Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

Chapter 963 963 569 Irresistible Conditions

?Chapter 963: Chapter 569 Irresistible Conditions Chapter 963: Chapter 569 Irresistible Conditions “Aern, what do you think about the quality of this year’s draft class?”

“Crap.”

Trem said succinctly.

Yu Fei laughed, and Trem thought he agreed with his view.

Actually, Yu Fei was wondering whether he should recommend Giannis Antetokounmpo to Trem, out of their many years of friendship.

Yu Fei only pondered for a moment before making up his mind.

Regardless, he and Trem had a deep relationship over the years. Whether or not he ended up playing for the Clippers, Trem had successfully ousted Donald Sterling to counteract the racial discrimination he faced from him—this genuine sincerity deserved Yu Fei’s reciprocation.

“If you really don’t know who to pick at the time, try your best to get Giannis Antetokounmpo.”

“That Greek guy?”

Trem also had heard of this “Greek Freak”. Due to the overall weak talent this year, every team was hoping to uncover a potential rising star from overseas.

Giannis had already come under the radar of ESPN draft expert Chad Ford; NBA teams had also extensively scouted him.

The scouting results from the teams were similar: Giannis’s height, athletic talent, and his multi-position capability shown in lower leagues were all very enticing. However, his technical skills might be ineffective in the NBA.

Moreover, whether he could adapt to the NBA’s intense contact, and whether he could maintain his health and athletic talent after gaining weight, were all unknowns.

Every year, numerous “geniuses” emerge, but only one in ten thousand is Kevin Durant. The rest, even if they perform like Durant in high school, if they could end up like Kevin Rooney, becoming a full-time blue-collar worker, it would be a success.

Yu Fei’s drafting insights were always precise; rumors often circulated that this Greatest of All Time subtly manipulated team’s drafting decisions, and Trem was well aware of this.

It was Yu Fei who had suggested the Bucks pick Kevin Martin, and later during his time with the Supersonics, he advised Presti to pick DeAndre Jordan at a lower draft position. The acquisitions of Patrick Beverley and Danny Green also bore his influence. All these players proved themselves without exception.

Most extravagantly, on his advice, Reebok had roped in most of the younger generation’s rising stars.

With such a scouting vision, Trem couldn’t help but trust him; he instructed his scouts to specifically observe the Greek, not only that, but he also arranged a draft workout specifically for him.

This was his main job, and the only thing he could do before the team officially had a new owner.

Donald Sterling’s racial discrimination case was still in the process of winding down.

The Clippers had entered the auction process.

The nearly retired Stern never imagined he’d have the chance to personally uproot Sterling, a deep-rooted malignancy within the league.

In the early 1980s, after Jerry Buss bought the Lakers, he also encouraged his friend Sterling to buy an NBA team. As a result, one bought the Lakers and the other bought the San Diego Clippers. Who would have thought, with Magic Johnson, the Lakers led the era, reaping huge profits in Los Angeles, while Sterling could only watch helplessly as Bill Walton and the Clippers rotted away, playing one game and sitting out ten.

With low game attendance and dismal spectator turnout, what conclusion did Sterling draw?

Should I work hard to transform this team? No, of course, it’s the macro-environment’s fault. Clearly, San Diego has bad feng shui; both the fans and the local government do not support the team. If I don’t move, am I waiting to go bankrupt?

It was the 1982-83 season, a year undoubtedly underrated in NBA history. Posterity only remembers the invincible 76ers in that year’s playoffs with their “FO-FO-FO”; in fact, the labor agreement negotiations ongoing through the regular season had already torn many teams’ competitiveness. The capital side insisted on introducing a salary cap, while labor would not agree to it, creating chaos. Under these conditions, without the league’s permission, Sterling announced he would move the team to Los Angeles.

At that time, a not-yet-prominent Stern was enormously infuriated, but his primary concern was pushing through the salary cap, and he genuinely had no time to deal with the Clippers. He let their actions of acting first and reporting later succeed.

For years, the existence of the Clippers seemed to be just to highlight the greatness of the Lakers, as if NBA history needed a team that could be called the worst to contrast with the brilliance of the Lakers. They continually received top lottery picks, but either selected busts or talented players who almost always suffered major injuries during their rookie contracts and were rendered useless. Over decades, their playoff appearances were few and far between.

Now, the Clippers had become basketball hell.

Even a phenomenal rookie like Blake Griffin could only bring some box office revenue for the team, but could not enhance the team’s competitiveness.

Their entire setup was the bare minimum standard, from players to coaching staff, and all the derivative services of professional basketball, all maintained at the theoretically lowest level.

Even so, news of the Clippers’ salary arrears frequently burst out.

Sterling did not need a good team because this “penny-pinching” strategy indeed helped him make money.

Such a terrible owner eventually got ousted internally.

How could Stern not be excited? He had wanted to personally handle this matter, but considering the future of the league, realizing he would eventually have to hand over his position to Adam Silver, this was a good opportunity for the latter to showcase his capabilities before taking office.

Silver was the unanimously favored successor to Stern.