The rest is just noise

When Wilson signed the largest contract in the league last year, Ewing's agent proposed re-signing, hoping to take advantage of the sharp increase in the salary cap to negotiate a big contract for his client that would shock the league.

As a result, Louis sternly rejected him.

They knew that if Louis couldn't get through this, it would be useless to talk about it.

Then Louis never received a call from David Falk again, and Ewing began various competitions with Wilson to prove his leadership status.

The Knicks were a powder keg last season.

Anyone who throws a burning match into it will set off a raging fire.

This season, the Knicks have a good atmosphere.

Ewing's camp suddenly proposed to re-sign the contract, and Louis became uncertain.

Could it be that the internal tension last season and the superficial harmony this season were controlled by David Falk and shown to him by Ewing?

"What did he tell you?" Louis asked.

Baylor explained clearly: "Farke said that Patrick plans to stay in New York, so he feels there is no need to wait until the end of the season. We can complete the contract extension during the season, which will also reduce a lot of uncertainties."

This time, Falke's approach was more appropriate and reasonable than last time.

What was inappropriate last time was that Wilson had just signed a big contract. As if he was jealous, he went past Baylor and called Louis directly, asking for a re-signing...

This kind of bastard who has no skills and no respect for the Knicks management, of course Louis wants him to get out.

This time, Falk at least respected the negotiation process.

Ewing's wishes were conveyed through Baylor, who then conveyed Ewing's demands.

This is decency.

You can continue to talk about whether it works or not, but the basis for talking about things is mutual respect.

What makes sense is that they choose the time to start re-signing negotiations.

This season is the seventh season of Ewing's famous rookie contract. Back then, Louis originally wanted to give him a contract without any options. But Falk insisted on a player option. They hoped that the player option would be in the fifth year.

, but Louis is only willing to give the seventh-year player option.

After fierce resistance, Falk threatened to cancel the negotiations and threatened to request a trade, but Louis was determined not to give players options below the seventh year.

Ewing and Falk finally agreed.

As it turns out, it was the right year.

Ewing's salary ranked first in the league for five consecutive seasons, and it was only in the past two seasons that his salary was reduced to an ordinary maximum salary.

Without a player option, Ewing's contract would gradually turn into a child labor contract over the next five years.

If you play 2K, this is naturally a very exciting thing.

But in reality, Louis has to face Ewing every day. As the leader of the Knicks and the core player of the team, Ewing has to face players who are paid more than him all the time, but are not as good as him.

What are your thoughts?

The team behind him will not allow him to become cheap labor.

Louis also has no intention of using a cheap contract to get the mentality of the core players, like the Bulls did in the last three consecutive games, and then break up later.

Therefore, regardless of whether there is a player option or not, Ewing's 10-year contract cannot be executed until the last year.

The disputes and confrontations in the middle are completely a struggle for the right to speak.

Louis wants to take control of the situation, and so does Falk.

Now they propose to re-sign at this time, which is in the interest of both Ewing and the Knicks.

If it really drags on to the offseason, and Ewing announces that he will exercise the player option to opt out of his contract, he will become a complete free agent. Although he wholeheartedly wants to stay in the Knicks, in theory, if a team has enough salary space, it is

Can issue super large contracts.

When the time comes, the Knicks will have a headache whether they match or not. It is better to get it done now. The long-term pain is not as good as the short-term pain.

"We can talk. If you have any news, tell me anytime."

At present, the league has not clearly stated the price of the maximum salary. Therefore, there is no saying about what percentage of the salary cap the maximum salary players account for. Everyone quotes according to their own feelings.

Therefore, the quotation is basically based on the player's performance on the field and his team.

Wilson, who had the highest salary in the league last season, has been surpassed by Jordan, Barkley (who just re-signed his contract with the Trail Blazers) and Drexler this season.

Jordan's annual salary is 5.4 million, Barkley's is 4.8 million, and Drexler's is 4.6 million.

Therefore, according to Falke's style, Ewing's annual salary in his next contract will not be less than 5.4 million.

Now Ewing has no baggage.

He can be said to be the second center in the league, even though his level is actually about the same as Olajuwon and David Robinson.

Because he has four championships, MVP and FMVP.

If an MVP can crush a player without a championship, then MVP+FMVP+championship is a dimensionality reduction blow.

The Knicks' re-signing negotiations with Ewing began on Thanksgiving night.

In order to amplify Ewing's momentum, Falk deliberately leaked information about the negotiations.

Suddenly, everyone in the league turned their attention to Apple City.

Seven years ago, Ewing could negotiate for 30 million over 10 years. How much is he worth now?

The starting price for this re-signing negotiation is 5.5 million.

5.5 million a year, which is already higher than Jordan.

Falk smiled and nodded: "This is a good start, but it is not enough."

Baylor was scolded a lot, but Falk sincerely believed that Ewing deserved more money.

Although the Knicks salary cap has long been filled, Ewing can activate the Bird clause and get as much money as he wants.

Gu Zhen

When Baylor raised the offer to 5.8 million per year, Falk still shook his head.

"Tell me, how many do you want?"

Falk said in a non-astonishing way: "8 million a year."

Belle almost thought he heard wrong.

8 million a year? This is not just a lion's mouth, it is simply treating Ewing as a superman.

