I’m Really Playing Basketball

The 2004 NBA Draft was a very lively draft.

In this draft, Michael Jordan, known as the God's Eye, selected Chris Paul with the No. 4 pick, showing the United States what it means to have the God's Eye shattered.

However, after the draft, Jordan was still smiling in the face of everyone's doubts, as if he still thought he had made the most perfect choice and was a confident group.

At the same time, at this draft, Chen Xiao, who accompanied Chris Paul to the scene, raised his hands in excitement and celebrated when the Cavaliers selected Spanoulis with the 18th pick in the second round, which also made the United States watch. It’s time for him to be optimistic about this young European king.

Well, now Spanoulis is not the King of Europe, he is the Youth King of Europe.

Whether it's Jordan's blindness or Chen Xiao's cheering for Spanoulis, in short, every team seems to have found a player that suits them in this draft.

The Spurs are very satisfied with Howard.

The Bobcats are very happy with Chris Paul.

The Clippers are very satisfied with Livingston.

The Bucks are very satisfied with Iguodala.

The Raptors are very happy with Josh Smith.

The Heat are very satisfied with Tony Allen.

The Magic are very satisfied with Jamal Nelson.

The Cavaliers are also very happy with Spanoulis...

It is really rare to see such a lively and reunited draft show.

However, no matter how lively the draft is, it cannot be more lively than this year's free market.

The disbanded Nets team, who will O'Neal end up with?

Will Carter leave the Nets?

Then, Nash, Kobe, Divac, Big Q Richardson, Kenyon Martin, Mike Miller, Turkoglu, Payton, Darius Miles, Jamal Crawford, Kirilian The contracts of players such as Coe, Gasol, Rasheed Wallace, Ginobili, Camby, Battle, Divac, Okur, Ostertag and other players have expired.

This summer is really too lively.

Soon after the time came to July 1st, the defending champion Orlando Magic had a huge personnel change. The hero of the team's championship, starting small forward Mike Miller, announced that he had reached a six-year, $5,000 contract with the Grizzlies. A big contract worth 10,000 yuan.

The Magic definitely want to keep Mike Miller, but obviously, even if the Magic are richer than the Cavaliers, even if McGrady and Duncan are both earning minimum salaries relative to their strengths, they really match this contract. No.

The Magic have the first right to renew Mike Miller's contract, and they had no choice but to give up in the face of the Grizzlies' contract.

Like the Cavaliers, the Magic also have two important players to re-sign this season, Ginobili and Mike Miller.

With Duncan and McGrady's contracts worth 28 million next season, the Magic can keep Mike Miller and Ginobili at the same time, provided that Mike Miller is not too expensive.

But the Grizzlies stuck to this point, offering six-year 50 million and six-year 52 million contract extensions to Ginobili and Mike Miller respectively.

This makes it clear that the Magic can only choose one of the two.

In the end, the Magic chose to match Ginobili's contract and gave up Mike Miller.

There is no way around this. For the current Magic, after experiencing the strong rise of Ginobili in the Finals, anyone who is blind can know who to choose between Miller and Ginobili.

The Grizzlies' poaching of the Magic must be very uncomfortable for the Magic.

But for NBA teams, those who poach are always poached.

Before the Grizzlies waved a big stick against the Magic, didn't the Magic also wave a big stick against the Kings?

The defending champion Magic's first free market signing was not to renew Ginobili's contract, but to poach Kings backup power forward Turkoglu from the Kings for 30 million over five years.

The Kings are the thickest team in the NBA. They are deep, which is good, but when it comes to contract renewal issues, teams with deep depth are not so good.

For example, the Kings would not dare to keep Turkoglu and Divac whose contracts have expired. If both of them are kept, the Kings' salary space can successfully try to exceed 80 million next season.

Apart from the Los Angeles Lakers, Knicks and Trail Blazers, no one can afford such a salary level?

The luxury tax line is only 50.5 million. Who is willing to pay 30 million in luxury tax a year?

As the defending champion, the Magic's melons are delicious.

If the team wins the championship, someone will come to dismantle the team.

As a team aiming to win the championship, Chen Xiao and James are of course also taking advantage of the Magic.

With Miller and Turkoglu coming in and out, is the Magic getting stronger or weaker?

No one knew this, but what Chen Xiao and James knew was that they had enjoyed the magic.

My own cabbage was also poisoned.

Originally, after the Bobcats poached three of their junk contracts, the Cavaliers had enough capital to renew Crawford and Darius Miles at the same time.

As long as the contracts of these two people are not so crazy, after all, Darius Miles and Crawford are positioned as the fourth and fifth leaders of the team.

Between Chen Xiao, James, and Chandler, if Chandler renews his contract next year, Chen Xiao renews his contract the year after that, and James renews his contract the year after that, the contract must be higher than those of these two.

For the Cavaliers, the positioning of the two players is that their average salary is less than 9 million, and they can be extended for as many years as they want.

The current strength of the two is definitely not worth the price, but isn't it potential?

Kobe Bryant and Garnett Jr.

It's a premium for their future and loyalty.

Therefore, the Cavaliers are already preparing to offer a six-year, 52 million contract extension to the two.

It can be said that this is the limit that the Cavaliers can give.

No team in the NBA dares to follow such a premium contract, so the contract extension between the Cavaliers and these two people is a certainty.

