The rest is just noise

On Thanksgiving Eve, the Knicks played against the Celtics again and were mercilessly defeated.

This time, Bird is back.

Moreover, the Celtics do not allow themselves to lose to the same opponent three times in a row.

"The Celtics are playing championship basketball, and everyone is performing well, while the Knicks are dealing with off-court turmoil and trade rumors about their players."

What Marv Albert is talking about are Bol trade rumors and Dale Ellis' off-field troubles.

A few days ago, Ellis got into a fight with several Cavaliers fans in a Cleveland bar.

There were several teammates present at the time, and Rodman unexpectedly played the role of peacemaker, but he was unable to prevent Ellis from attacking the fans with a bottle in a rage.

He successfully sent a fan into the ICU with an empty wine bottle.

Now he faces charges including intentional injury, which could cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle.

To him, this is a lot of money.

He reached a four-year, $2.4 million contract extension with the Knicks six months ago, but if he loses hundreds of thousands of dollars due to a fight, it would be a major blow to him.

Regardless of the cause, fighting is always wrong.

Ellis had a serious negative impact on the Knicks' image, and Louis announced an eight-game team suspension as punishment.

The Knicks reacted quickly. When Ellis was suspended for eight games by the Knicks themselves, the league stopped reacting.

Those who are interested can find that Ellis was suspended for eight games, but his salary for these eight games was not deducted.

He just can't play the game.

Ellis will be suspended from November 22 to December 9. During this period, his position will rotate back and forth between Rodman, Curry, and Corbin.

Ellis' fight had a certain impact on the Knicks.

The ripple effects of Bol's trade rumors are exaggerated.

Ball asked Louis in person whether it was true that he was being traded. Louis admitted that the team might trade him because the coaching staff could not satisfy his desire for more playing time.

As a result, Bol hurriedly said: "I just said it casually."

"Manute, you are right, if you are in other teams, you will get more opportunities." Louis said frankly, "If the time is right, I will trade you. Before the trade, I will ask you

If you don’t want to go to that team, we will stop the transaction. You have the right to choose in this matter."

Bol clearly enjoys playing in New York.

"Coach, do I have to be traded?"

"There are no certain things in the world. I can only say that there is a possibility." Louis smiled.

What actually happened was that when the Knicks put Bol on the tradable list, Elgin Baylor's phone went off the hook.

Auerbach also personally called Louis' home to ask what kind of chips the Celtics would have to offer in exchange for Bol.

Louis does not want to send a top three rim protector in the league as a substitute for the best center on the planet.

So, he made Auerbach an impossible asking price.

Classic first round three.

Moreover, in addition to the three first-rounders, Ron Harper is also needed. If Auerbach can agree to this, Louis will definitely send Bol over.

Olba was furious.

"You bastard, if you don't want to trade, just say so!"

"Pay attention to your quality, Reed, business cannot be done without justice."

"You and me, you bastard, have no mercy at all. Go to hell, you little brat!"

Then he hung up the phone angrily.

It was under such circumstances that Louis celebrated Thanksgiving.

That morning, his home phone calls came one after another.

They are all general managers or coaches who have personal relationships with him.

Lakers head coach Pat Riley expressed the Lakers' desire to acquire Bol on behalf of Jerry West.

Moreover, the Lakers are willing to spend two first-rounders for Bol.

Trail Blazers general manager Stu Inman wants to use Kevin Duckworth + Bol in the first rotation.

Jack McMahon, the general manager of the Warriors, is also an old friend of Louis. He has worked as a scout and assistant coach for the 76ers for decades. When Louis was a scout, they communicated frequently.

McMahon proposed an exciting trade plan.

Use Joe Barry Carroll, Greg Ballard (SF/PF), the 1989 first rotation Bol, Oakley and Bernard King who is recovering from injury.

If Louis said he wasn't moved, he would be lying.

Ballard is a wing swingman that he admires very much. He plays small forward most of the time and averages 7 rebounds per game. He has a tough style.

But he is a veteran and cannot play for a few more years.

Carroll has averaged 22+8 per game so far this season, making him a quasi-All-Star in his prime.

People who lack determination may agree, but after Louis thought for a few minutes, he said: "Jack, let's do this. We use Manute Bol, Dell Ellis and the 1988 first-round pick to exchange for...

