As expected, as soon as the NBA free market opened in early July, Barkley immediately announced that he would take a salary cut and join the SuperSonics.
Yang Jian flew back to Seattle from Los Angeles to attend the press conference. Payton also participated. The actions of the two stars made Barkley feel respected.
Barkley only takes an annual salary of 1 million, of course, in order to win a championship ring at the end of his career. He doesn't want money, but he wants to live comfortably in the SuperSonics.
Suns fans are very disappointed, but the Suns can't even get past the first round of the playoffs. What reason do they have to let Barkley stay in Phoenix?
Barkley was interviewed and praised Yang Jian very much. "Yang is the best player in the league currently. I believe that the Sonics will successfully defend their title next season, so I am here. I hope people understand my decision, because I am eager to
Championship, I don’t want to retire with regrets.”
Barkley used to be a fan of Jordan, but now he is a fan of Yang Jian. He admires players who are stronger than himself, and he is self-aware.
Yang Jian also commented on Barkley: "Chuck is an important puzzle piece for us to build a dynasty. We will complete three consecutive championships together. In the regular season, we will hit the best record in history together."
It was big news when he opened his mouth. 75 wins and 7 losses has been called by many people a record that is "impossible to be broken". But Yang Jian is not satisfied yet. He wants to challenge his own record and change the lineup of the team.
On the premise of leaving an inside star.
A reporter asked a sensitive topic: "Who do you think is better, Kemp or Barkley?"
"It's hard to make a comparison. They each have their own strengths and they are not players of the same style. I can only say that they are both outstanding inside stars."
In fact, Yang Jian feels that Barkley is much better than Kemp. Kemp cannot be the boss and will never win the regular season MVP. But he must praise Kemp and cannot belittle his former teammates as soon as the team breaks up.
Now Kemp's heart is so swollen that he will definitely decline within two seasons of leaving the SuperSonics. Yang Jian knows this, but has no obligation to urge Kemp to continue playing well.
It doesn't matter if Kemp doesn't play well, he will get the high-paying long-term contract he wants.
The reporter asked: "Do you think Kemp's departure will have an impact on the team's interior defense?"
This is actually due to Barkley's height. Many people think that Barkley's defensive ability is average, but he only grabs more rebounds.
Yang Jian shook his head and said with a smile: "You may not believe it, but I don't care about the team's defense at all. I haven't thought about it much. Unless one day I can't run anymore, the Sonics will always rely on offense to win.
Team. With Chuck’s style of play, it doesn’t take time to integrate into it, and Gary and I are happy to pass the ball to him.”
Barkley and Payton were stunned. Neither of them could think of a more domineering answer than this.
This question has a trap. If Yang Jian said it has an impact on defense, it can be understood that he feels that Barkley is not as good at defense as Kemp. If he says it has no impact, then he has an opinion on Kemp and does not care about Kemp leaving the team at least.
Like the new and hate the old.
Yang Jian's answer was that neither old or new teammates would be offended, and he also showed extraordinary self-confidence.
After hearing this, Barkley felt that there was no pressure at all in the new season. He just had to do a good job on offense and Yang Jian had no problem with the defense.
Yang Jian really doesn't care. The Sonics' overall defense is worse so he can play longer. If the game often enters garbage time in the third quarter and his data drops compared to last season, it will be difficult to win the regular season MVP again.
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It is very difficult for a player to win the regular season MVP award consecutively. All that can do it are superstars. Since the 1980s, only Larry Bird has completed three consecutive regular season MVP awards, while Jordan and Magic Johnson have both won two consecutive games.
Yang Jian wants to consolidate his position as the number one player in the league. His goal next season is to win the MVP again.
In a parallel world, Jordan failed to win back-to-back MVP awards in the 1996-97 season. The key is that the Bulls lost twice to the Jazz in the regular season. Even if they only beat the Jazz once, Jordan would be able to win again with the best record. Yang Jianjian has a greater chance of winning again.
