redvbooks Chapter 569 The scattered Celts, Auerbach magically reappears! 【Subscription】
Chapter 569 The scattered Celts, Auerbach magically reappears! 【Subscription】
On the second day after Lin Long's contract was finalized, it seemed that the first brand of dominoes fell. The league announced a large number of contract renewals, signings, and transfers within almost 2 days!
Indeed, as Su Wan said, half of the teams in the league are waiting for Lin Long's decision to see if they can get a share of the pie.
And when Lin Long, the leader of the free market, was settled, other teams and players stopped hiding and quickly decided their final choice.
The first is the Celtics. In the offseason this year, the Celtics ushered in great changes. In addition to Barkley's official retirement, they also have Lin Long, Billups, Big Ben, Bowen and Five of Sprewell's main players have their contracts expired at the same time, and they need to renegotiate with them.
As the most important member of Lin Long, after his contract was finalized, Billups immediately announced that he would switch to the Detroit Pistons with a four-year, 48 million contract!
Then there is Big Ben, this conscientious and hard-working blue-collar center, who accepted the 4-year, 32 million contract offered by the Celtics for him, stayed with the Celtics, and continued to support the team in the interior of the sky!
Then there is Bruce Bowen. This fast-growing grassroots player has become the league's top perimeter defender and 3-point shooter. The San Antonio Spurs gave him a three-year, 20 million contract, digging him to under his command.
As for Sprewell, after seeing that Bowen had signed a 3-year 20 million contract, this guy faced Auerbach's 3-year 21 million contract and said directly: It's not enough for me to support my family!
Relationship is relationship, business is business!
Auerbach is in no hurry!
Instead, he asked Sprewell to check his market price. At the same time, he had already started his own plan and picked up the phone in his hand.
So a day later, the Celtics broke the deal that shocked the whole league.
They first used a 3-year, 36 million contract to renew with Sprewell, and then signed and then exchanged!
Send Sprewell to the Seattle SuperSonics! In exchange for Seattle's totem and star of the past decade.
'Glove' Gary Payton!
As a point guard, Payton not only has the league-leading defensive ability on the back line, but also contributes 20+8 data all year round. .
Even, even now that Payton is getting old, to let everyone vote for who is the first point guard in the league, Payton will still be able to get a lot of votes! In the eyes of many people, he is still the first in the league. Guard!
However, after the first point guard lost his good partner Kemp, the team's record plummeted, a cliff-like decline visible to the naked eye!
In 1998, the SuperSonics could reach the Western Conference finals with 62 wins. In 1999, they only had 40 wins and did not enter the playoffs directly.
In the last season, that is, the 1999-2000 season, although the SuperSonics successfully returned to the playoffs under Payton's wonderful performance and leadership, they were easily swept by the Suns in the first round and bid farewell to the playoffs.
For three consecutive years, one division final, one first round, and one failure to make the playoffs.
The Supersonic lineup is already exhausted, and wanting to win the championship here has gradually become a nonsense.
In addition, the Supersonic management has communicated with Payton several times since the beginning of last season, wanting him to reduce his shots and playing time, and even hope that he can sacrifice his salary to facilitate the reconstruction of the team.
The SuperSonics made Payton furious and the team's record was poor. Payton himself didn't say anything. Instead, the team wanted to rebuild first?
This is just bullshit!
It just so happens that the Celtics are facing looting, and the retirement of Barkley makes them need a new leader in the locker room with enough weight and status.
In addition, the Celtics can also (dbdd) meet Payton's requirements for the status of the team, and the team is still a popular team for the championship. It is absolutely perfect for Payton to join the Celtics. trade!
As a result, one side was eager for talent, hoping to strengthen the lineup, while the other was anxious to leave, wanting to chase the championship and respect, so the two sides almost hit it off and reached a deal quickly.
Finally, after some detailed discussions on some details, the deal was finally reached!
The Sonics sent Gary Payton to Sprewell, who was a sign-and-trade, and Eric Barkley, the 29th overall pick in the first round of this year by the Celtics, and a first-round pick in 2001.
Payton gets his wish and joins a super team competing for a championship, and Sprewell gets a bigger contract to support his family!
The whole deal, apart from the frantic complaints of Seattle fans, who were dissatisfied with the team's sending away its star player for only one thorn and two doomed draft picks, was the best of both worlds, and everyone was very happy. .
After getting Payton in the trade, Auerbach continued to make shots, recruiting a lot of veterans with championship dreams and newcomers found in training camps from the free market at a low price.
For example, the so-called second point in the 1990s, who suffered a serious injury last season and was directly bought out by the Wizards in the offseason, "Rock" Richmond.
For example, the famous point guard of the former New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, Ron Harper, who was still with the Lakers last season.
And, after this year's finals, Lin Long once recommended to Auerbach for the fringe of the league, who performed well in this year's summer league and was finally able to stay in the team. Steve, the 'Saint of Wu' who will shine in the league in the future. Jackson.
After Auerbach's brilliant hand, the offseason was considered to be completely disintegrated, and the Celtics, which announced the end of the dynasty, although several important players were poached, they also received a lot of reinforcements. When they completed the formation of the lineup, other teams in the league looked around and felt that they had dug a lonely summer!
This Celtics lineup seems to be getting stronger damn it?
The mere fact that Billups became Payton felt like a major breakthrough and enhancement.
As for the departure of Bowen and Sprewell, anyway, the Celtics already had Ginobili and Lewis on the bench who had already played a good price and level to supplement, plus a few basic salary to vote veteran.
The Celtics' lineup is still powerful and terrifying and desperate!
At the very least, according to several league executives who did not want to be named, they have set their sights on free agency two years from now, and they will poach Manu Ginobili and Rashad Lewis, when Payton has also completely gone. Getting old, the Celtic dynasty should come to an end!