But……

Just when the Cavaliers and Crawford and Darius Miles decided to renew their contracts, the Phoenix Suns.

This team has been considered by many experts to be very confusing in recent times. They gave away all their good first-round picks just to clear up space. The Suns gave them to Crawford and Darius Miles respectively. I got a five-year contract worth 60 million and a five-year contract worth 55 million.

After the Phoenix Suns gave away those players with big contracts and draft picks, the only players on the team who have contracts are Marion, Stoudemire and a few players.

It can be said that the Suns do have the space to acquire the contracts of Crawford and Darius Miles with such a contract.

But is it necessary?

You want to say that the Grizzlies are driving up the prices of Ginobili and Miller. Although they are not worth that much, they are still acceptable.

But what does this mean for the Suns?

To be fair, Cavaliers general manager Paxson and Cavaliers head coaches Carlisle and Chen Xiao looked at these two offers for Crawford and Darius Miles and really didn’t know what the Suns were doing. What to do.

Because this is really impossible to understand.

Let's put it this way, if we use strength to price the price, Crawford's annual salary is about 8 million, offense is 10 million, and defense is 2 million. The Suns have already paid an annual salary of 12 million. You know, next The contracts between McGrady and Duncan this season are only 14 million!

And Myers, Myers' current strength, if the annual salary is determined by strength, that is about 6 million, defense is 8 million, offense is 2 million, which is exactly 6 million, but the Suns' contract is an annual salary of 11 million!

This is simply outrageous!

"The Suns are not asking us to choose one or the other, they are taking away both!"

Paxson's face looked ugly.

There's no way it's not ugly, because it's impossible for the Cavaliers to follow these two offers.

No one can afford to follow.

Miles gave him 11 million, and Crawford gave him 12 million. Even if he followed, it would turn into a junk contract in the end.

Especially for the Cavaliers who are pursuing a championship, it is impossible for the Cavaliers to sign such a contract.

Even signing first and then trading is impossible. If you want to sign first and then trade to reduce losses, then a team must take over!

Who is willing to take over Crawford for 12 million and Miles for 11 million?

Are you serious about Kobe and Garnett?

As the team's general manager, Paxson would definitely not want two contracts like this.

But in the Cavaliers, he can't make the decision. The one who really can make the decision is Chen Xiao.

Regarding changes in team personnel, Chen Xiao's decision-making power is very important.

Therefore, in the general manager's office of the Cavaliers, everyone looked at Chen Xiao.

The Cavaliers' current salary space can afford to extend two players.

However, with the financial resources of the Cavaliers, unless they can definitely win the championship next season, after renewing the contracts of the two people, they will definitely be disbanded next season.

Whether the Cavaliers want long-term development or short-term utilization, they cannot accept such a premium for the two of them.

Yes, maybe the two of them can really become Kobe and Garnett in the future.

But what if it doesn’t work out?

The Suns can gamble, but the Cavaliers really can't afford to gamble.

"Chen, you don't have to make a decision in a hurry now."

After the team meeting, both Chen Xiao and James frowned.

"Xiao Chen, what do you think the Suns are trying to do?"

"have no idea."

Chen Xiao shook his head.

Does he really not remember any grudge against his father that he had with the Suns?

He doesn't remember any huge grievances between the Cavaliers and Suns.

Do they need the Suns to tear them down like this?

Even though Chen Xiao and James have always regarded themselves as smarter people, they can't figure out what this is for.

But soon, Chen Xiao knew why.

On July 2, 2004, a trade came that shocked the entire NBA and basketball world.

The Suns and Nets completed a deal.

The Suns sent out Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and Jahidy White from the Nets to acquire Shaquille O'Neal, the first player in the NBA last season and the most dominant player in NBA history!

I have to say that the deal between the Nets and the Suns was concluded so quickly. To be honest, it is shocking.

I thought this deal was the grand finale of this summer.

I didn’t expect the finale to come out so early.

It's just obvious that the entire NBA is shocked by the deal between the Nets and the Suns.

Chen Xiao and James finally understood why the Suns wanted to dismantle the Cavaliers so much.

"O'Neal!"

They have no grudge against the Suns, but they do have grudge against O'Neal!

And O'Neal's peak is only a few years away. The Suns really don't dare to bet, but he dares to bet!

Since there is no way to sign players such as Kobe Bryant and Gasol who are destined to earn maximum salaries from this year's free market, O'Neal can only bet on the second-tier big fish in this year's free market in order to quickly improve the Suns' combat effectiveness!

Isn’t it just giving Crawford and Darius Miles a super premium?

Just these two seasons.

After these two seasons, I don’t care if the flood is overwhelming!

Recruiting Crawford and Miles will help the Suns quickly complete their rebuild.

At the same time, dismantle that boy's station.

It doesn't get any more perfect than this!

"I will enter the finals next season, and I will win the championship next season!"

At the Phoenix airport, when Shaquille O'Neal walked out of the airport, the league's number one center, who had not been seen for a long time, had a look of determination on his face.

I, the great Shaq, am back, and when I come back, I will be right!

Tremble, wonder boy!

Tremble, viper!

ps: Today’s second update. These chapters are actually quite difficult to write. They mainly focus on deducing the development of the plot, so the update is a bit late. And because it’s too late, I can’t write more about this chapter. I’ll just write it here. Thank you. Goodnight everybody.