Legendary star

Chapter 492

"Thank you everyone for coming to my press conference, thank you! Thank you everyone!"

"Today is the most important day in my life. Perhaps this is a very difficult decision for everyone who loves basketball."

"Although I have experienced a remarkable 18 years, good things always have an end, and there is no banquet in the world that never ends!"

"I may look like a politician who is about to retire today, but I don't want to be like this. I don't want you to feel like I'm listening to a governor's speech. All I can say now is thank you. First of all, I want to thank my mother. In this world, the second is my wife and children, thank you for always being with me and supporting me."

"I would also like to thank Larry, Frank and David, who brought me from Louisiana to Salt Lake City, and gave me a stage where I could show my talents. If it weren't for them, I would never know Karl Malone. Can be so good!"

"I also want to thank you, Mr. Sloane, thank you, thank you for making me a man from a boy."

"Of course, there are also those teammates who fought side by side with me, especially Mark Eaton. When I first entered the league and played for the first time, it was Mark who constantly encouraged and comforted me."

"And all the Jazz fans, thank you for your support and patience over the years. It is your encouragement that allows me to continue to improve, and finally I have Karl Malone!"

"17 years, I stayed in Salt Lake City for 17 years. Although I left last season, I will always be a Jazz man. If I am lucky enough to enter the Hall of Fame, then I will be a proud Jazz man. Old man, I will wear the No. 32 autumn jersey that I played in the first game. Although he is very worn out, this jersey will never lose its luster in my eyes."

On June 2003, 6, the second day after the draft, in the press conference hall of the Triangle Center Arena in Salt Lake City, Karl Malone, wearing a cowboy hat, held a professional conference accompanied by Sloan and others. In the last press conference of his career, at the press conference, Ma Long squeezed out a smile and thanked almost everyone, but as Ma Long’s voice fell, the atmosphere at the scene became awkward, because among the people Ma Long thanked That doesn't include John Stockton, who played 28 thoughts alongside Malone.Therefore, the reporters on the scene are also guessing that maybe Stockton was too unsympathetic to Malone last season, causing the pair who have fought side by side for 17 seasons to turn against each other, so that Malone is now reluctant to mention Johnson. Todunk.

"Now, on behalf of Karl Malone, I officially announce that I will retire from the basketball game. I don't know if I will leave basketball, but I can guarantee that I will not return to the game. Thank you for coming to this press conference. , this will be the last time, yes, there will never be a next time.” Malone, who could barely squeeze a smile just now, after officially announcing his decision to retire, the tough guy Malone finally couldn’t help it, tears flowed down The corners of his eyes dropped.

"I'm sorry, John, I was wrong!" Just as the reporters at the scene looked at the tearful Ma Long and sighed endlessly, Ma Long, who was sitting on the stage, suddenly stood up and took off his cowboy hat at the same time , bowed towards the audience, choked up and said what he hoped Stockton could forgive himself.

"Since I entered this league, me, John, Jerry, and many, many people who have played for the Jazz, we all have a common dream, which is to bring a championship trophy to Salt Lake City, but in the end we All failed. So I left here, left you, to pursue that illusory honor, but now I find that I was wrong, without you, I can’t lift it with you, even if there are many championships any sense."

"I'm sorry, John! I'm sorry, Jerry! I'm sorry, Larry! I'm sorry, Frank! I'm sorry, David! I hope you can forgive me." After several consecutive sorrys, Malone turned to the audience and to the side again. Jerry Sloan bowed.

"Carl..." Looking at the tearful Karl Malone, Jerry Sloan could no longer control his emotions, and the dissatisfaction with Malone in his heart disappeared at this moment.

"For the sake of your sincerity, I will barely forgive you!" At this moment, at the door of the press conference hall of the Triangle Center Arena in Salt Lake City, through the glass of the door, it is obvious that there is a familiar person standing outside the door. Looking at the crying Ma Long, the guy who was peeking at the door also wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

. . . . . .

On July 2003, 7, just after the NBA lifted the restrictions on free agent signings, each team announced one after another a series of blockbuster signings. The first was the Spurs. On the day the restrictions were lifted, the Spurs The official website of the Spurs announced the news of the contract extension of star Tim Duncan, 20 million in 7 years, and the Spurs used the largest contract in team history to keep Duncan.Then Kidd and the Nets also reached a contract extension, 1.22 million in 7 years. Although it is a little worse than Duncan's contract, but compared to the Suns who refused to give even a tens of millions of contracts, the Nets' contract is absolutely worthless. It can be called a conscience.

The two consecutive [-] million yuan contracts immediately detonated the entire league. Although Duncan and Kidd both deserved this contract, but on the first day after the free agent signing restrictions were lifted, two [-] million yuan contracts appeared. It is absolutely unprecedented.

"The defending champion is about to collapse!" Just one week after the NBA lifted the restrictions on free agent signings, the New York Times published such a headline in its basketball section!Since more than half of the Pacers' players became free agents after the end of this season, the Pacers, as the defending champions, have also become the target of many teams in the league. Since they cannot match the offers offered by the Knicks and the Bulls, The main point guard of the Pacers, Jamal Tinsley, joined the Knicks for $6 million in six years, Bobby Simmons joined the Bulls for $4800 million in three years, and then Lorenzen White joined the Bulls for $3 in six years. million dollars to join the Nets.If the departure of the above three people is not enough to hurt the Pacers, then when Richard Hamilton joined the Pistons for 1500 years and 6 million US dollars, and Jermaine O'Neal's contract extension has never been completed. Now, the Pacers, who just finished defending their title, are really facing a collapse.

