The rest is just noise

While the Billy Owens scandal attracted the attention of the entire league, the Trail Blazers' interview with Pat Riley also started simultaneously.

"Pat Riley completed an interview that was irresistible," said Bill Shenelli of "Pioneer Voices" who participated in the interview.

"A character is like a tree, reputation is its shadow." This is Riley's opening line.

His nearly 10-year tenure with the Lakers is not a big bonus for Riley.

Because in that kind of team, he only won one championship.

If you have the ability, rather than being lucky enough, shouldn't you win more championships? If you only win once, people will naturally blame luck.

This is also the reason why Riley insisted on leaving the Lakers in 1990.

During the gap period of the past year, Riley served as an NBC commentator, wrote a book about his experience with the Lakers, and gave speeches everywhere for $20,000 a game.

Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen was impressed by Riley after watching his workout: "Pat is above all of us in many ways. His professionalism is on a different level, and I think we all know that.

That and respect that."

When Riley talked about how he would build the team if he coached the Trail Blazers, he did not talk about his successful ShowTime in Los Angeles.

That's what Paul Allen was interested in...

HowTime made the Lakers famous for a while. Even though they had not won the championship since 1982, they conquered the fans with their smooth and fast-paced offense. Allen hoped that the Trail Blazers would play that kind of game, but Riley believed that ShowTime was 70

From the 1980s to the mid-1980s, the essence of basketball.

However, starting from the mid-1980s, everything Louis did in New York changed the game of basketball.

Riley believes that basketball should have strong physical contact, confrontation and aggression. He will not implement ShowTime in Portland because that is not a basketball concept that can be successful in the contemporary era. His goal is to lead the team to win the championship.

Winning the championship for Portland that had been missing for more than ten years.

"New York-style basketball has proven time and time again that the best offense in the world can't do anything against them. Whether it's Ralph Sampson, Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson or Michael, they can't do anything.

Use the offense to beat New York."

Allen asked: "According to you, can we beat the Knicks if we play like they do?"

"No, I'm not going to let the Trail Blazers play like the Knicks." Riley's words made people confused, and the speech that followed made all the interviewers feel numb, "If I were to coach, the Blazers would

The intensity of the game will surpass that of the Knicks. We will become the most feared team, a legion of hell that makes people tremble. I will let Michael make changes and reuse players who have real qualities and will not meet the standards.

A standard guy trade, maybe it will take a year or two, but only in this way can we surpass New York. The way to beat New York is never to attack, but to defend. When two tigers fight to the death for territory, the stronger one

, the one with a more vicious character will win."

Riley is tall and handsome, but that's just the surface, like his slicked-back hair and $2,000 Giorgio Armani suit. Essentially, there's a tyrannical and cruel side to his character that's like a boxing ring

Michael Tyson always wants to destroy his opponents.

Allen likes ShowTime, but he does not see the team as a channel for business development and communication like Jerry Buss.

He simply likes good-looking games, but deep down in his heart, he prefers his team to win.

Allen is simple and shy. He is not as pretentious as some team owners. After watching Riley's provocative interview, he decided to hire Riley on the spot.

Moreover, he gave Riley another meaningful position as vice president of basketball operations.

Allen himself serves as the president of the Blazers' basketball operations department, but he usually does not care about the team's operations.

This means not only letting Riley transform the Blazers, but also letting him operate according to his own ideas.

Business geniuses like Paul Allen know very well that talents cannot be tied up.

If his hands and feet are restrained, he will not be able to exert his full strength.

This is why Riley gained godfather-level powers.

Ironically, Riley's arrival in Portland should have been something worthy of the entire league's attention, but the riots caused by Billy Owens in Sacramento made it difficult for fans and the media to turn their attention away.

Only Louis knew how significant Riley's arrival in the Blazers was to Jordan.

Perhaps this is the wonder of the butterfly effect.

In Louis' previous life, Riley's team was suppressed by Jordan for many years and could not defeat the Bulls despite all means. Jordan's strength and leadership, as well as his lethality of ripping off his opponents' skin and cramps, impressed him deeply.

Therefore, in the new century, he will demand various stringent standards from players, and he hopes to have his own Jordan.

