noveldrama
Chapter 875 875 539 The Wind Rises in New Jersey_2
Chapter 875 875 539 The Wind Rises in New Jersey_2
?Chapter 875: Chapter 539 The Wind Rises in New Jersey_2 Chapter 875: Chapter 539 The Wind Rises in New Jersey_2 “`
“We all know that the only reason Clay Bennett was willing to keep the SuperSonics in Seattle was that the team could make him a lot of money. However, under this cost structure, he has to face a luxury tax bill of one hundred million US Dollars every year before moving into the new arena, which is an unbearable pain,” sharp analysis came from the “Seattle Times,” “Perhaps we’re about to enter the dynasty syndrome—where the terrifying super luxury tax will undoubtedly send a struggling team to hell!”
Nobody interviewed Clay Bennett.
Since the new labor agreement was passed, he was rarely seen by anyone.
As the most despised owner during the lockout, he ended up with a labor agreement that was a breakdown for him.
Now, with the team’s payroll laid out before him, he was faced with a choice.
Grin and bear it, or make that choice which could very well tear apart his relationship with Yu Fei.
It was the right decision for him, but Yu Fei would never forgive him.
After all, just like Yu Fei’s attitude expressed during the labor negotiations.
He had never shared in the SuperSonics’ profits, so why should he care?
But Bennett had to.
How did the superstars’ privileges come to be?
Why should the team offer Yu Fei privileges? Why could he make demands and act as he pleased with the team?
Simply put, Yu Fei could make the boss money.
This power status was first possessed by the god of baseball, Babe Ruth, in the first half of the last century.
At his peak, he could obtain all the privileges he desired, but after declining, his fate was no better than Jordan’s with the Wizards.
Ruth set a standard: how a superstar could influence management at their best and how they could lose this influence as they declined.
In the contemporary era, the ability to draw in and monetize traffic is the benchmark for judging superstars.
Yu Fei’s performance was nearly flawless, but the League’s anti-monopoly machinations had gone beyond what the stars could fight against.
Bennett was willing to spend an additional one hundred million US Dollars in the new season to help Yu Fei chase the unprecedented four-peat in modern NBA.
After all, with the momentum of a four-peat, perhaps the money earned could offset the bill from the super luxury tax.
But, no one could expect him to carry the weight of nearly one hundred million US Dollars in luxury tax long-term to ensure the team’s competitiveness.
If it really came to that, he had only one path left.
With the free market opening, the most chaotic and lively big offseason in the NBA had arrived.
The summer of 2009 was hailed as the biggest free agent market ever due to free agents like James and others, but even that market, ultimately swept by “The Decision,” wasn’t more attractive than this year.
Several old stars first announced they were staying with their teams.
Duncan and the Spurs reached a three-year deal worth thirty million US Dollars.
This was definitely a loyalty discount; although Duncan’s decline was evident in recent years and he had entered the status of a veteran star, with his standing in the game, it would have been easy to get a full four-year, sixty million US Dollars contract if he wanted.
Yet, Duncan decisively chose to take a pay cut, showing he viewed money and fame as worthless.
This touched Ginobili, who then also signed a contract below market value: three years for thirty-six million US Dollars.
This seemingly warm-hearted contract was actually the maximum Ginobili could sign at the time.
Even if he were placed in the free market, that was the most he could hope for.
Duncan’s pay cut was crucial.
It allowed the Spurs the cap space to sign a star in the free market outright.
With two veterans and two eager lottery pick rookies, the Spurs not only wanted to secure the future but also to achieve in the present.
No one knew the ceiling for Paul George and Kemba Walker; rather than pinning hopes on the future, it was better to make another push for success while Duncan and Ginobili could still play.
Dirk Nowitzki made the same choice as Duncan.
However, Nowitzki wasn’t as “team-oriented” as Duncan, or perhaps, Cuban was more generous to him.
Nowitzki signed a full four-year, sixty million US Dollars contract.
This contract was enough to pull the Mavericks out of the free agent market competition early.
After the veteran stars found their places, the main show of the free market could officially start.
The knock-on effects of the lockout deferred the conflicts between stars and their teams.
Like Howard and Paul, there were already rumors of discontent and desires to leave their teams before the lockout, but leaving wasn’t convenient due to their contracts.
The cancellation of the last season directly allowed them to skip their contract years and enter the free agency market.
So, Paul tested the free agency waters, while the Hornets found themselves in a predicament of poor management, with the team under the League’s trusteeship, looking for someone to take over while keeping operations running, half-dead, half-alive.
As Paul was a complete free agent, there would be no “basketball reasons” incident. He could go wherever he wanted.
It was the same for Howard.
Howard jumped back and forth between leaving and loyalty during his final days in Orlando, ultimately earning the nickname “Howard Loyalty,” even though it seemed he couldn’t be more faithful, he was still traded to the Lakers in the summer of 2012. But in this era, the example set by Yu Fei and the Bucks signing short-term contracts influenced the younger generation in various ways.
Initially, Paul signed a 2+1 contract.
Howard did better, signing a 3+1, but now, conveniently, their contracts expired simultaneously.
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