The draft is over and the trade window is open. Although there is still a freeze period of more than half a month, players can be contacted legally and contracts can be negotiated.
"As the sharks travel east, the Heat will rise!"
On the 30th, the first transaction revealed by the media was the news about O'Neal's transaction, which was dug up by the Los Angeles Sports News.
Even the specific transaction chips were revealed. The Heat paid Caron Butler, Odom, and Brian Grant the first round pick in 2006 to get the Sharks.
O'Neal was not surprised at all, because the Lakers informed him last night, and he was not disappointed about being traded. The relationship with Kobe was too bad, and the Lakers were unwilling to give him another maximum-salary contract. He had long wanted to leave.
.
However, being traded this time, or the Lakers' refusal to give him a maximum salary contract, also made him realize that he is old, really old.
At this time, a phone call came in.
"Hello, I'm Shaquille O'Neal."
"Shaq, this is Wade, Dwayne Wade. It makes me so happy to hear your voice. I just asked the management, is it true, are you really going to come to Miami?"
"Hey, hello, Kid Flash. Yes, I'm coming. Do you welcome me?"
"Great! We just need a big man, Shaq, let's work hard together! The Heat are a team worth working for, and Miami is also a city worth staying in. Beaches, bikini beauties, the best
Teammate, we have everything you want here."
O'Neal felt good, and Wade's attitude made him happy. It was ten times, no, a hundred times better than the cold Kobe.
"Dwayne, I will help you. Let us work together to make the Heat the strongest in the Eastern Conference."
In happiness, he said something very important, which made Wade stunned. Even he himself was stunned after saying it.
Wade couldn't believe that O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal, the super center and the beast second only to Old K, were actually willing to assist a second-year player like him? How is this possible?
Kobe did not receive the news in advance. After seeing the news, he immediately contacted Kupchak and asked if it was true. After receiving a positive answer, he immediately asked: "Mitch, how do we solve the problem of our center?
Brian Grant cannot do that. He is too short and too old. He will definitely not be able to support our basket next season. Old K can beat him with one hand."
Kupchak is helpless. Since you know this, why can't you get along with the Sharks?
He said: "Kobe, there are too few centers that can compete with Old K. You should know this best. But I will try my best to continue trading, but I can't guarantee that I can get a good center. You'd better have
Mental preparation.
In fact, I have to say, we'd better pray that Old K's condition declines soon. If he continues to maintain his current condition, then no matter who we get, he will not be able to beat the Suns."
Although Kobe has a strong character, he couldn't help but feel depressed when he thought about the strength of Old K and the Suns.
"Let's find a way to get Yao here, he and I are a good match." He finally said.
Kupchak shook his head over there. It is not easy to get Yao. In the current league, apart from K, among the centers are O'Neal and Yao. Yao is even more marketable than O'Neal and can be called the second center in the league.
"Kobe, are you still on vacation in Italy?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I just had a talk with Mr. Tellem. Are you satisfied with your new contract?"
"Not bad, I'm very satisfied."
"That's good."
Kupchak breathed a sigh of relief. With O'Neal gone, Kobe couldn't have any more problems. He gave away a super-large contract worth 140 million US dollars over 7 years.
At 9 a.m. on the 30th, D'Antoni and Nash appeared at the Knicks headquarters in New York. The Knicks held a press conference and announced that they would sign a contract with the two.
The Knicks have deep pockets and gave D'Antoni a huge contract worth tens of millions. Nash's contract was for 5 years and 74 million. He also chose his jersey number, which was still No. 13.
"Damn D'Antoni, he kidnapped Nash! Knicks, Old K will not let you go, let you look good next season."
After young Colangelo saw the news on the airport TV, he cursed with anger and was depressed to death.
"Head coach D'Antoni and All-Star point guard Nash defected to the Knicks, and the Suns announced their disintegration!" New York Times.
"SunMart is open!" New York Sports.
All major media outlets reported the news on their official websites. For a moment, it seemed as if the Suns were really going to disintegrate.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, after Colangelo Jr. returned from New York in Phoenix, he returned to the headquarters and his assistant immediately handed him a large stack of transaction quotations.
After he sat down, he picked up the Lanshan coffee prepared by his assistant, and drank it in one gulp without fear of burning it, and then began to read through the quotations.
Boy, do these teams really treat the Suns as a player supermarket?
From Stoudemire, to the main players like Marion and Joe Johnson, to the substitutes like Zhu Fangyu and Josh Howard, all the important rotation players of the team have received multiple quotations. In total, he has at least forty or fifty in his hand.
