirk Nowitzki, making the Dallas Mavericks a strong contender for the Western Conference and even the NBA championship.

“We know how much it will cost, but we believe that Kobe’s desire to win and Dirk’s talent are a perfect match,” Cuban said excitedly in a statement. “We have only one goal, of course, the Larry O’Brien Trophy.”

This trade marks the official end of the "Kobe Bryant Lakers era".

An era has ended. In Los Angeles, an era filled with uncertainty yet also brimming with new hope is quietly unfolding with the arrival of numerous draft picks and young players.

(End of this chapter)