I’m Really Playing Basketball

In the NBA, winning a championship is a very hard thing.

Likewise, celebrating a championship is also a very hard thing.

Especially Chen Xiao.

After the Warriors won the championship, Chen Xiao not only had to deal with the media from the United States, but also had to deal with a large number of media reporters from China, Japan, South Korea, and other Asia and around the world.

After finishing all these things, the time has come to June 23, and the NBA draft is about to begin.

As a championship team, it is basically impossible to have any participation in the draft.

But the Warriors are different from ordinary championship teams. The Warriors have had outstanding young players sent away over the years.

So the Warriors have actually had very good draft picks over the years.

Last year, the Warriors selected the team's rookie player Jaylen Brown with the eighth overall pick.

And this year, after the finals, trade applications for Jokic also came in one after another.

Jokic lost his starting position with the Warriors last season. Because Chen Xiao played inside, Jokic and Nongmei shared the remaining starting position.

And most of the time, the starter with thick eyebrows requires more.

Therefore, Jokic's playing time and opportunities with the Warriors last season were very limited.

But there is no doubt about Jokic's strength, so if such a player wants to leave, the entire NBA is basically surging.

In fact, when the Warriors were still in the playoffs, the news said that the Celtics wanted to trade Noah and Jokic.

But at that time, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge immediately came out and apologized.

He really wants Jokic.

But obviously, Danny Ainge is definitely not the only one who desires Jokic.

Therefore, after the finals, although Danny Ainge frantically pursued Jokic, it was obvious that the Celtics' chips were not what the Warriors desired.

To be honest, the Warriors really need a player like Noah before Chen Xiao plays in the post. Cole also likes this kind of post who can support and defend.

But with Chen Xiao as the inside player, Cole no longer looks down on other inside playmakers throughout the league.

What's more, everyone who watched the finals knows that now the Warriors no longer play a support-type offense, but play basketball in which everyone has offensive capabilities, with Chen Xiao, Wade and Ron Howard playing in singles A system built with ability as the core that everyone can attack.

In this system, to be honest, there is no place for Noah.

Therefore, although Jokic will definitely not be with the Warriors next season, it will definitely not work if the Celtics just use Noah as a bargaining chip.

In fact, because it is impossible for the Warriors to renew Jokic's contract with the maximum salary, although many teams are very interested in Jokic, most of them come with the idea of ​​​​free prostitution.

Why should I spend chips when I can have sex for free?

Therefore, relatively speaking, Danny Ainge and the Celtics are actually more sincere.

Of course it's just sincerity, the Warriors don't really need it.

Similarly, in fact, the Warriors fully respect Jokic's own opinions regarding Jokic's departure.

Because the tone Chen Xiao set for Jokic's departure was to put Jokic's thoughts as the first priority.

If Jokic wants to go to a certain team, it doesn't matter if the Warriors give him away for free.

If the team over there really doesn't have any chips to exchange, then wait for Jokic to leave freely.

To be honest, because of Jokic's contribution to the Warriors in the past four years, the Warriors want to renew Jokic's contract with a maximum salary.

Jokic deserves a maximum salary extension with Bird Rights.

Therefore, the Warriors actually do not want Jokic to flow into the free market and sign other players freely, so that Jokic will get less money.

But the problem is that if they renew Jokic's Bird Rights contract, if the Warriors sign Jokic first and then send him away, they need to take a big contract that can match Jokic's contract. If Jokic wants to go to the team , the big contract given out is very long, and to be honest, it will be difficult for the Warriors to handle it.

Therefore, the Warriors are actually in a dilemma regarding the handling of Jokic's contract extension.

The Warriors want to reward Jokic with a real max salary.

But this cannot only depend on the Warriors themselves, but also on the opposing team.

So Jokic also saw the dilemma of the Warriors and said that he did not have a specific team that he wanted to go to. He would not pick any team. He would go to whichever team provided the team with the highest bargaining chip. where.

I have to say that Jokic's statement moved Chen Xiao and the team very much.

Sometimes respect does go both ways. When you respect a player enough, as long as the player's moral values ​​are normal, he will respect you in turn.

Of course, even though Jokic made such a statement, for the meritorious center that established this team's dynasty, it is certainly impossible for the Warriors to just send him to a not-so-good team.

