Chapter 393 Joining the Trail Blazers

Time continues to move forward, and transactions related to Zhao Dong are also in progress.

Ringo Wells rejected most teams because those teams were not strong enough, from the economy to the team's strength, to meet Zhao Dong's requirements.

Now he is mainly talking about the Trail Blazers, Lakers and Heat.

The Lakers agreed to dismantle the OK group, and one of them and all the others could be used as trading chips. The remaining one would partner with Zhao Dong, and then spend huge sums of money to build a new championship lineup.

As for the Trail Blazers, the whole team can be used as trading chips, allowing the Knicks to choose. They are full of sincerity.

Even, in order to get the support of James Dowland, the rich man Paul Allen privately promised Dowland that he could lend the other party a sum of money for turnover.

This is very attractive to Dolan. He is in urgent need of cash and his attitude is biased towards the Trail Blazers.

Of course, the dominant position in the transaction lies with Zhao Dong, so Zhao Dong is the focus of Paul Allen's research. For this reason, he did not hesitate to agree to support Ringo Wells with a large amount of benefits.

As for the Heat, although owner Arison has lost a lot of money like James Dowland, he has not been involved in finance. Although the company's market value has dropped significantly, there are no problems with operations, so it can still provide sufficient funds for the Heat.

With the support of the boss, Pat Riley offered the Knicks the same bargaining chip as the Trail Blazers. As long as Zhao Dong is willing to go to Miami, the entire Heat can take it.

"Feilong, that's it, you choose between these three teams." Wells did not give his own opinion and left the decision entirely to Zhao Dong.

"I'll give you a call after I think about it carefully." Zhao Dong said.

The time has entered July.

The Olympic Games are from September 15th to October 1st. Starting from July, the atmosphere of the Olympics has been very strong. CCTV often broadcasts some relevant news.

Zhao Dong has never decided which team to go to, and he is not in a hurry anyway.

But his lack of urgency has made these teams extremely anxious. If his transaction is not completed, other transactions of these teams will not be carried out at all. The general managers are so anxious that they cannot sleep at night.

Duncan and his agent were also anxious. Banks was so anxious that his mouth blistered, and Duncan was so anxious that he didn't even bother fishing.

On the Spurs side, Popovich approached Duncan again, flew to Duncan's hometown in person, and re-offered a contract worth $33 million over three years.

But this contract

Compared with the contracts of the Lakers and Magic, they are really inferior.

Now, in addition to those teams, there is one more team that really wants to trade Duncan, and that is the Nets in the Eastern Conference.

Many teams want to trade Dayao, but the Nets are unlikely to agree. Dayao, who was at the peak of his debut, is the cornerstone of their team. How can they trade the cornerstone?

In order to chase the championship, they even joined the ranks of chasing Zhao Dong, and Duncan was also one of their targets.

However, Duncan still rejected all teams. He is still waiting for Zhao Dong's trade before deciding where to go.

If Zhao Dong stays in the east, he will stay in the west, and if Zhao Dong goes to the west, he will go to the east.

He didn't want to stay on the same side as Zhao Dong, as his chances of reaching the finals would be relatively small.

But now, Zhao Dong has not decided where to start, and Duncan and his agent are also very anxious.

But there are many people who are more anxious than them.

The news that these teams want to trade Zhao Dong has been revealed by the media. The consequence is that players from several teams have been caught up in rumors that they will be traded.

These players also include the core of each team, and naturally include the OK combination.

O'Neal also had blisters on his mouth. He was not interested in beautiful women seducing him on the beach in Miami.

He doesn't want to be traded. As a superstar, being traded frequently will only show that he is not important. Otherwise, who will trade him?

Even more anxious than O'Neal was Kobe Bryant. He didn't want to leave Los Angeles. Although New York was good, it wasn't very attractive to him, and he didn't want to be a bargaining chip in the trade for Zhao Dong.

His first sneaker contract is about to expire, and there is still more than a year left. Adidas' current operations are very difficult. He has not been asked to renew his contract. He may switch to Nike or Feilong Sports. If these two years are used as bargaining chips in the transaction, , it is likely to affect his commercial value and prevent him from getting the best endorsement contract.

