Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

Chapter 912 912 551 Complications of the Dynasty_2

?Chapter 912: Chapter 551 Complications of the Dynasty_2 Chapter 912: Chapter 551 Complications of the Dynasty_2 Chris Bosh missed Yu Fei’s birthday party because he had a big announcement to make.

He decided not to wait any longer and directly held a press conference, claiming that he would enter free agency in the summer of 2012.

That was to say, he would not choose to renew his contract with the SuperSonics, he was not happy here, so he wanted to prove his worth in the free market.

The media in Seattle were shocked and bombarded him with questions.

First, they wanted to know if the SuperSonics were still an option for Bosh.

“I’ve had an unbelievable time here, and those memories will never fade from my mind. Seattle is like home to me, of course, the SuperSonics are still one of my options,” Bosh said with implications, “that is if they’re willing to offer me a contract.”

Any normal person could hear what Bosh meant.

So it wasn’t Bosh who wanted to leave, but the team didn’t want to keep him?

Sam Presti had indeed gone mad, hadn’t he?

The media’s emotions were easily stirred up.

The questioning of Presti began.

Meanwhile, some sober media pointed out the difficulties dynasty teams face in retaining their core under the current collective bargaining agreement.

But, public opinion would not consider the capitalist’s point of view.

You’ve earned all the money, become the pride of the city, and you’ll get a five-hundred-million-dollar luxury stadium in the future, now that it’s time for you to give back, you tell me the cost is too great?

The media and fans would not accept such an excuse.

At that moment, Presti came to life.

He announced that the team had offered Bosh a max contract, but had not received a response.

Bosh’s camp confirmed that this was true, but because it happened so suddenly, they were not sure if it was a good thing, after all, the man himself had officially announced his intention to test the free agency waters.

A few days later, Bosh’s camp turned down the max offer.

The reason was still that the SuperSonics did not respect Bosh enough.

Because the max contract did not activate the “Yu Fei Clause,” according to which Bosh could get an extra two million US dollars each year, but the SuperSonics chose to ignore this clause and only gave a normal max contract, which was a sign of disrespect.

Thus, negotiations between the two sides broke down, and although Bosh claimed the SuperSonics were still one of his options, everyone knew he would leave the team in the summer.

While Bosh was causing a stir, the contract renewals for the two rookies were not going smoothly either.

Moro’s camp wanted a four-year contract, and DeAndre Jordan’s camp thought the contract was too small.

This was exactly the effect Presti wanted to achieve.

Based on current expectations, DeAndre Jordan would receive a max contract as soon as he entered free agency, something the SuperSonics could not afford.

As for Moro, with a heap of off-court issues, as a pure shooter he could be kept, but giving him a long-term deal would undoubtedly let this bad seed with a lack of self-control off the leash.

Presti had thought it out well, perhaps his thinking was too good, which is why none of the people who needed to renew contracts were able to do so.

After a series of maneuvers, Bosh was determined to leave, DeAndre Jordan was resolved to test free agency, and Moro even threatened to request a trade because he felt “insulted by the management.”

Yu Fei’s empire turned into a circus mid-season, with all sorts of people taking the stage, each seeking their place in this team full of endless possibilities.

Yu Fei’s attitude and stance mattered a great deal in many situations, but in this case, few people sought his view.

Take Bosh, for example, who made it clear that three years of blood, sweat, and tears for the team couldn’t get him a max contract?

He indeed came to join the Greatest of All Time, but the GOAT doesn’t just take anyone.

Bosh wanted respect, not for the few million he lacked, but for an attitude from management. If you have to rely on Yu Fei’s influence to get that respect, what was the worth of his own effort?

The glory of the empire lies on one person, but an empire is made up of many people.

It’s the same with DeAndre Jordan and Moro; they’re players who’ve proven themselves on championship teams, recognized by the industry at a young age. Even if the team can’t offer them a suitable salary, they can still command their price on the free market.

Using Yu Fei’s influence to secure a contract? This would fundamentally clarify the hierarchical relationship between the two parties. Although Yu Fei is the superior, this is different.