Your Greg Ballard and Chris Mullin."

"Hahaha!" McMahon laughed, his laughter so hearty that Louis could imagine the fat trembling on his rich face, "Lu, you are planning to drain our fire!"

If the Knicks don't have Kevin McHale, maybe Louis will agree to the trade plan proposed by McMahon.

Being able to take out Carol shows his sincerity.

However, McHale is the Knicks' top attacker, and until Wilson grows up, his status will be difficult to shake. Along with Ewing and Oakley, the combined average of these three insiders is close to 50 points per game.

Louis does not need a Carroll, who has a very bad reputation and a reputation of "not caring about anything", to increase internal risks.

After all, Louis never wanted to stack up the frontcourt like the Pistons did.

If Carroll is traded, the Knicks will have four big men who can play. How to make this rotation? It won't take long for the locker room to be broken.

Therefore, Louis backhandedly included Ellis, who had been in trouble recently, into the deal, hoping to exchange the shotgun for Mullin.

Of course McMahon was not stupid. He knew there was no chance, so he made a haha, and the two parties hung up the phone amicably.

Louie's constant calls made Lorraine very unhappy.

Thanksgiving was originally a holiday, but I didn't expect that I would be uneasy at home.

By the time Louie and McMahon finished talking, Lorraine had decided to unplug the phone line.

Unexpectedly, just as she was about to take action, the call came again.

This time it's Bill Fitch of the Houston Rockets.

Fitch is Louis' old superior. They have worked together for four years. Although there are good and bad times, they each lead a team now. There is no need to look at Auerbach's face. The unhappiness in the later stage of the cooperation has long been forgotten.

The back of my head.

Just when Fitch was about to make an offer, Lorraine used the phone in the living room and said, "Today is Thanksgiving, can you stop talking about work all the time, Mr. Lu?"

The phones at Louis' house are answered simultaneously, so that's why.

"Ahem, didn't I call at the right time?" Fitch asked sheepishly.

"It's not the right time."

"Okay, Lu, let's talk next time."

Fitch hung up the phone.

Lorraine hurried into the room and said, "You promised me not to talk about work today."

"I don't want to either, but the phone calls are endless, endless." Before he finished speaking, the phone rang again.

"You let me go!"

Lorraine answered the phone, "Hello."

"Is Little Lu home?"

"I am Jane Walker from Boston, and I have something to do with him."

"He has a day off today and won't talk about work. Goodbye."

Lorraine hung up the phone neatly and unplugged all the phone lines in the house.

After doing these things, Lorraine asked: "Do you think I am too reckless?"

"It's a bit rash, but not too rash. It's outrageous for these people to call to discuss work even during the holidays." Louis said and couldn't help but ask, "By the way, who was the person who just called?

?”

Lorraine asked warily: "You don't want to fight back, do you?"

"No, I just want to know who the caller is."

"He calls himself Jane Walker."

Next, what Louis has to do is much simpler.

He pretended to go to the Blue Palace to give Thanksgiving gifts to his colleagues, but actually went straight to the office to call Volker back.

Volker wanted to continue negotiations on behalf of the Celtics, but they couldn't give him a good bargaining chip.

Louis also did not want to add to his own trouble by giving Boll to his competitors.

At this time, every club in the league called to inquire about the price.

Players like Bol are high-quality and cheap, and they will fight for them if they can get them. So Louis is not in a hurry. Even if he doesn't have a good bargaining chip in the end, he will send Bol to someone who will not pose a threat to the Knicks, but to himself.

Said it was a good next home.

Compared with these negotiations, sending Thanksgiving gifts is much simpler.

Last year, Knicks players pooled their money to buy Louis a purple suit.

This year they changed their tactics. They also raised funds, but what they bought was a golden whistle.

The gift looks small, but it is expensive. The whistle is made of real gold and is valuable.

This time Louis was also prepared and gave everyone a gift in return.

There was only one person who didn't receive a gift, and that was Dale Ellis.

He was busy dealing with his own troubles, and Louis suspended him without pay, which showed the team's attitude. He was disappointed, but the suspension for so many days was also to give him enough time to wipe his butt clean.

As for whether he can understand it, I don't know.