If it were another deal, he would still have the opportunity to put pressure on the management, but if the Lakers want to trade Zhao Dong, he has no say at all, because they won't care about his thoughts, so he can only wait passively.

These managements are also very anxious. Zhao Dong's deal has been delayed, and the team will be unable to make other transactions. This trade rumor has also caused disunity between the players and the team. Once Zhao Dong cannot be traded, what will happen to the pair? The team is a disservice.

Ringo Wells was also anxious and was urged by these teams, but he did not dare to call Zhao Dong and could only continue to wait.

Of course, Zhao Dong is also analyzing these teams, and the lineups of these teams are in his hands.

The current lineup of the Lakers is the strongest. One of the OK combinations will remain. After the transaction, there will still be some strength left. It is the least difficult to rebuild the lineup. However, the boss is not very rich, but the Lakers' operating income is good and they can afford luxury. Tax.

The Heat have a rich boss but a poor lineup. Mourning's iron kidney is no longer working. After completing the transaction, the existing lineup will be completely gone. It will be very difficult to rebuild 100%.

The Trail Blazers, after Rasheed Wallace went to the Bulls, had a bad lineup. They didn't have a single star, and they were an absolutely civilian lineup. However, they actually made it to the Western Conference Finals last year, which made many people's jaws drop.

However, they were swept by the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, unable to resist, and exhausted the last strength of the Trail Blazers. The lineup was obviously aging, and it was time to rebuild.

The good thing about this team is that the owner is super rich and willing to invest.

He now wants to complete six consecutive championships, so the key point to consider is that the team's lineup after the transaction must have championship strength. This is even his only requirement.

In terms of lineup, he tends to go to the Lakers, just because the Lakers can keep one of the OK combination after the trade, most likely O'Neal.

Compared with the influence on fans, a super center is not as good as a top defender, because the defender can play a more entertaining game.

But joining forces with O'Neal is not what he wants. He doesn't want to be on the same team with a superstar.

Let alone a superstar, he doesn't even really want an All-Star.

Teaming up with O'Neal, it is not difficult at all to win the championship. It is too easy. As long as their combination shows half the strength, they can defeat the entire league. Such a championship has no gold content at all.

Under this mentality, among the three teams, the Lakers were his last choice.

As for the Heat and Trail Blazers, the Heat are of course more attractive. Miami is a big ball market, and there is no doubt about Pat Riley's coaching ability.

He is also more familiar with Arison, the owner of the two teams, but he does not know Paul Allen.

However, he has played in the Eastern Conference for four seasons, and this time he wants to try the Western Conference.

However, he will not make a decision so quickly. He will delay it a little longer and see who among these teams can persist until the end. He will go to the team with the greatest sincerity.

Time flows slowly, and for some people, days are like years.

At eight o'clock in the morning on July 6th, he suddenly received a call from O'Neal.

"Feilong, please, decide quickly." O'Neill begged.

Zhao Dong laughed and said: "Shark, why are you taking your vacation and caring about my transaction?"

"I'm your bargaining chip, don't you know?"

O'Neal burst out emotionally and said very aggrievedly: "You go to the Lakers, I'll come to the Knicks, I made the decision for you."

Zhao Dong laughed again and then said: "Don't worry, Shark, you can enjoy your vacation in peace. Anyway, you are playing the same game with the Lakers or the Knicks, right?"

"You're such an asshole!"

O'Neal cursed and hung up.

After he hung up the phone, he called his agent David Falk, Jordan's agent, and asked Falk to inform the Lakers that if the team did not strengthen, he would apply for a trade.

After the Lakers received O'Neal's warning, they couldn't sit still.

After Jerry West thought about it, he contacted his boss Bass.

"Jerry, we have to quit, otherwise Shaq and Kobe's loyalty to the team will be exhausted, people will be scattered, and the team will be difficult to lead." He said.

"Why hasn't Fei Long decided yet? What is he waiting for?" Old Bass said angrily.

"Who knows what he is waiting for? I think Feilong is a pervert, with a perverted mentality and abnormal strength." West complained.

"Okay, Jerry, let's quit as you said. I'll call Shaq and Kobe. I need to appease their emotions." Old Buss said.

