The rest is just noise

Chapter 653: I first ask questions knowingly, then try to catch him, and the last move is to lure the enemy deeper. Let’s see what he says.

June 24

Just when Louis was struggling with whether to choose Shawn Kemp with the 14th pick in the first round, the league officially announced that the Timberwolves and Bulls had reached a deal.

This is the first trade in Timberwolves history.

The Timberwolves sent Dan Marley to the Bulls in exchange for veteran Dennis Johnson and a 1994 first-round draft pick.

Take an above-average veteran + a future first-round bench player who could only play a few minutes with the Knicks?

People today don't know Marley's potential, not even Klaus.

He made this deal mainly because he wanted to get rid of Johnson and bring back some young immediate combatants. Although Billy McKinney is his old subordinate, they are now their own masters. If he does not give the other party some sweetness, the other party will

Nor can we join forces with him to disgust Louis.

So Louis doesn't intend to hold a grudge against McKinney. Anyway, this 250 will suffer the consequences sooner or later.

Trading Marley for Johnson + the future first round is actually a good choice, but his ability does not support him waiting until the first round to cash in.

When he was a child, if someone wanted to lead a group of brothers to beat up Louis, Louis would not just take it easy. He would find the guy who gathered people to beat him and use all his strength. Of course, he would inevitably be beaten up in the end, but the culprit would not have an easy time either.

This is his character. He will be an accomplice and will retaliate if he has the opportunity in the future, but Klaus, the instigator, will never let it go since he has been caught.

Just when Louis was worrying about how to cause trouble with Klaus, Belle brought him information.

"Philadelphia decided to screw up." When Baylor first said this, Louis didn't care.

What he really cares about is Baylor's next sentence.

"Chicago is very interested," Baylor said. "They want Maurice Cheeks because after DJ was sent to Minnesota, the Bulls no longer have a qualified guard."

Louis smiled lightly: "If you want Mochis, the price is probably not small, right?"

"That's right." Baylor said, "Jerry plans to send out Jay Vincent (JayVinentSG) and Craig Hodges."

"No draft picks added?"

This is not the "high price" Louis imagined.

Young Vincent is a high-quality small forward, but he has now reached the end of his career and can only contribute a little energy on the bench. Forget about Hodges. Louis suggested that New York draft him, and they did.

He played for a year, but because the Knicks were bad that year, Hodges was immediately unable to compete, so Louis did not extend his contract and directly released him. As for now, he is considered a good shooter.

But that's it.

After leaving New York, Hodges also wandered around in recent years, and actually went to the Bulls.

"Isn't it too insulting to exchange just these two people for Mochis?" Louis couldn't bear it anymore, "I must uphold justice!"

"Lu, wait a moment!"

Belle didn't expect him to be so eager to take revenge on Klaus: "I haven't finished speaking yet!"

"what else?"

Belle wrote down the news he got in a small notebook and gave it to Louis.

"See for yourself, there should be something you can use." Baylor said.

Louis took Baylor's small notebook back to the office, studied it carefully, and found that there was a lot of news in it. It was mainly from the Bulls' sources.

The Bulls' first round pick in 1990 was in the hands of the Knicks. Although there was top-five pick protection, Krause did not intend to bring a team with peak Barkley into the lottery, nor did he want to take advantage of Louis.

.

Therefore, his signings have been very regular in recent years.

He likes immediate combat effectiveness. After signing people, he does not guarantee their future. These people will be traded at any time.

Just like now, he is willing to do anything to strengthen the team's lineup.

This year, Krause's biggest target is free agent Ralph Sampson.

Sampson is also the biggest fish in the free market. Although he will most likely stay in Boston, there is a slight chance if the Bulls are willing to pay the league's high salary.

If he could grab Sampson, it would be a sure thing once and for all, but Klaus would not foolishly place all his hopes on Sampson.

In addition to Sampson, his main target is the 76ers who have entered clearance mode.

After Dr. J retired, the 76ers used the players they traded from the Knicks to build a lineup that could steadily maintain a playoff spot, but could not go any further.

Gerald Wilkins and Tony Campbell are both stable offensive output points averaging 20 points per game, and A.C Green has become a high-quality inside line.

In addition, there are Mario Elie and Spot Weber, both of whom have become good role players, but these people cannot bring qualitative changes to the 76ers.

Therefore, the 76ers are determined to seek change.

At this time, the 76ers have nothing that is not for sale.

For Krause, he is too envious of the 76ers' lineup. If the two sides can exchange lineups while retaining Barkley, the Bulls can immediately become a top-four team in the Eastern Conference.

After figuring this out, Louis knew how to disrupt the situation.