Since the Pacers’ preferred contract extension is always Jermaine O’Neill, they are somewhat indifferent to Hamilton, and the Pacers’ offers for Jermaine O’Neal and Hamilton are not the same. Because O'Neal fired a 7-year 1.06 million contract extension, which was larger than Jason Kidd, while the contract for Hamilton was 5 million for 5500 years.As the Pacers' No. 6 scorer in the finals, Hamilton was obviously dissatisfied with the Pacers' contract renewal attitude and this contract. Therefore, after the Pistons offered Hamilton a six-year $8000 million contract, Hamilton His agent issued an ultimatum to the Pacers. If the Pacers did not come up with a better contract, then Hamilton would give up the contract renewal negotiations with the Pacers. In the end, when the Pacers raised the contract extension to 6 years After $7000 million, they received the news that Hamilton joined the Pistons.

As the Lakers who joined the Pacers in the finals for two consecutive seasons, the current situation is very similar to the Pacers. Malone retired, Payton announced that he would not renew his contract with the Lakers, and O'Neal jumped out of the contract. Therefore, as the two most beautiful teams in the past two seasons, the Lakers and Pacers are definitely the two most miserable teams this summer.

With Duncan and Kidd's contract dust settled, O'Neal has undoubtedly become the most concerned object in the free market, so now all the teams interested in O'Neal have gathered in Los Angeles, but the Lakers are very concerned about leaving O'Neal to rebuild the team , or leave Kobe to rebuild the team, is still in controversy, so the soap opera about O'Neal will continue, but what is certain is that no matter whether O'Neal leaves or stays in the end, his contract extension will become the focus of this summer. The third [-] million yuan contract is undoubtedly a certainty.

. . . . . .

"Meng, what suggestions do you have for the team's head coach selection, contract renewal this summer, and reinforcement work?" Kevin, the acting general manager of the Indianapolis Pacers Club's general manager office, - Pritchard, as well as the acting head coach Lester Connor, and Rick Fuson, who is temporarily exercising the duties of the president of basketball affairs, are discussing with Meng Xu how to solve the current predicament the team is facing. It's been a month, and the Pacers haven't completed a contract extension and reinforcements. If they are a little careless, the Pacers may really collapse like the New York Times said.And Meng Xu will return to China tomorrow, so the management of the Pacers also took advantage of the time before Meng Xu returned to China to ask for Meng Xu's opinion. After all, how the Pacers are changing is also based on Meng Xu. Tactical, so Meng Xu's suggestion is undoubtedly very important.

"Head coach? I don't have too many requirements for the head coach. You can just do what you think is suitable for our team." Meng Xu looked at Lester Conner while talking. Now everyone in the Pacers knows that Lester Conor Steconnell is just an excessive candidate. Don't say that others don't believe him, even he himself doesn't have the confidence to take charge of the Pacers now.

"Larry recommended Rick to us, what do you think?" After hearing Meng Xu's words, Rick Fuson threw out a candidate for the head coach, which was Rick Carlisle, who had just been fired by the Pistons. As Larry Bird's little brother, Rick Carlisle has been an assistant coach for Larry Bird for three years. When Larry Bird resigned last time, he recommended Rick Carlisle to replace him, but the Pacers In the end, Isaiah Thomas was chosen.And just when Isaiah Thomas brought the Pacers into the abyss, Rick Carlisle, who ran to take charge of the Pistons, quietly won the head coach of the year, and also made the Pistons, who were struggling on the edge of the playoffs, three consecutive years. This season led to the conference semifinals. Rick Carlisle's results are good enough for the Pistons who have missed the playoffs for many years, but the Pistons' management is still not satisfied with the current record. - After Brown resigned from the 76ers, the Pistons' management quietly contacted Larry Brown. After reaching a verbal agreement with Larry Brown, they directly fired Rick Carlisle. It can be said that the Pistons' management is also a group The master who refuses to accept his account when he lifts his pants.

"You chose Rick, are you taking revenge on the Pistons?" After hearing Rick Fussen's candidate, the first thing Meng Xu thought of was whether these guys were taking revenge on the Pistons. You poached Hamilton. We Just sign your previous head coach, just like Popovich is now crazy about Jermaine O'Neal, you disgust me, I will definitely come back disgusted.

"Meng, of course not. The selection of the head coach is related to the future of our team. There is no room for any jokes. You will know in the future that Rick is a very capable head coach." After hearing what Meng Xu said , Rick Fusen immediately vetoed it with righteous words, we are a group of very professional managers.

"Well, well, as for the team's contract extension, Jermaine must stay, and the second is the point guard position. We need to introduce a player to replace Jamal. As for the candidate? I think Payton And Andre Miller are good, but I don’t know if they are willing to come.” Meng Xu didn’t have much hatred for those players who left. After all, this is a business alliance, and everyone has to consider it. For my own benefit, it is obviously unrealistic to easily give up a salary of several million a year for the sake of the so-called friendship.

"It seems that we are on the same mind." After hearing Meng Xu's answer, Rick Fusen and Kevin Pritchard nodded in relief, although these two are now the acting general manager and acting president , but the two of them do not have the prestige of Larry Bird in the Pacers. If they and Meng Xu's opinions are to the left, they must be the ones who compromise, so after confirming Meng Xu's opinion and his own ideas After being consistent, the Pacers' next operations will be easy.Prior to this, Rick Fussen and Kevin Pritchard were afraid that Meng Xu would let the team play in order to avoid the same situation with the Pacers after seeing the Lakers' O'Neal and Kobe. Leaving Jermaine O'Neal, after all, Meng Xu left the Spurs for the same reason, Meng Xu must be very sensitive about this kind of thing.

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(End of this chapter)