"OK." West said.

The first thing they couldn't handle was the Lakers. The Lakers were sitting on an increasingly powerful OK combination. In fact, they had the least desire to chase Zhao Dong. After they received O'Neal's warning, they decided not to stay anymore and started their own. Bolt-on transactions.

Secondly, the Nets also decided to withdraw, and they began to pursue Duncan with all their strength.

As for the Heat and Trail Blazers, they are still contacting Ringo Wells, and their boss also contacts Zhao Dong every once in a while to chat and flirt.

On July 10th, the Heat couldn't hold it anymore.

The freezing period of the free market has ended and transactions have officially begun. If they delay any longer, all the fish in the free market will be caught by other teams. Even if Zhao Dong is traded, they will not be able to create a new lineup and they will withdraw. .

Ringo Wells informed Zhao Dong that the Lakers, Heat, and Nets had all withdrawn, and a decision had to be made. If no decision was made, no matter which team he went to, there would be no way to build a new lineup.

"Let's talk to the Trail Blazers and Knicks." Zhao Dong smiled.

The Trail Blazers are also good. The boss has a championship heart. He no longer cares about the market. The championship is his only pursuit.

"marvelous!"

After receiving the notice from Wells, the Blazers' management went crazy, as if they saw the championship waving to them.

"This is great news, I'm so lucky!"

Paul Allen also learned the news later, and he was more excited than the management.

Neil Grant was very disappointed when the boss wanted to trade Zhao Dong. He single-handedly brought undrafted Zhao Dong to New York and brought a four-consecutive championship dynasty to the Knicks. But now he has to trade the god of basketball. This is very disappointing for him. It's extremely painful.

Moreover, what trading chips do the Trail Blazers have?

Damon Stoudemire? Or the old Pippen?

But there is no way, Zhao Dong is going to the Trail Blazers, and the Knicks have no other choice.

That's fine. When Zhao Dong came to the Knicks, the Knicks didn't pay anything and got it for nothing. Now that he leaves, the Knicks get nothing, so he can accept it.

Anyway, the boss has no ambition at all. The Knicks will become the boss's blood bank, and it doesn't matter if the lineup is a little bit different.

The transaction chips were quickly reached. The Knicks paid Zhao Dong + Marion to obtain the Trail Blazers' main center, Sabonis, the best player in Europe, historical small forward Pippen, and the Trail Blazers' 2001 and Unprotected first-round pick in 2002.

Sabonis has one year left on his contract, and his salary next year is US$11.2 million. Pippen's salary next year is US$13.75 million. The combined contracts of these two people are about the same as Zhao Dong's salary next year (US$24.42 million), which is just right. Matching transactions.

But these two people together can't even exchange for one of Zhao Dong's arms. For the sake of the future, the Knicks asked for two more first-round picks from the Trail Blazers. Marion, who performed very poorly in the playoffs, became the one to trade these two. Signing chips.

The Knicks got two future first-round picks, which can be regarded as making certain arrangements for the future. At the same time, Sabonis can make room after playing next season. Only Pippen's contract is large, but it is far smaller than Zhao Dong's future contract, so Knicks owner James Dowland is still satisfied with this deal.

After he nodded, the deal was quickly on David Stern's desk, awaiting his approval.

"Western Pioneers?"

Stern stared at the trade application and fell into deep thought.

In the West, there are the Lakers. If Zhao Dong goes to the West, he will enter the playoffs next year and the battle between the dragons and tigers in this year's finals will be repeated. This is of course good.

But the east will also weaken, showing a situation where the west is strong and the east is weak.

And this is not what he wants to see. He really doesn't want to see a one-sided finals situation again. Like this year's finals, although the game was fierce and beautiful, the Lakers were swept. He also thinks it is a pity.

"Tim Duncan has never decided which team to go to. I heard that the Nets have been chasing him, why not let him go to the Eastern Conference?"

As soon as this thought came up, he couldn't hold it anymore.

If Duncan goes to the Nets and joins forces with Chinese Yao, then the Nets will have the strength to compete with the Philadelphia Digital Team, and the Eastern Conference will also have a battle in the playoffs, no matter which team reaches the finals , and will not be powerless to fight back.

