Champion Creed
Chapter 158 - 158 084 Another public opinion crisis the Wang dynasty collapse underway_3

158: 084: Another public opinion crisis, the Wang dynasty collapse underway_3 158: 084: Another public opinion crisis, the Wang dynasty collapse underway_3 In Chicago, Michael Jordan was like a terrifying dictator, towering above everyone else.

Not everyone had the courage to defy him like Roger did, and not everyone could come out unscathed after standing up to him as Roger had.

The Bulls were divided internally, Jordan faced scrutiny, the team’s record was eclipsed by the Magic…

The Bulls’ situation was pretty bad, and Jerry Krause was well aware that if nothing was done, the Bulls’ season would be over.

Michael Jordan was still strong, and the Bulls’ record seemed not bad either.

But he knew that with the current Bulls lineup, they were no match for the Magic or the Rockets.

He needed some changes, he needed to make some trades before the trade deadline.

The most valuable assets he had on hand for trade were Pippen and Toni Kukoc, and in fact, Krause had indeed found a buyer.

The Seattle SuperSonics gave the Bulls another chance, they were still willing to send Kemp to Chicago in exchange for Scottie Pippen.

The SuperSonics had plenty of options at the power forward position, but to win a championship, they still needed to boost their small forward spot.

Krause believed that this trade would make the team safer, as the Bulls urgently needed more toughness in the paint.

Just relying on Kukoc and Webber, the team could not deal with Ewing, let alone Shaq, and even less so the Dream.

But when Michael Jordan got wind of the trade, he called Krause and said, “Call off your damn trade, you son of a bitch!

Look, this is the same Michael Jordan who always answers when asked about Roger’s trade, “I never interfere with team affairs.”

Krause could no longer bear it: “You simply can’t win, can’t you see?

We could very well lose to the Magic in the playoffs, and if that happens, it would be a humiliation!

Roger was right, they don’t have any rivals in the East!

I’ve said it before, we must not trade Roger to the Magic, he and Shaq would destroy the entire East.

Are you satisfied now, satisfied!?”

“Do you think you know more about winning than me?” Jordan said and then hung up the phone.

He was still as arrogant as before, just like when he had previously said, “Do you think Roger could threaten my status with a team that’s just a first-round exit?”

The next day, the whole world came to know of a very bizarre incident.

The Bulls proposed a trade with the SuperSonics, exchanging Pippen for Kemp, but soon after, they called it off themselves.

Pippen, facing the reporters’ cameras, looked very disappointed: “I don’t know what happened, practically every other week I end up in trade rumors.

Honestly, I’m fed up.

If Jerry wants to trade me, then just trade already, if he thinks it will make the team better.”

Phil Jackson rushed away from reporters: “We should be focusing on the games right now, not on other messy stuff.

If you ask whether I knew about this trade beforehand, the answer is no.”

Only Michael Jordan confidently faced the cameras:

“I don’t know the specific reason for the trade cancellation, I just know we don’t need trades at all, the Chicago Bulls don’t need any trades.

We don’t need trades to achieve our goals, just as I said before the season.

I’ve said that what Roger couldn’t do with the Bulls, I can, and that statement is still valid.

If we change the lineup now, wouldn’t it seem like I’m scared?

We’re not changing the lineup, at least not this season.

Look at Houston, I mean no disrespect to Hakeem, but after getting Clyde, their record did not improve.

Trades are not a way to avoid problems.

As to the saying that there are no rivals in the East, it’s normal for young ones to talk like that, but there’s a difference between talking and doing.”

Three days later, the Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic at home for the third time this season.

Jordan always liked to speak with his actions, and he showed that in the East, the Magic indeed had no rivals.

O’Neal scored only 18 points in that game, but Horace Grant once again turned into a beacon of light, scoring 23 points for the entire game.

The Bulls did their utmost to double-team Shaq, and indeed it was uncomfortable for O’Neal, but it also gave Grant too many opportunities for mid-range shots.

Neither Kukoc nor Webber could handle Shaq and Grant at the same time; their defensive range wasn’t that wide.

Meanwhile, fans were wondering if Kemp had been there, could Grant have still scored that much?

Michael said no trade was needed?

Then win, darn it, is just talking tough useful?

Only pitiful men rely solely on their mouths!

Grant’s outstanding performance, together with Roger’s 24 points, made Jordan’s game-high 39 points seem like empty calories.

In this game, Jordan finally outscored Roger on a personal level, but he still lost.

Most crucially, he had just finished saying the Bulls wouldn’t need to adjust their lineup to handle the Magic, and then he was hammered by the Magic again.

He probably didn’t expect the slap in the face to come so quickly.

He is no longer the man who can walk the talk.

The old Michael Jordan could’ve said he’d handle you, and he would have handled you, but now, his words no longer carry weight.

Recently, Jordan has been caught in the “forcing the team to trade Roger out of personal grudge” controversy, and now with the third loss to Magic, his authority is visibly plummeting.

Roger is truly endangering his status!

After the game, Roger was in a good mood; although he didn’t score much today, he wasn’t the kind of player who placed scoring above everything else.

Roger admitted that he did prefer scoring to assists and defense, but that was because scoring was the best way he could help the team win, not because he valued points above all.

During the interview with the reporters, Roger deliberately pulled Grant beside him: “Hey buddy, you can have a double portion of the airplane meal on the flight back tomorrow.”

Grant played along perfectly: “Thanks, you’re the best leader.”

The dynasty collapse project is still proceeding in an orderly fashion.

At this moment, Jordan was feeling the crisis of collapse, yet this massive project was far from over.

Is this what Michael was talking about, not needing a trade?

If we had Shawn Kemp tonight, Horace Grant would never have gotten 23 points!

Put down that damn pride, the current Michael could never do what Roger did last season, never!

No need for a trade, even more arrogant than saying there are no competitors in the East!— “Chicago Tribune.”

Michael got rid of Roger and stopped the team from trading for Kemp, he’s steadily stepping into the abyss.

He thinks he can handle the Magic with his own power, but the Magic could sweep him 4-0 in the regular season to tell Michael it’s a delusion.

Now it’s 3-0; we’re just one game away from achieving this goal.

— “Orlando Sentinel.”

Michael indeed doesn’t need a trade, because it wouldn’t make a difference.

Roger said he wouldn’t let the Bulls win even one game, and he wasn’t joking.

Compared to Michael, it’s Roger who truly walks his talk.

— “Orlando Times.”

Michael told us he would show Roger who the real winner is in the seven-game series.

We believe Michael can do it, he’s always been able to create miracles.

— “Chicago Sun-Times.”

The starting lineup for this season’s Eastern Conference All-Stars is Roger, Jordan, Grant.

Hill, Pippen, and Shaq; Grant Hill has a heavy responsibility, if Bulls and Magic players start fighting in the locker room, Grant Hill is the only hope to save the locker room.

Okay, please ignore the fact that this All-Star starting roster, once again, does not include a single New York player!

— “The New York Times.”

Michael Jordan still made the All-Star starting lineup, though he’s no longer the top vote-getter.

But this remains the only solace in his currently troubled season.

At least, he’s still one of the most popular players.

One of them.

At that moment, an irate Michael Jordan suddenly remembered something that happened many years ago, and then he took another look at the big roster of the Eastern Conference All-Stars.

Most of the people on this list were his friends, while Roger and Shaq were left on their own.

Suddenly, Jordan had an idea to display his authority.

The Baby-Faced Assassin had once done this very thing to Jordan; now, the dragon slayer had inevitably become the dragon.