Reverse Growth Superstar

: 303: Responsibility as the core

In January 2000, Michael Heisley bought the Vancouver Grizzlies for $160 million. In 2001, the Grizzlies moved to Memphis, Tennessee. In 2004, the team owned a new arena-FedEx Arena, which is considered to be the most artistic arena in the NBA.

Since relocating to Memphis, the Grizzlies have reached the playoffs five times, and last year, the Grizzlies have grown into a strong team in the league. Last season, he reached the Western Conference Finals in one fell swoop, shocking everyone.

After Michael Heisley took over the Grizzlies, the changes that have taken place on this team can be described as earth-shaking. You know, before Heisley took over, the Grizzlies were almost one of the most hopeless teams in the league. Even, "one" can be removed.

In the 6 years in Vancouver, the Grizzlies have a total record of 101 wins and 359 losses, which is the worst record of an NBA team in a 6-year span. In these 6 years, the Grizzlies have never made the playoffs, their winning percentage in a single season has never exceeded 30%, and they have won only 23 games in a single season. At the same time, another Canadian team, the Raptors, has already broken through the first round of the playoffs, and a phenomenal superstar like Vince Carter has appeared.

For the Grizzlies’ farewell game in Vancouver, fans at the scene even raised a slogan saying "Thank you for the worst team in history." This is undoubtedly an indisputable complaint. There are also posters that say "100 wins are better than nothing, thank you Grizzlies", but you can hardly say whether this is a nostalgia or a satire.

In Vancouver today, there are no traces of grizzly bears. In the former home stadium of the Grizzlies, there were no flags, jerseys or old photos related to the Grizzlies in the local sports bar.

A team is so bad that it is unique.

This shows that Heisley is simply the savior of the Grizzlies. It was he who pulled this team out of the abyss. So, if he doesn't love grizzly bears, it must be false. The Grizzlies are now a Western Conference Finals team, which is exactly what Heisley has been dreaming about for a long time.

However, the 75-year-old Heisley really can't continue to run the team. There are bosses older than him in the middle of the NBA league, but there is no physical condition worse than him.

Every day when he gets up, Heisley swallows a bunch of colorful pills. Whenever a reporter asked him if he would trade so or so, he didn't have the patience before, and he just felt bored. And when he thought of the cumbersome reinforcement plan during the offseason, he was anxious to let Chris Wallace take care of it.

As a result, Heisley had the idea of ​​simply selling the team. Maybe a younger, more energetic and ambitious boss will manage the Grizzlies better.

At the most prosperous time in the history of the Grizzlies, Heisley chose to say goodbye to the team.

But Heisley urged Wallace not to disclose the news to the players and coaches, so as not to upset the military.

When the time comes, Heisley will naturally tell others.

Chris Wallace did, but the next afternoon, the news that Heisley wanted to change the team was still exposed.

There is no doubt that in this day and age, nothing can be hidden from reporters. Once the reporter knows, under the high timeliness of the Internet, the whole world will know this within a few hours.

"It is not our side that exposed the news, but it may be the buyer. Have you already contacted several buyer candidates? I think someone on their side may have revealed the news." After the news was exposed, Chris Wallace hurriedly turned over.

On the one hand, he wants to respond to reporters' questions. On the other hand, to help Heisley deal with the team's business. Overnight, his workload instantly doubled.

At this time, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins is sitting behind Wallace's desk, and he hopes to get some more detailed information.

The impact of a team change of boss on players and coaches can be small or large. After all, if you change the boss or not, the wages on the contract have to be served and the ball is also played.

But it is also very likely to change the career trajectory of players and coaches. In the last two years, there have been many changes in the team due to the change of bosses.

In 2010, the Golden State Warriors changed their boss. As a result, this year, Monta Ellis, the last representative of the "Golden State Gang" period, was kicked out by the Warriors, and Curry was formally corrected.

In March 2005, Dan Gilbert became the big boss of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since then, he has carried out drastic reforms to the team's management, coaching staff, and team lineup.

In 2010, Russian local tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov bought the Nets. And now the Nets have decided to relocate to Brooklyn next season, and the rumors about the Nets trade have never stopped.

However, after Wallace finished all the phone calls, he could only open his hands to Hollins, "I don't know who the new owner is, so I don't have any clue. You ask me what the team will become. ? Only God knows."

"But at this point, it was revealed that the team was going to be peddled. I am afraid that the players' condition will be affected. We have just lost Rudy Gay and Link has just been the core of the team. At this point of view. ,It is really......"

"Neither did I, nor did Heisley, but the reporters thought. It was they who exposed this matter. This is no way. I can only hope that our boys are focused enough." Wallace did. A first and two big, this year's Memphis Grizzlies feel like they have been moving forward in adversity.

The next day, sure enough, a lot of media began to slander the Grizzlies. They believe that under the current circumstances, the mentality of the Grizzlies players may be affected. After all, there have always been rumors about the trading of Guy, Randolph and even Conley. And now that the team is about to sell, no one can guarantee the fate of these players.

In the eyes of reporters, the Grizzlies should now be in a state of self-defense. In this state, it is difficult for the team to produce results.

Last season, the Nuggets almost fell out of the top eight in the West at a time when everyone was in danger. It was not until later that the deal with Anthony was completed, that he was killed again. The Jazz, in a state of jeopardy, went from being a champion challenger to becoming the top eight mid-range team in the Western Conference. As a result, after the transaction was completed, it was directly downgraded to a lottery team.

With these lessons learned, reporters have speculated that the Grizzlies will not end well this year.

As a result, on March 16th, the Grizzlies also unexpectedly lost to the Raptors in a very "appropriate" situation, which even blasted public opinion.

"The Grizzlies' recent record is about to die."

"The Memphis Grizzlies are in the most chaotic period in history."

"Rumors say: Hollins has already begun to work while looking for his next home."

As soon as the game was lost, all kinds of strange rumors came out. However, how many people really care about why the Grizzlies lost today?

In this game ~www.wuxiaspot.com~ Link scored 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, still worthy of his core player status. In addition, Randolph and Conley also scored 18 points and 15 points, respectively, and the Grizzlies performed very well.

It's just that the Raptors convulsed 46.7% of their three-pointers, which is a full 14% higher than their average three-pointers this year! The Grizzlies lost the ball.

And even so, the Grizzlies only lost 4 points.

But how can the reporters manage this? They just want to get people's attention, and don't care about the truth.

Although no one in the Grizzlies team is in danger, everyone is focused on the game itself. But the media is really possible to turn white into black.

Therefore, Link still feels very self-blame for his loss in this game. If this defeat can be avoided, there will be no such incidents.

Therefore, when Link was asked by reporters after the game, "How do you think the team is being peddled", Link looked focused.

"I will prove that most of you are farting. We are fighters and we just want to fight. Nothing else will affect our desire to fight. Those false voices will sooner or later be broken. ."

Link's speech was very firm, and also used the words "I will prove".

He knows very well that as the core of the team, in addition to enjoying the most lofty tactical status and the highest exposure rate, he also needs to do more practical things for the team and solve more problems.

How to stabilize the military spirit? Very simple, victory! Link has undoubtedly put the responsibility of breaking the rumors on his shoulders.

Seeing Link's righteous speech, Randolph, who was sitting beside him, smiled in relief.

That kid is more and more like a star.

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