Quotation.
"Sir, Joe Johnson's agent has an appointment with you in half an hour," the assistant reminded.
"OK."
Colangelo Jr. nodded. His assistant informed him yesterday.
Joe Johnson's agent is Kobe's agent Arn Tellem. When Kobe was still with the Suns, Tellem wanted to take Kobe away. It's the same now, wanting to take Joe Johnson away from Phoenix.
He doesn't want to let him go. Joe Johnson is one of the few Suns players who can attack with the ball. Neither Marion nor Stoudemire has the ability to attack with the ball. Joe Johnson's status in the team will become higher and higher in the future. He will
Johnson was traded from the Green Team and trained for two years. How could he be released?
Joe Johnson still has the last year of his four-year rookie contract. After next season, Joe Johnson will only be an incomplete free agent. The Suns still have the first right to renew the contract, so he is not in a hurry.
"Hello, Mr. Tellem."
"Hello, Mr. Colangelo."
Not long after, Arntelem walked in.
The two of them did not talk nonsense and went straight to the point.
Tellem said: "Mr. Colangelo, I am very dissatisfied with the team's training of Joe. It's too bad. He was delayed in the Suns and has no future here."
Tellem's attitude was too strong, and little Colangelo felt bad in his heart.
Tellem continued: "Old K took up too many shots and ball rights, and other substitutes also took up a lot of time. Joe's playing time and shots in the team, and the ball rights were severely suppressed. I hope
Can the Suns face this problem squarely, and if they don’t intend to develop him, can they please let him go?”
"Mr. Tellem, we are planning to continue to increase Joe's importance to the team next season. I have talked to you on the phone." Colangelo emphasized.
A look of disdain flashed across Tellem's face and he said: "Then how do you improve? Reduce Old K's ball rights and shots, and reduce his tactical status?"
He is too aware of Old K's status in the Suns. It is impossible, so he must take away Jojo Johnson this time.
No, it is to rescue Joe Johnson and stay with Old K. Joe Johnson will definitely miss the best stage to improve his strength and then become the most ordinary player without any star power.
He believes in Joe Johnson's potential, and as long as he is given a chance, he will definitely become a star-studded All-Star.
Colangelo Jr. was speechless because he really had nothing to do. Although he wanted to increase the training of Joe Johnson, the team has Lao K, Stoudemire, Marion, Zhu Fangyu and Josh Howard. How can there be so many resources for training?
Joe Johnson?
If you insist on not letting go, once Tellem reveals the matter, it will be detrimental to the Suns. This kind of thing cannot be done.
In desperation, he flipped through the stack of transaction quotations and pulled out the one about Joe Johnson.
There are six copies in total, from teams such as the Hawks, Trail Blazers, Nets, etc. It can be seen that Joe Johnson is very popular in the trading market, and it is not just the Suns who know his potential.
Tellem saw little Colangelo's actions, and a victorious smile appeared on his face.
Colangelo Jr. noticed Tellem's expression, thought about it, and said unwillingly: "Mr. Tellem, I am preparing to trade Josh Howard to improve Joe's playing time, ball rights and shots. You believe me,
He will be best nurtured by the Suns."
Tellem immediately asked in a cold voice: "So how many shots can you guarantee that Joe Johnson will get in the Suns?"
Colangelo Jr. thought for a moment. Joe Johnson only averaged 8.4 shots per game this season, and he said: "10 times?"
"Mr. Colangelo, at least 17 times, this is my bottom line." Tellem said immediately.
Colangelo Jr. shook his head and doubled the number. This was a big opening for the Lions. In the Suns, except for Old K, no one is qualified to have more than 15 shots. Neither Marion nor Stoudemire can do it. They are gone.
The same goes for Nash.
At this time, Tellem added: "If the Suns want to keep Joe Johnson, they must not only satisfy his shooting and ball rights, but also renew his contract in advance. I want to know what the management thinks about this?"
Colangelo Jr. asked tentatively: "So what kind of contract do you want?"
"A billion-dollar contract is a must. Joe Johnson deserves such a contract."
Tellem opened his mouth and startled little Colangelo. He also knew that Joe Johnson really couldn't keep him.
Now, in addition to K's 22 million contract, the team just signed a multi-million dollar contract with Marion last year. Stoudemire's rookie contract has only been for two years, and there are still two years left, so there is no rush.
