The rest is just noise

"Have you finished reading?"

Auerbach asked impatiently.

"about there."

Louis put down the contract documents. He was very happy that Auerbach did not add some clauses to the contract that might restrict him. This is a real contract.

"If there's no problem, just sign it." Auerbach specifically chose this time to renew Louis' contract just to make sure everything was under control.

He believes that Louis can lead the team to win the championship, and he also believes that as long as he wins the championship, Louis will jump out of the contract as soon as possible.

At that time, what kind of offer Louis will get when he joins the free market will be beyond his control.

He showed enough sincerity in this contract. The problem is that if Louis goes to the free market, some teams will show more sincerity.

Now is the best time. Louis has not yet won the championship, the future is uncertain, and the Celtics are in their best form. Is there any coach who does not want to coach this team for a long time?

Auerbach doesn't believe such people exist.

To put it bluntly, even if the most mediocre coach were to lead this team, the record would not be much worse.

The rare thing about Louis is that he taps into the team's potential so much that it completely exceeds the management's expectations and imagination.

Some coaches, even if they serve a plate of good food, they don’t know how to eat it.

Although Louis has not led a mediocre team to fully demonstrate his coaching ability, being able to bring out the full power of a strong team is enough to prove his ability.

However, Louis' decision exceeded Auerbach's imagination.

"No, the season is not over yet, I don't want to decide my future so quickly." Louis pushed the contract document in front of Auerbach.

Auerbach asked unexpectedly: "Are you dissatisfied with your salary?"

"How could it be? Your generosity surprised me this time."

"why?"

"Didn't I say that I don't want to decide my future so quickly."

"Stop farting with me!" Auerbach shouted, "If you are satisfied with the salary, I don't think you have any reason to refuse me!"

Louis smiled and said: "Yes."

"What reason?"

"Didn't I say? A controllable future." Louis was about to spit out the sacred word, "Freedom. Isn't this what the United States and many Western countries advocate? I want to be free to choose my future. If I decide now

, a little too fast, I was not prepared."

Auerbach didn't believe Louis cared about any bullshit freedom, he just didn't want to sign.

"You want to test the free market?" Auerbach is not an idiot. Louis only needs to win two more games to activate his opt-out clause. At that time, he can test the free market as a historical rookie coach.

Auerbach believes teams will compete as hard for young superstars as they bid to become free agents.

Now that the matter was over, there was no need for Louis to conceal his intentions.

"Reed, I always wonder, what would my future be like if I put down roots in Boston?"

Auerbach looked at Louis seriously, "Have you thought about it?"

"Probably, I'm just the second Tom (Heinsohn) at most." Louis took another sip of Coke, "I can't freely operate the draft, I can't make trades as I want, and I can't control the future of the team, because above me

There is also Jane, there is you on top of Jane, and you have your own considerations, it is difficult for me to overcome this hurdle."

"You're still damn young! These things are not as simple as you think!"

Auerbach immediately thought about the trade he had turned down during the season.

That was a deal negotiated by Louis, but Auerbach didn't want to do it because he couldn't see the benefits.

Auerbach suddenly discovered that perhaps it was that deal that made Louis uncertain about his future.

He began to want "freedom".

His freedom is by no means the kind of death-defying freedom pursued by those who still go out to bask in the sun and participate in social activities near the beach more than thirty years later during the epidemic, and even insist on going out despite mild symptoms of the new coronavirus.

.

Louis wanted more than Auerbach thought.

"If youth is an excuse, I shouldn't coach the Celtics," Louis joked.

Auerbach already knows that he cannot get Louis to successfully sign a contract extension today.

If all goes well, the Celtics will win the Finals, and Louis will jump out of his current contract and become a free agent.

Based on what he just said, Auerbach can conclude that he will not stay in Boston.

"Since you know how difficult it is for you to sit in this position at a young age, why do you still want more? What do you want? To take my place?" Auerbach's eyes became a little dangerous, as if

A landowner lion looking at a wandering lion.

"No one can replace you. Before you fail or develop Alzheimer's disease, all those who want to replace you will be drowned in the spit of the fans."

This is why Louis will not stay in Boston for long.

He didn't want to live in Auerbach's shadow for a long time.

