Champion Creed
Chapter 768 - 768 260 Are you willing to take out all the money in the safe

768: 260: Are you willing to take out all the money in the safe?

(Asking for monthly tickets!)_3 768: 260: Are you willing to take out all the money in the safe?

(Asking for monthly tickets!)_3 People say basketball is a team sport, and they’re right.

But in a basketball game, the power of one person can be enough to change the situation.

Tomjanovich felt only relief, grateful that he could retire unscathed.

But the next head coach of the US men’s basketball team might not be so lucky.

The gap between world basketball and American basketball is closing at an unimaginable speed.

In the end, Tomjanovich leaned into the microphone and seriously said, “It’s a good thing Roger isn’t here.”

Yes, he didn’t even have the courage to say “We could still win even if Roger were here.”

From 1992 when Chuck Daly could sweep the world without calling timeouts or setting up plays, to the year 2000 when Tomjanovich no longer had confidence, this was enough to illustrate the plight of American basketball.

The Olympic Games were over, and Roger had also ended his vacation.

During this time, he had never followed the Olympic games, but upon returning to the United States, Roger found that even though he did not participate in the Olympics, the Olympics were full of his legend.

Tomjanovich’s remark “It’s a good thing Roger isn’t here” had already interpreted the worries of the Americans.

Even during the off-season, Roger was still spreading fear.

Apart from the various news about the Olympics, Roger also received news about two personnel changes.

Eric Snow had decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers because Larry Brown promised him a starting spot.

For the past six seasons of his professional career, Eric Snow had always come off the bench, and now that a team was willing to give him the chance to start, he naturally wouldn’t pass it up.

Clifford Robinson was the same, before he was the sixth man for the Hawks, and he liked the role of the sixth man.

After all, in the 92-93 season, he had won the Sixth Man of the Year award, which was a position he was familiar and comfortable with.

But after Shawn Marion joined the team last season, Clifford Robinson’s appearance order dropped another notch, even behind Kurt Thomas, not even securing the sixth man spot.

The significant reduction in playing time last season led Clifford Robinson to look elsewhere, and the Detroit Pistons promised him a starting spot and offered a decent contract, which he happily accepted.

This is a manifestation of greed, Eric Snow and Clifford Robinson both won two championships in reserve roles.

Such capital earned them higher contract offers and more tactical status, as well as made them lose interest in playing the “champion team substitute” role.

At this time, if another team extended an olive branch, the choice was obvious.

Roger of course didn’t blame them, an unchanging championship lineup only exists in fantasy, personnel movement is normal and hard to avoid, otherwise consecutive championships and dynasties wouldn’t be so valuable.

Every summer, championship teams, from the moment they lift the trophy, have to be ready to face trouble.

The departure of Clifford Robinson didn’t greatly impact the team, but Snow’s departure affected the connecting phase of the combat effectiveness and added variability to the team’s tactical choices.

When Roger was double-teamed and needed to play without the ball, Snow was the Hawks’ best and most stable dealer, who could also cover defense.

Now, with that role missing, it meant the Hawks were short of one method for problem-solving.

Although the Hawks had picked up another guard, Michael Reed, in the draft, he was not a point guard.

The team might have to change their connecting phase plays or strengthen the team in other ways.

Besides, this summer was all about Grant Hill.

This year on the transfer market, the most popular player was Grant Hill, who became the focal point of rumors.

Many teams, including the Pistons themselves, had the chance to acquire this highly popular superstar, and of course, the Pistons also welcomed various sign-and-trade offers.

Although Grant Hill could only lead the Pistons as far as the second round at most, considering he was nearly always eliminated by Roger, this result was not unacceptable.

Last season, Grant Hill put up top-tier numbers with 25.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game; no team would not desire a player with such stats.

Speaking of Grant Hill, Roger suddenly remembered something.

Grant Hill wasn’t inherently injury-prone; since entering the league, he had only missed a total of 5 games.

Everything started to go wrong in the latter part of the 99-00 season when Grant Hill felt some soreness in his ankle.

Because the Pistons needed to fight for the last playoff spot, they let him play through the injury.

In the first game of the playoffs, Grant Hill sprained his ankle, but the Pistons still let him play.

After he couldn’t continue in the second game, an MRI revealed his ankle had already been fractured!

Due to the prolonged neglect, the various soft tissue injuries in his ankle were too severe, ultimately becoming the seed that destroyed Grant Hill’s professional career.

However, in this timeline’s 99-00 season, the Pistons lost hope of making the playoffs early, so they didn’t overuse him, let alone let him play injured during the postseason.

This meant he was very likely to stay healthy and say goodbye to the misfortunes that troubled his entire career.

So, where would a healthy Grant Hill go, and how would he change history?

He certainly wouldn’t go to Orlando again.

The Magic’s significant trade piece for acquiring Grant Hill, Big Ben, was now with the Hawks.

Phil Jackson, determined to strengthen the Lakers to challenge the Hawks, was also part of the mix, and he sent an email to Jerry Buss.

“Jerry, hurry up and take out all the money from your safe.

We are only lacking a guy similar to Scottie Pippen to succeed, and he just happens to be on the free agent market.”

“Don’t even think about it; we’ve discussed this before.

The deal of Kobe for Grant Hill will never happen, unless I’m dead.” Jerry Buss firmly refused.

The Pistons had actively proposed this trade mid-last season, and Old Buss had already refused then; his stance wouldn’t change now.

But the Zen Master’s reply made Jerry Buss’s brain crash for about ten seconds.

“No, I mean, we can acquire him through a sign-and-trade deal.

Now that Grant Hill’s contract has expired, the Pistons have no leverage.

This means we can have Grant Hill while keeping Kobe and Shaq!

Trust me, this is the key step for our successful revenge!

The only issue is, are you willing to take out the money from your safe.

You know, Grant Hill surely wants a max long-term contract.

This means in the coming years, we might face luxury tax concerns.

Los Angeles’s glory is within sight, but the choice is yours, Jerry; it all depends on you.”

After sending the email, the Zen Master walked leisurely outside, looked at the lake view, and took a deep breath of fresh air.

He knew Jerry Buss wouldn’t refuse.

Though he wasn’t the richest owner in the league, this was still a temptation hard to pass up.

Imagining the lineup for next season while looking at the scenery of Montana, the Zen Master smiled.

Life was still good.

Especially without Jeanie Buss around.