The Warriors want to send Jokic to a team with him as the core, and this team must be in a big city.

Because New York is Westbrook's trump card, the Warriors will not send him there, so they can only choose Los Angeles.

Clippers and Lakers, the boss of the Clippers is Paul, and it will be difficult for Jokic to be the core.

In this case, the Warriors' first choice is the Lakers.

Well, Jerry West chose the Lakers. After Chen Xiao made the request, these were the reasons Jerry West told Chen Xiao.

Chen Xiao didn't know how many reasons Jerry West wanted to 'nourish' his old club, but Chen Xiao recognized the reason given by Jerry West.

Because the Lakers' boss Kobiko is retiring, the Lakers need to rebuild. Since they are going to be rebuilt, Jokic's stage will be there.

And the Los Angeles stage, the Lakers stage is really big.

Of course, Brother Ke is also very greedy for Jokic.

After the finals, Brother Ke often took Chen Xiao's back door.

In this case, it is naturally difficult for Chen Xiao to refuse. Therefore, since both parties are interested, both parties need to decide on a transaction plan that is suitable for both parties.

The Lakers are the only team that can't come up with a contract to match Jokic.

Lakers center Gasol was originally a trading chip sent by Kobe Bryant, but Gasol's big contract still has three years left, and the Warriors don't need such a long contract.

Therefore, after Kobe won the championship with the Warriors, these days, he was really racking his brains crazily to think about how to complete this deal.

Of course, this is what Boss Co and Jerry West want.

Chen Xiao didn't rack his brains too much.

In fact, Chen Xiao had no involvement in this matter at all. It was just before the draft that Chen Xiao learned from Jerry West that the Warriors and Lakers had already formed a trade plan for Jokic.

When the free market opens, just sign and trade.

Regarding Jerry West, Chen Xiao must be completely relieved.

Therefore, after Chen Xiao was tired for so long after the finals, he could just stay at home and be a salty fish.

And after this year's NBA Finals, the entire NBA was very lively.

Not to mention God3's dream of realizing the NBA, there is just a lot of excitement among other teams.

For example, the Spurs were defeated by the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. During the Finals, the uncle of Leonard, the head player of the Spurs, said in the media that Leonard had submitted a trade application to the Spurs and that he was leaving the Spurs.

As the leader of the league's new generation of superstars, Leonard has just been promoted to the core of the team in the past two seasons, and he will leave the team with three years left on his contract.

When this happened, it was indeed very controversial.

According to Kawhi's uncle, Leonard received unfair treatment from the Spurs, and the Spurs' team-building ideas are not worthy of Leonard's strength and ambition.

Then, a lot of internal information about the Spurs began to be released, such as Parker dissing Leonard after the Spurs lost to the Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals last year.

In short, after the Warriors won the championship, the most lively gossip in the NBA was the confrontation between Leonard's uncle and the Spurs.

Yes, Leonard didn't come out, and even the Spurs couldn't find where Leonard was.

But Uncle Ka alone made the Spurs very passive and embarrassed.

Why are the Spurs and Leonard still passive despite having a 2+1 (player option) contract?

Because Uncle Kawhi publicly said in the media that Leonard injured his leg in this year's Western Conference playoffs due to the Spurs' crazy use, and the Spurs' team doctor insisted on letting Leonard play after diagnosis, which made Leonard Nader's injuries have been compounded, so Leonard is now suspended indefinitely.

Good guy, this is a threat to strike!

If you don't trade me, I won't play for the Spurs!

So the question is, was Leonard really injured in the playoffs?

This is indeed an injury, but which superstar in the NBA does not suffer a little injury or pain in the playoffs?

Wade suffered from knee soreness during this year's finals and was having fluid drained before the game.

Generally speaking, as long as they are not injured or have sequelae, players will not talk about it.

Take Kobe as an example. He suffered from soreness in his hands, legs, and everywhere in his body.

Therefore, Uncle Card used this reason to get the Spurs. The Spurs felt very embarrassed and expressed embarrassment to Uncle Card, but after being embarrassed, they were shocked to realize that they were very passive.

Because although this reason is weak, it is really useful.

Leonard was indeed injured for the Spurs, and the Spurs did let him play after they knew he was injured.

This is standing on the moral high ground.

