The Fifth Point Guard

Last season, they were defeated by the San Antonio Spurs 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals, which made the proud Los Angeles Lakers hold their breath.

After the loss, Kobe Bryant also shed sad tears in front of the media.

The Lakers' management couldn't sit still during the offseason.

In order to regain the lost crown, the Lakers used the "OK" combination of signs and the temptation of the championship, and recruited violent power forwards Karl Malone and "Glove" Gary Payton from the Utah Jazz and Seattle Supersonics with low salaries. The frightening Lakers F4!

This showy operation of the Lakers made the entire league tremble.

More business-minded businessmen immediately opened a place called "Tremor" bar in the block next to the Lakers. The slogan is: Tremor Bar, Tremor.

Many experts even directly predicted the Lakers' regular season record of 82-0.

O'Neal and Kobe are good enough, but this time it's even worse. O'Neal got Malone as a helper in the interior, and Kobe also got Payton as a partner. The pressure on defense and offensive organization will be much less.

The Lakers made other teams in the league unable to sit still.

Who wants to just play the role of accompanying runner for a whole season.

Thus, a vigorous arms race in the history of the NBA kicked off.

The Dallas Mavericks, who had an arm-wrestle with the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals last year, responded immediately.

They first introduced Antawn - Jamison, and then got Antawn - Walker from Boston!

To be able to disintegrate the newly formed Big Three of the Green Army, it must be the Mavericks owner Cuban's "money ability" that has played a role.

As a traditional western team, the Satramento Kings, who had a poor record last season, were unwilling to sink after Chris Webber was injured. In order to make up for Webber's vacancy, they recruited insider Brad Miller from the Bulls. .

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who have always been quite powerful but have been running with them, have brought in Trallier Sprewell and Sam Cassell heavily in order to wash away the shame of seven years in the first round of the playoffs.

Due to the strange shape and appearance of these two people, the critics did not call them and Kevin Garnett the Big Three, but called them the "three-headed monster".

Seeing that other strong players in the West have strengthened their lineup, even the Spurs, who are as calm as the Spurs, can't sit still.

They sent away the unstable outside shooter Stephen Jackson, promoted Manu Ginobili, and tapped the potential from within the team, and the "GDP" combination turned out.

After a lot of recruiting, the top five in the Western Conference has been released. Compared with them, other teams are almost not at the same level.

Even the media exclaimed: "These five teams are like the gods on Mount Olympus, who can match them?"

Some media even declared: "In such a wonderful and powerful West, who still watches the Eastern Conference?"

As for the defending champion New Jersey Nets, this offseason did not receive strong support, and they also lost Shentong. For a while, the Nets were generally looked down upon by the media.

It is also the champion team with the least promising defending market.

This summer, another big event happened to another Chinese player, Yao Ming.

After entering the league, Yao Ming averaged 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his rookie season, and faced the expiration of his Nike contract.

This year, Nike gave LeBron James, who is also the No. 1 pick, a seven-year $90 million contract, and Kobe Bryant a five-year $45 million contract.

At that time, the fans generally thought that the contract that Nike gave Yao Ming should also have an annual average of tens of millions of dollars.

Unexpectedly, Nike really didn't take Yao Ming as a cadre.

They only offered Yao Ming $1.6 million for four years.

That's right, 1.6 million, no less than 0.

Even if it is 16 million in 4 years, compared with other Nike stars, the gap is not the slightest.

$400,000 a year, this price is simply humiliating Yao Ming.

While Nike offered Yao Ming a four-year offer of $1.6 million, Reebok also simultaneously offered a six-year offer of $4 million.

After learning that Yao Ming angrily rejected the contract offered by him, Nike suddenly panicked.

After careful consideration and evaluation of the Chinese market, Nike quickly corrected the contract and offered a super sky-high contract of 120 million U.S. dollars for 7 years!

Nike felt that no one would turn down the offer.

After all, this contract is the largest endorsement contract in the NBA so far, equal to one James plus two-thirds of Kobe!

However, Yao Ming, with a strong waist, directly rejected the confident Nike, and there was no room for negotiation.

Reebok also increased the contract to 60 million US dollars for 6 years, and in order to show enough sincerity, they also offered an endorsement contract to Yao Ming's good brother Liu Wei.

In the end Yao Ming chose to sign with Reebok.

Yao Ming was not moved by Nike's money in the end. Perhaps in Yao Ming's eyes, knowing how to respect a talent is the most important thing. Obviously, Nike's approach is really inappropriate.

Yao Ming, who rejected Nike and signed with Reebok, said to the media when talking about endorsements: "You can give me less money, but you must face me sincerely. This is not about money."

After appearing at the meeting in Cleveland, Shen Tong has not been idle.

Taking time out, he went to visit someone.

Miami's seaside is calm and cloudless today, which is very suitable for fishing and leisure.

"Hey Michael, I hear you want to go to a fishing tournament after you retire, is that true?"

Jordan said without looking back: "Maybe, after all, I want to challenge a new field."

"Don't be busy participating in the fishing competition, there is something I want to ask you."

Qiao Dan chewed his gum, looked back at Shen Tong, and said, "I came here with a big burden on my back. It seems that I want to stay for a while."

Shen Tong nodded and replied, "That's right, I hope to train with you before the start of the new season and get your advice."

Jordan smiled and said, "Man, I just retired from the league. I don't want to touch basketball anymore. I just want to sit here and stare at it and go fishing."

Shen Tong also smiled, and said, "But you still owe me a favor, don't you? You said that you can come to me at any time if you need it."

Jordan laughed loudly, began to reel in the line, then put down the fishing rod, and stood up slowly.

Facing Hexi's sunshine, Jordan stretched his body, shook his head from side to side, and made a "click" sound.

Turning around, Jordan said to Shen Tong: "I knew it would not be easy to repay this favor, and you planned it long ago."

Shen Tong said with a smile: "Whatever you say, Michael, anyway, if I can't get what I want from you, I won't leave."

"I am a very strict teacher when it comes to teaching!"

Outside the basketball arena at the University of Arizona, a group of people leaned on the outside glass and looked in.

"swish"

"swish"

Arenas kept hitting three-pointers.

Jefferson and Woods have just finished one-on-one heads-up practice.

Arenas: "What the hell did Shin do? It doesn't look like him to not come to practice."

Jefferson: "I don't know. It's mysterious. I just said I'm going to the beach."

Woods: "Maybe I went to Los Angeles to play with Avril Lavigne."

Outside the arena.

"I heard that they are all NBA players, which is really amazing."

"That's right, the two over there are Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson, one is last year's Most Improved Player, and the other is last year's championship member."

"It's unbelievable. I didn't expect that our school has produced so many great stars recently."

"Which one is Shentong?"

"Look, it seems like I'm not here today."

"Who's that big guy over there?"

".do not know."

Loren Woods: "Choo! Do you have a cold?"