Twenty minutes later, the transaction regarding Zhao Dong was approved.

"marvelous!"

"We will hold a press conference immediately to announce the good news to the media and our fans."

After receiving the news from the league, the Blazers' management instantly cheered.

Ten minutes later, the official websites of the Trail Blazers and Knicks first announced the transaction.

There was a lot of scolding in New York, from owner James Dowland to the entire management, who were scolded bloody by the extremely angry Knicks fans and Zhao Dong fans.

Many emotional Knicks fans even vented their anger on Zhao Dong and burned his jersey.

But these fans are only a very small number of extreme fans, and the vast majority of fans are still rational, because they know that this stupid transaction was made by the boss, not that Zhao Dong was leaving New York.

In Portland, Trail Blazers fans were the exact opposite. They praised the management and owner Paul Allen as nothing more than a flower.

Meanwhile, within an hour of the announcement, Zhao Dong's jerseys were sold out in Portland, as were all styles of Silver Devils sneakers.

The next day, on the morning of July 12th, Trail Blazers general manager Witteste contacted Zhao Dong, and the two parties had a friendly conversation and communication.

The main content is lineup construction.

The current remaining lineup of the Trail Blazers, the main players include the main point guard Damon Stoudemire, the main shooting guard Steve Smith, the main center and the main small forward were traded to the Knicks.

The 27-year-old Flying Squirrel, the No. 7 pick in the first round of 1995, averaged 30 minutes per game last season, 12.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1 steal and 1.9 turnovers. Although he is not very old, his condition is in decline.

Steve Smith is 31 years old, the No. 5 pick in the first round of 1991. He has scored 20+ points in three seasons, but last season he only had 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists. His defense is average, and his condition is the same as that of the Flying Squirrels. He is on the decline. middle.

This backline combination has no chance of being first-rate and is barely second-rate. If it meets Iverson, Kobe, and Marbury, it will definitely be blown away.

Important rotation players include iron-blooded power forward Brian Grant, German Schrempf, etc.

In terms of potential, there are Bunch Wells, the 11th pick in the first round of 1998, and Jermaine O'Neal, Zhao Dong's pick of the same year, Jermaine O'Neal, the 17th pick in the first round of 1996.

Although the Trail Blazers' lineup is not very good, the salary is actually very high. There are several people with annual salaries of tens of millions and close to tens of millions, and they have to pay a lot of luxury taxes every year.

For example, Brian Grant will be worth $8.9 million next year, which is not much worse than the contract the Spurs offered Duncan.

Bunchwells played for two seasons. Last season, he averaged 17.6 minutes of playing time, 8.8 points and 2.8 rebounds. His performance was passable and he can become a qualified bench player.

As for O'Neal, he spent four seasons with the Trail Blazers and had little chance in the first three years.

The Trail Blazers are not inferior to him inside, and he is a high school student. After playing for four years, he is only 22 years old this year, one year younger than Zhao Dong. He is not trusted by head coach Dunleavy and does not get many opportunities.

Last season, the team was short of players inside, and boss Rasheed Wallace ran to hug Jordan's thigh. O'Neal Jr. got some opportunities, but he only played 12 minutes as a substitute. He had no tactical status and no chance to take action. Averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

O'Neal Jr.'s rookie contract is three plus one, and the final year is a player option. He has executed it and is now a restricted free agent.

General manager Wittester is not prepared to renew the contract. He is not optimistic about O'Brien, and head coach Dunleavy is not optimistic about O'Brien even more.

But because Zhao Dong's transaction has been delayed until now, he doesn't know who is left in the free market. For insurance, he has been trying to retain Xiao Ao.

In his hand, he has the contract the Pacers gave Ou in three years for $19 million, which far exceeds his estimated value of Ou.

If Zhao Dong is traded in the end, but Xiao Ao is not needed, it would be better to release him when the time comes.

To be honest, he has been deceiving Xiao Ao and Xiao Ao's agent.

But the reason for his deception is also very attractive, that is, the Trail Blazers traded Zhao Dong, and several main players will definitely not be able to keep it. Xiao Ou will get a lot of opportunities in the Trail Blazers, and he may even be the main player.