"You are still young, Louis." Auerbach's hard knives and sugar-coated bullets had no effect. He took out his last weapon, the soft knife. "Many things are not as simple as you think. You are eager to participate in the construction of the team.

, I understand, and I am willing to let you participate. You came to Boston when you were 18 years old. This is your second home. Everyone thinks that you will succeed me and sit in this position in the future, but you need a little

patience."

There seemed to be magic in Auerbach's hoarse voice: "It's yours, it will always be yours."

"Let me think about it again."

Auerbach's hard-nosed, soft-spoken and generous contracts failed to impress Louis.

He said he would consider it, but his determination was as solid as stone and unshakable.

He was seen leaving the office with another bottle of Coke, and Walker was waiting outside the door for them to finish talking.

"Is it done?" Walker asked.

Louis joked: "Almost."

Hearing this, Walker's face suddenly darkened, and he hoped Louis would stay.

Because Louis is a young coach with a keen eye and unlimited potential. Auerbach will retire sooner or later. At that time, he will be the general manager, and he needs a coach he can trust to advance and retreat together.

However, Auerbach's magic doesn't seem to work today.

This young man rejected Reed Auerbach.

After Louis walked away, Volker entered Auerbach's office. He wanted to know some details.

"Jane, I don't know what the problem is." Auerbach lit his cigar.

He really doesn't know that no team is more suitable for a rookie coach than the current Celtics.

This team has great talent, a strong roster, and is capable of dominating the league.

Rookie coaches can use this lineup to experiment with their own tactics. Even if they fail, they can still rely on the team's strength to save the day.

Even if Louis wants to leave, he should stay here for a few more years and make enough achievements before leaving.

But just now, he seemed impatient.

Auerbach couldn't understand why a young man who started his career in Boston and was promoted from scout to assistant coach to head coach in just six years would be so ambitious that he was unwilling to wait for him to delegate power.

"K.C said that no one really knew Louis." Walker said painfully, "We never know what he was thinking or what he wanted to do."

His pain lies in the foreseeable future. From the coaching staff to the management, no one can share it with him, and no one can work with him to deal with Auerbach. Even after Auerbach retired, there was no such thing as Louis.

If people support his work, he may not even be able to keep his position as general manager.

Cigar smoke surrounded Auerbach's mouth, and he blew out a cloud.

"Maybe he is this kind of guy."

Auerbach said self-deprecatingly.

"He has been targeting my position from the beginning."

Walker said horrifiedly: "You mean he's been thinking about this day since he was 18?"

"What?" Auerbach snorted, "Do you think it's impossible?"

Walker could see Louis' abilities and potential, and he liked his character even more, but he couldn't see through Louis' heart either.

Auerbach held his cigar between his fingers and said angrily: "We must prepare for the worst!"

※※※

Louis opened another bottle of Coke that he had brought from Auerbach's office. He stood on the second floor, overlooking the stadium below.

Bird has finished running and is drinking.

Paxson continued to shoot, and three-pointers seemed to be the only thing in his life.

Louis recalled Auerbach's contract extension, and it was impossible not to be moved.

If he had less ambition and more desire to make achievements, he might have signed that contract. Anyway, there are only four years, and the next four years will be the golden period for this Celtics to achieve results. If everything goes well, they will win the future.

Three championships in four years, or even winning them all, is not impossible.

By then, he may leave Boston with five rings, or four rings, an honor worthy of being elected to the Hall of Fame.

Whenever his thoughts tilt towards the option of staying, he can't help but think of how Auerbach controlled the Celtics like a dictator.

He does not want to work for a long time in a framework that he cannot control.

He didn't have a choice before, but it's different now. Even if he goes to a bad team, as long as he has enough authority, he can still build a team to compete with the Celtics.

That will be a team with no trace of Auerbach at all, and no one will ever say "None of this would have happened without Reed."

Starting from scratch, starting from nothing, and knocking down the Celtics and Lakers as the ultimate wave of SS, what a difficult road it is, Louis is frightened just thinking about it.

The harder it gets, the more his adrenaline surges.

When you start your life over again, you will accept all challenges.

Complacing with the status quo or seeking shortcuts were never options for him.

The longer time passes, the more unshakable Louis' determination becomes.

He had already made his decision, he just didn't tell anyone.