They respect Yu Fei as a person and recognize his superior status, but obtaining a contract by using “I am Frye’s man” changes the nature of their relationship.

This is probably the biggest difference between Yu Fei and other superstars.

The mentality of a superstar is to protect the people around them under their wings, while Yu Fei believes, can’t they protect themselves? Unless they willingly join his ranks like Kwame Brown or Patrick Beverley, he won’t think about protecting anyone.

Just as he saw Kwame Brown’s skills and strength were no longer keeping up with the ever-evolving era of space basketball, he would tacitly allow the coaching staff to adjust his status.

Yu Fei measures his teammates by their strength.

If you are his man, but lack strength, at most he will ensure you have a contract, but don’t expect anything more.

Brown fully understood Yu Fei’s thoughts, so now he was happily lying low.

Although this renewal controversy had little to do with Yu Fei, he was still dissatisfied with the way the team handled Chris Bosh’s contract renewal.

Before Bosh came to Seattle, there was an understanding between him and Yu Fei. Nevertheless, Yu Fei was still the recruiter for Bosh on the surface.

Now, having done the work and made the sacrifices, and having hinted that his future lay elsewhere than Seattle, was it so difficult to dignify Bosh with a good contract?

He wanted to confront Bennett, but the man avoided meeting him.

A few days later, Yu Fei calmed down.

What’s done is done, what good would confronting Bennett do now? Would belated respect still count as respect?

Even if Bennett had really given Bosh a contract triggering Yu Fei’s clause for a max salary, as requested by Yu Fei, the already bruised self-esteem of Bosh would likely make him think, were these three years of hardship worth less than a single word from the GOAT?

A bumpkin is a bumpkin.

Even though this Oklahoma City bumpkin is now Seattle’s heroic owner, he is still a shortsighted bumpkin.

Purchasing the SuperSonics and planning to move the team to Oklahoma City might have been the most upright deed of his life. But since being dazzled by the GOAT’s stardom, shocked by Seattle’s booming basketball market, and blinded by the terrifying profits, his true colors were exposed.

Moreover, this man shamelessly sided with the small-market owners in the labor dispute, representing someone who makes hundreds of US Dollar millions in net profit annually, yet defending those incompetent owners, exploiting the players’ interests, and ending up biting the hand that feeds him. Under the new profit-sharing system of the owners, he lost one-third of his profits.

For a man like this, the benchmark for measuring things is money. If renewing Bosh’s contract would cause him to lose money over the long term, then he wouldn’t renew it. No risks, no matter how small, are worth taking, even if Bosh has made it clear he won’t stay in Seattle.

From that day on, Yu Fei ignored Presti.

He had seen through Bennett completely.

Although one should never have any illusions about the owners, this bastard who made hundreds of millions of US Dollar in a few years using his fame, had no intention of giving back, preferring to damage the team’s competitiveness and turn the renewal into an unbearable stench.

Bennett must have known Yu Fei’s thoughts and stance, yet he chose to do it anyway.

Yu Fei took note.

This was the lesson Michael Jordan taught him eleven years before in the Wizards’ preseason training camp with Kwame Brown’s blood. The lesson, after eleven years, was still deeply impactful.

What others can give you, they can also take away. Don’t think that no one can do without anyone else.

In late January, the League announced the All-Star game selections.

The SuperSonics had three players selected, namely Yu Fei, Roy, and Durant.

Bosh regrettably missed out.

Because this season was definitely his most lackluster season since his rookie year.

Owing to his playing the center position, his injuries began to increase, his shooting percentage and statistics significantly decreased, he was now averaging only 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game.

Regarding missing the All-Star selection, Bosh also had something to say.

“I knew from day one that playing on a championship contending team would be tough, I’d have to make a lot of sacrifices,” Bosh said to a media person close to him, “Now, I find that being a part of a dynasty was even tougher.”

The media person asked, “How about being a part of an empire?”

As a result, Bosh just smiled and didn’t answer.