Now, he got the opportunity to coach Jordan.

But one thing is different: he and Jordan are both losers.

The cruel side of Riley's character, his absolute authority when coaching, coupled with Jordan's cruel personality and the ability to get stronger when strong, this is a two-way pursuit that even Louis has to take seriously.

Riley and Jordan had different coaches before.

Adelman has no experience, Rick Pitino can only play college tricks, and Riley has it all. He has been tortured by the Celtics and Knicks for so many years, and he believes that he has mastered it.

The secret to victory is just a place to show your fists.

Gujiao

Then, the Kings openly sold the rights to sign Billy Owens.

The first to pounce was the Warriors.

Don Nelson offered to trade Mitch Richmond for Owens' signing rights.

Although Richmond does not have many personal honors yet, he has averaged 20+4+4 per game for three consecutive seasons with the Warriors and is a comprehensive wing with balanced offense and defense.

All-Star and All-NBA teams are just a matter of time for him.

A confirmed star to be replaced by a rookie who has bad intentions and hasn’t played a single game in the NBA?

From Nelson's decisiveness and craziness, we can see how high professional basketball has high expectations for Owens.

Later, the Timberwolves also joined the discussion.

They discussed with the Kings the possibility of a rights swap for Kenny Anderson and Billy Owens.

Anderson is a talented guard, and Owens is a genius among geniuses. For the Kings, these two are not in the same level. If the Timberwolves want it, they have to add some chips.

But in Krause's view, there is not much difference between Anderson and Owens.

Owens' ceiling is astonishingly high, and Anderson is also a player who can definitely play in the NBA.

Lewis Shafir asked Louis again.

"Coach Lu, is it a good deal to trade Hank Gathers for Billy Owens' signing rights?"

"What makes you dissatisfied with Hank? Are you ready to trade him?"

Louis really can't understand, is Gathers not playing well? So far in his rookie season, he has averaged no less than 24 points per game, and his rebounding and defense are good. He just has a heart problem, but this can be controlled with medication.

"It's good, but isn't there something wrong with him? I feel like we can't count on him at the critical moment," Shafir said realistically.

Louis said earnestly: "Believe me, you may not be able to count on Hank at critical moments, but a team with Billy Owens can't count on him at any time."

"How could it be? Isn't he a combination of The Tragedian and Bird?"

"If true, he would be the No. 1 pick."

"Larry wasn't the No. 1 pick back then."

"You really want him?"

"I want it! I really want it!"

Shafir, who has not yet opened his eyes, is obsessed with Owens.

It's no wonder that what they are talking about is a young player whose upper limit is a combination of tragedy maker and Bird.

Wouldn't these people use some wisdom to think about it, is it possible that such a player will appear in the next hundred years?

"Let's do this. I'll get the rights to sign Billy Owens, and then I'll make a deal with you. I don't want much. Just give me Hank Gathers. How about that?" Louis said ruthlessly.

He asked harshly, "Do you want to do it or not?"

"Coach Lu, what you said makes my hair stand on end, as if I would regret it if I traded Hank for Owens."

Louis said calmly: "I am 100% sure that you will regret it, and soon, when Billy Owens finishes the first month of his rookie season, you will blame me for not persuading you, and you will also blame me for why I did it.

When I make this deal with you, you will forget how I advised you. I will ask you one last time, do you want him?"

"Damn it, what the hell is Billy Owens?" Shafir yelled in a loss of integrity, "This name doesn't sound like a superstar. Who wants him? Coach Lu, contact us again if anything happens.

Let’s discuss it~”

He died.

To make sure Shafir was not joking, Louie made a symbolic call to the Kings general manager and had someone spread the word.

He specifically asked people to say, "Little Lou thinks Billy Owens' ceiling is higher than Benj and Patrick Ewing!"

These words obviously conflict with his previous evaluation of Owens, but saying it is one thing and doing it is another thing. Everyone can only see that he wants Owens very much. He wants Owens very much.

This person's record in the draft, and with the Knicks' current lineup, what does it mean that he would rather tear down the lineup to get Owens?

His approach, not surprisingly, boosted Owens's worth, and also brought down some unexpected teams.