If you give Joe Johnson such a big contract, let’s not talk about the rationality of the contract. The contract between Lao K, Marion and Joe Johnson alone will exceed 45 million a year. Even if the boss is willing to invest, he will not
How dare you spend money so lavishly!
Tellem left with satisfaction, and it was Colangelo's turn to worry.
He looked through the six quotations and found that the Eagle was the most suitable.
Why?
Because the Hawks are a bad team in the process of rebuilding and have failed to reach the finals for five consecutive seasons. The management seems to be very optimistic about Joe Johnson's potential. In order to trade Joe Johnson, they sent a top-three pick in 2005.
Protected first-round draft pick.
He doesn't want anything else, he just wants the Eagles' first-round pick.
But one person is definitely missing. Joe Johnson was the No. 10 pick in the first round in 2001. He played for three years and was about to produce results. It was impossible to just change to a first-round pick, and it was also a top-three protected pick.
This is not what he wants.
After a few brushstrokes, he scribbled on the quotation, then called his assistant in, handed the quotation over, and warned: "Send it over immediately."
"Okay, sir."
The assistant took a look and said, good guy, the unprotected first-round pick of 050607, is the young boss trying to kill the Eagle with one blow?
After the Hawks received the quotation from the Suns, they were laughed out of anger. If the trade was for Old K, they would have agreed immediately without saying anything. But Joe Johnson only averaged 8.6 points per game last season. Do you think he is Jordan?
For sale?
But the Hawks really want to get Joe Johnson. They really take a fancy to Joe Johnson's potential. The reason why he can't succeed in the Suns is because Old K is there and the Suns are full of talents, so there is no chance.
The two teams went back and forth, and by six o'clock in the afternoon, before getting off work, they finally reached a deal.
The Hawks paid $2.5 million for a top-three protected first-round pick in 2005 and a top-three protected first-round pick in 2007, and the Suns paid Joe Johnson and Tom Gugliotta.
After completing the trade of Joe Johnson, Colangelo Jr. also breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, there is still Josh Howard who can be cultivated and has good potential. There will still be someone available at the second position next season.
After getting two first-round picks from the Hawks, he now just hopes that the Hawks will continue to be bad, but he won't have too much luck in the lottery.
After winning this championship, the Suns have once again become the public enemy of the league. Except for Suns fans, no one wants to see the Suns win the championship. The league also does not want to see Old K win the championship again. The same goes for the media, so it is difficult for the Suns to carry out quality activities.
In this transaction, the first-round draft pick is particularly important.
As for other important rotation players, it is impossible to trade him, because there are no good bargaining chips after looking through this large stack of trade quotations. These teams just want to take advantage of the Suns.
In the evening, he made a phone call to Lao Wang.
“Joe Johnson requesting a trade?”
"D'Antoni went to the Knicks?"
"Nash also went to the Knicks?
Three messages in a row made Lao Wang stunned for a moment.
"It's going to rain, and my mother wants to get married, let them be."
He was also a little helpless, but said angrily: "The Knicks are such a bad team. They not only poach players, but also coaches. Next time we meet, I will kill them."
"Old K, I have received dozens of trade applications. Stoudemire and Marion may also be poached. I am ready to talk to them. If two more are poached, our situation next season will be really bad.
." Little Colangelo said worriedly.
Although Lao Wang was mentally prepared for it, he never expected that the other teams' hoes would come in such a violent way.
When the Lakers won three consecutive championships, the lineup was quite stable. With him, Kobe, and a few veterans, other teams couldn't poach him and Kobe, and there was no need to poach a few veterans.
But this time, the Suns are full of young players, and young people have many weaknesses that cannot be exploited. I'm afraid the situation will be as bad as Colangelo Jr. said.
And he understands that his presence has indeed been suppressing the teammates around him.
"Old K, I'm going to let Jeff be the head coach, what do you think?" Colangelo asked at this time.
Lao Wang thought for a while and then said: "Okay, I have no objection."
The next morning, the Suns announced their head coach for the new season, and Jeff Van Gundy became the Suns' new head coach.
Next, Colangelo began to contact Stoudemire and others, preparing to appease them.
The first person to contact was Stoudemire. Of course, the inside line was more important. Needless to say, Stoudemire's talent, the person he least wanted to have problems with was Stoudemire.
However, when the phone was turned off, he immediately became anxious and quickly called Stoudemire's agent, Happy Walster.
At this time, Stoudemire and his agent were sitting at a high-end restaurant in New York, having lunch with Nash, D'Antoni, and Thomas.