As long as he leads the team to defeat its main competitor.
Next season's regular season MVP originally belonged to Jordan. If Yang Jian defeated the Bulls twice in the regular season, he would take the absolute initiative. He remembered that Pippen missed nearly half of the regular season due to surgery and the Bulls' strength declined. This was his
Major benefits.
He won't say these thoughts out loud, otherwise others might think he's a bit scary.
This season has just ended, and he is already thinking about how to deal with his opponents next season. There is probably no other person in the NBA who can be so calculating.
Just because his spiritual attributes are so high, he can't help but think of many things, and it's difficult to be an ignorant person.
The reporter also asked Barkley to comment on Payton. Barkley had already thought of his words, praising the SuperSonics Twins as the best in the league in perimeter strength and Payton's ability to attack well and defend very comprehensively.
Barkley was so eloquent that he made both Yang Jian and Payton very comfortable. Fliggy's talent is not only on the basketball court, he is also very successful as a commentator.
In a parallel world, Barkley retired as a four-time Sports Emmy Award winner and is arguably the most successful former athlete in broadcasting history.
Payton also praised Barkley and expressed that he is looking forward to next season. "After Chuck joins, our fast break will definitely be stronger. I think our games will become more exciting."
The reporter asked: "You have partnered with Kemp for many seasons. Do you feel sad when he leaves?"
"Of course, but there is a saying that 'there is no such thing as a feast that lasts forever'. Sean's departure has been decided a long time ago, and we can only wish him the best." Payton took the opportunity to show off his culture. This was Yang Jian's celebration of winning the championship.
He was very impressed by what was said at the party.
After the press conference, Barkley's joining the SuperSonics immediately made headlines in sports news and was called the most important signing in the free market.
Many fans suddenly felt that there was no suspense about who would win the championship next season, and the SuperSonics' lineup beat other teams.
Everyone lamented that Barkley's annual salary was too low and unfair to other teams. As a star who has won an MVP, even if you don't get an annual salary of tens of millions, you should still have 5 million, right?
There are indeed too many players in the league with an annual salary of 5 million, and some blue-collar insiders with no data can get it. For a star like Barkley in 2010, an annual salary of 10 million is reasonable.
The players admired Barkley's all-out effort. He really sacrificed too much for the championship. He has not received a high salary in his entire career, and he is considered the only one among big-name stars.
Just one day later, the SuperSonics announced the signing of free agents Fred Hoiberg and Bruce Bowen, both with minimum salaries.
When Bowen received the call, he thought he had encountered a scam. He didn't even have an agent and had never tried out with the Sonics. He also had no intention of recommending himself to the Sonics. He thought that with his resume, the championship team would definitely look down on him.
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The SuperSonics management actually took the initiative to contact him, and instead of extending an invitation to the summer league, they signed a contract directly.
Even though he only received a basic salary, Bowen still felt incredible and suspected that he had encountered some unexplainable supernatural event or mysterious power.
It's really strange, he didn't have an amulet, he didn't see a shooting star, he didn't even throw a coin in the wishing fountain to make a wish.
Manager Wally Walker did this because he was worried that Bowen would represent other teams in the summer league and eventually sign with other teams. Yang Jian named Bowen and there was no need to investigate. Anyway, there was no guarantee for this basic salary.
After the start of the new season, if Bowen's performance is really bad, the SuperSonics can waive him before February.
Hoiberg will definitely get a basic salary if he stays in the Pacers, and of course he is very happy to join the SuperSonics. The Pacers unexpectedly won a game against the SuperSonics last season, and he suspected that it was the two three-pointers he hit in that game.
The ball was distributed and left an impression on the Sonics management.
These two people did not hold a press conference when they joined, no reporters wanted to interview them, and not many people knew them.
Even though they joined the SuperSonics, the media just mentioned it casually, thinking that they just went to the SuperSonics to be marginal players and had no future.