Even if the league knew that it was bad for Leonard to announce his departure from the team with a three-year contract, it would not punish Leonard.

Even if Leonard will not play for the Spurs in the future, the Spurs will not even have a reason to deduct his salary.

Thinking of this, everyone in the Spurs suddenly discovered that Uncle Card looked like an idiot, but in fact he used short hands, which was really fatal!

Therefore, after the Spurs realized that Uncle Kawhi was difficult to deal with, they wanted to find Leonard, but Leonard was missing...

The Spurs and Popovich were completely heartbroken.

Missing means that Leonard has made a choice.

He didn't want to face the Spurs. He knew it was unethical for the Spurs, but he supported his uncle.

Therefore, Leonard also decided to leave the Spurs.

In response, the Spurs quickly became desperate.

Of course, the entire league went crazy.

Because after Jokic, another young star has entered the market.

Because Leonard didn't specify a next player, or it was useless to specify a next player.

The Spurs will definitely go to the highest bidder, so the entire league is making offers to the Spurs.

Of course the Spurs don't want to trade Leonard, but with this attitude, it seems impossible not to trade him.

Of course, if Leonard and Kawhi are doing this to the Spurs, it is certainly impossible for the Spurs to follow Leonard's wishes.

Although Uncle Kawhi and Leonard have not designated a target, you feel that the Spurs are not worthy of you.

Then you must want to go to a team like the Warriors, Bucks, Cavaliers or Bobcats, right?

In addition, the Bobcats sent Jimmy Butler as a bargaining chip to the Spurs. It is difficult not to make the Spurs suspect that Leonard is not connected with the Bobcats.

Jimmy Butler has performed very well in the playoffs this season. It is actually possible to add a little more chips to simply replace Leonard.

The price quoted by Bobcat is actually acceptable.

But the Spurs were the first to reject the Bobcats' offer.

It is impossible for the Spurs to send Leonard to these super teams.

Then I searched around and found an offer that made the Spurs' eyes light up.

It’s impossible not to be impressed, because this offer is so special.

“The team’s players can be chosen as they please, and the team’s draft picks can be chosen as they like.”

After the Spurs and Lakers confirmed again and again, the answer they received was indeed what they imagined, four first-round picks in the next seven years, and all current Lakers players as long as they meet the trade contract matching (except Kobe Bryant)

This is basically the Lakers trading an entire team for Leonard.

Who doesn't know that after Kobe Bryant retired, the Lakers will need to rebuild, and then if the Lakers' four first-round contracts are taken away, and now the outstanding players are taken away, what will the Lakers use to rebuild?

It can be said that this offer from the Lakers is simply irresistible among all offers.

So much so that Popovich sighed in the end: "It is indeed Kobe's team."

Kobe's teams are always so crazy.

Of course, these are private and Chen Xiao and most people don't know.

so……

After Chen Xiao watched the draft at home, he received a message from Jerry West: "Chen, Kobe said that our transaction with the Lakers will be suspended for a few days."

Then, the free market opened, and before Jokic could sign and trade, the Lakers, Bobcats, and Spurs completed a shocking three-way deal.

The Spurs sent Leonard, the team's leading player, the team's 2018 first-round pick, 2020 first-round pick, and 2022 first-round pick to the Bobcats for Jimmy Butler, and received the Lakers in 2018, 2020, and 2022. , a 2024 first-round pick.

The Bobcats sent away the team's star swingman Jimmy Butler in exchange for the Lakers' star center Gasol, potential forward Larry Nance, potential shooter Joe Harris, and the Spurs' 18, 20, and 22 first-round draft picks. right.

The Lakers sent Gasol, Larry Nance, Joe Harris, and the team's next four first-round picks to acquire Leonard from the Spurs.

In fact, most people were stunned when they saw the deal.

Chen Xiao was also shocked, but of course, the point of shock was different.

"The Spurs general manager must have forced Kobe to trade at gunpoint!"

"Kobe is stupid, he can't do this kind of deal!"

Just when these people were madly complaining about Kobe and the Spurs felt extremely comfortable...

The second big trade of the summer has come out.

The Bobcats announced that they had completed a sign-and-trade with the Lakers, sending Jokic to the Lakers in exchange for Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

As soon as this deal came out, the entire NBA was dumbfounded.