In the 76ers supermarket, the most attractive products are Cheeks, Wilkins and A.C. Green.

What Klaus wants most is Cheeks, but with the chips he has now, as long as the 76ers are not stupid, they will never trade with him.

Louis immediately called the Miami Heat general manager's office.

Lewis Shafir answered the phone and asked: "Who is this?"

"It's me, Lewis." Louis believed that the other party could recognize his voice.

"Coach Lu?"

"Yes."

"Great, Coach Lu, I was about to call you." Shafir has been having a hard time recently.

The Heat faced the trouble of happiness. They were ranked tenth in the league and actually got the No. 1 pick. The choices before him were Hank Gathers, Danny Ferry, and Pervis Ellison.

llisonC) Even Sean Elliott.

Louis recommended Ferri at the annual meeting last time, but Shafir was not sure whether what Louis said at that time was true or was just for Ferri's father to hear.

"What's the matter with you?"

Louis was the first to ask questions knowingly and see what he said.

"Coach Lu, are we friends?"

"Yes."

"Miami and New York are not antagonistic for the time being, right?"

"Yes for now."

"Since we are friends and our camps are not hostile, shouldn't you help your friends solve their problems?"

"Do you mean?"

"If you had the No. 1 pick this year, who would you pick?"

Louis laughed and said: "Lewis, don't you have your own scouting department? Why are you asking me about such a big matter?"

Shafir didn't want this either, but last year, the Heat drafted exactly what Louis wanted.

Scouts within the Heat team had different opinions on the choices Louis made.

Facts have proved that Louis' choice was right. If Shafir really listened to the team's scouts, the Heat's first season in team history would have been much more embarrassing than it is now.

It was Louis' astonishing accuracy in drafting that convinced Shafir that if he let Louis make the decision, he would definitely not pick the wrong option.

"I'm just asking for your opinion."

"My opinion is, you decide for yourselves." Louis tried his best to see how Shafir would react, "If I screw up such an important pick as the first pick, wouldn't it ruin my reputation? And this would ruin my reputation."

It's an internal matter within your team and it's not convenient for me to get involved."

Shafir said anxiously: "Coach Lu, no matter what your suggestion is, I am just referring to it. The final choice will be decided internally by us and has nothing to do with you!"

"It has nothing to do with me? What do you mean, last year's draft also had nothing to do with me?"

"Ah," Shafir asked awkwardly, "Coach Lu, do you want this matter to be related to you?"

Louis said with a smile: "If you choose the right one, it has nothing to do with me. If you choose the wrong one, it has nothing to do with me. Do you understand?"

"I understand! I understand! So that's what you meant, I understand!"

Shafir suddenly felt that Coach Lu was not as loyal as he was rumored to be.

"I can help you with this, but before that, you have to do me a favor." Louis lured the enemy deeper with this move. At this point, Lewis Shafir was the Xiahou Dun of Xinye, and Liu Bei went crazy thinking about sharks.

When Louis said this, Shafir felt more at ease. Helping each other can reflect each other's sincerity.

"As long as I can do it, I will definitely help you, Coach Lu."

"This thing is not difficult, and if it is done, it will be beneficial to you." Louis smiled, "Philadelphia is selling Maurice Cheeks everywhere, I think you should fight for it."

"What if we get it?"

"I will be responsible for your draft this year."

"What if I don't get it?"

"It doesn't matter," Shafir just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Louis say, "Just remember not to call me again."

Shafir looked shocked: "Wait for my good news, Coach Lu."

"If it's about a transaction and you have any difficulties or things you can't understand, you can call me and ask me." Louis was really afraid that he wouldn't be able to complete the transaction or he would bleed too much. "As long as it's this matter, I can provide professional advice."

In fact, Shafir's excessive bleeding had nothing to do with Louis. After all, he was stupid.

But he really didn't want to owe such a big favor.

Lewis Shafir is not like the general manager of a professional sports team. He is like a real street stall owner. He is very sincere and does not have so many twists and turns. However, it is difficult for such a person to achieve success in professional sports.

If he really wanted to be friends with him, Louis would not refuse.

He would also help Shafir keep his job.

The way to help Shaffier keep his job is to remotely control the opponent's team building. As long as the Heat become a strong team in the Eastern Conference and do not threaten the Knicks, Shaffier will naturally be able to rest easy, and Louis will also have an iron-clad ally. This is a good deal.

The thing about raising prices for Cheeks and disgusting Klaus was Louis' test for Shafir.

Louis wondered if he would go to any lengths to show his sincerity by messing with Klaus.

If that was the case, he really had to hold Shafir back.

The Heat now have a good lineup, and the prototype of a strong team is already there. They just need a cornerstone player and a good coach to polish it.