If the Knicks agree to this price, it would be an indirect admission that Ewing's value is twice that of Wilson.

Regardless of whether the Ewing camp has this intention or not, Wilson's camp will not give up.

"Don't even think about it!"⑴

Negotiations were briefly interrupted.

As the season continued, Louis knew exactly what an outrageous price Ewing's agent had quoted, but pretended to be alright on the surface.

After Thanksgiving, the Knicks have only one game left in November.

The game against the Pistons at the end of the month.

The Pistons are one of the many confused teams. They did not have the strength to challenge the Knicks and Celtics at the beginning, but they have the strength to defeat all the Eastern Conference teams except these two teams.

So they didn't tear down the team and rebuild it, they still had some illusions in their minds.

What if Dumas suddenly mutates?

What if Parrish was suddenly taken over by the protagonist who traveled through time and space?

If all of this may be too ridiculous, let’s be practical. What if the Knicks are in internal strife? What if the Knicks suffer a wave of injuries like the Celtics and fail without a fight?

It is this idea that keeps the Pistons persevering. However, this perseverance loses its meaning as the main lineup grows older.

They are waiting for the Knicks to decline, but their age structure is far older than the Knicks.

If they want to decline, they will decline first. The Knicks' competitiveness seems to be able to continue into the new century...

At the end of the month, Ewing broke out again.

He finished the game with 44 points, 15 rebounds and 7 blocks, and showed off his muscles when he came off the court.

Team reporter William Roden asked about the significance of Ewing's departure.

Ewing said truthfully: "I hope the contract extension negotiations will end soon. My thought at the time was that no matter how much money I ask for, it is what I deserve."

Louis noticed Ewing's speech, but 8 million a year?

If the Knicks are Ewing's one-man team, if Ewing is as important to the Knicks as the first- and second-year Takenori Akagi is to Shohoku, let alone 8 million a year, even if it is 10 million a year, they will

It has to be offered.

This is where the biggest problem lies.

The Knicks can't survive without Ewing. They also have Wilson who is as good as Ewing and many good players.

Their annual salary is less than 5 million. No, strictly speaking, only Wilson is priced at 4 million. If Ewing really signs an 8 million-year contract, can the atmosphere in the team be saved?

So this is absolutely not possible.

Thinking of this, Louis began to doubt Falke's motives.

Did Falk not think of such a simple thing?

He doesn't really think that the Knicks will satisfy Ewing's selfish desires regardless of the feelings of other players, right?

Lu Xun said that Chinese people like moderation. If you want to open the windows, you must first suggest that everyone tear down the roof. Americans with a surname of capitalists are profit-driven, and they often put personal interests first.

The paradox here is that the Knicks already have a complete salary structure.

4 million, 3 million, 2.5 million and a lot of old contracts.

If Ewing alone signs a contract for 8 million, the structure will be destroyed. If they want to renew players in the future, they will follow Ewing's standards.

Therefore, this example cannot be opened.

On the evening of November 30, Louis personally called Falk: "David, not only will we not meet your annual salary of 8 million, we will also not give you a contract with an annual salary of 7 million."

"Coach Lu, do you want Patrick to go to the free market to test his value?" Falk Youyou said, "Honestly, if I let the news out now and inform the teams that Patrick will become a free agent next summer, there will be

How many teams have made salary space for him, and what kind of offer do you think he will get when the time comes?"

"Even if Patrick appears in the free market, he will not get an offer higher than 6 million. Although there is no upper limit on players' salaries, there is an upper limit on what each team can afford. David, if you still have the sincerity to negotiate, why not

Stop your nonsense that can only scare children, and tell me what you need to do before you are willing to back down."

Louis said coldly: "We are old acquaintances, let me know what your bottom line is."

"Coach Lu, when you agreed to give Patrick a 10-year, 30 million contract in the office, did you already know that today would happen?"

Louis listened in silence.

"I must admit that you are the best president in this league, and you are the last person I want to deal with. To be honest, if Patrick hadn't insisted on staying, I would have tried every means to get him to leave New York." Fall

Ke smiled and said, "Even if Patrick is so affectionate and righteous, you have to give him a big contract, right?"

Louis said in a deep voice: "6.4 million a year, which is 1 million more than the current highest salary in the league."

"No, Michael's salary next season is 5.6 million. Give Patrick a little more respect, Coach Lu."

"6.5 million."

"6.8 million." Falk said, "This is the only bottom price we can accept."

"6.6 million." Louis snorted, "I won't give you another cent."

"Okay, since Patrick wants to stay in New York so much, we can take a step back, but we have a small request."

Louis sneered as expected: "Please finish your fart at once."

"Coach Lu, we want a three-year contract, and Patrick should have the right to have the option to opt out of the contract in the second year of the contract."

⑴Ahem, the price is not this in reality. At that time, Riley had just arrived in New York (the summer of 1991), and Falk threatened New York with Ewing leaving the team. Riley knew very well that the Knicks could not challenge the Bulls without Ewing. So he coordinated,

Let the Ewing camp regress appropriately. The Ewing camp "relented" and then reached a new contract with the Knicks with an annual salary of US$8.8 million. You must know that the salary cap at the time was smaller in reality than in the book, so, hey

嘤嘤......This is the same as Jordan's 30 million in 1996, and his salary is twice that of the second player in the league.