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Chapter 600 - 259. I should have gone to Yao Ming’s house during the regular season!_3

Chapter 600: 259. I should have gone to Yao Ming’s house during the regular season!_3

Apart from bolstering their team strength, they also started earning more money.

Unlike Zhang Yang, who joined the Bobcats and was selected as an All-Star starter after playing most of the season, Yao Ming was already a walking ’money-printing machine.’ Back in the day, even Ryan Bowen, a fringe player averaging 2 points and 2 rebounds per game, had interviews every now and then. He could earn hundreds of thousands of US dollars in sponsorships annually, nearly matching his NBA salary from off-court earnings.

Apart from a very few players like Bob Sura and someone else, all teammates loved Yao Ming.

The Bobcats were also very excited, eagerly awaiting the start of the defending champions’ season.

After the interview, Zhang Yang returned to the bench, standing at the sidelines with assistant coach Randy Brown. He looked at the opposing roster and said, "Wallace 16 million a year, Yao’s salary is almost 14 million, Hinrich just got a 5-year 50 million, they also gave Nocioni a 3-year 24 million big contract, signed Smith with the mid-level... The Bulls will have to pay taxes this season, right? I remember they kept Hinrich and Nocioni’s Bird rights, and when they traded for Yao, their salary cap was already filled at 58 million."

Randy Brown, "If they don’t make a trade to reduce their payroll by the trade deadline, they’ll have to pay around 6 million in luxury taxes, as this year’s luxury tax threshold is 59.6 million."

Zhang Yang, "The Bulls’ owner is quite generous, huh? I thought they were very frugal, considering how long they complained when they gave Michael 30 million a year."

Upon hearing this, Randy Brown laughed and said, "It’s quite normal for them to complain, Jack. You probably don’t know how high the salary cap was when Michael was making 30 and 33 million."

Zhang Yang curiously asked, "How high?"

Randy Brown, "In 96, the salary cap was 24.3 million, in 97 it was 26.9 million, I remember clearly. Thinking about it now, Michael’s salary back then was really exaggerated. Just imagine, if you were the owner, and this year you had to pay a player 70 million, wouldn’t you complain?"

Zhang Yang, "Uh... that is pretty exaggerated."

Upon hearing that the salary cap was only 24.3 million in 96, he already understood.

Randy Brown, "The Bulls’ owner is actually quite generous. I remember when Pippen voluntarily suggested a 7-year 21 million deal, the Bulls’ owner and general manager both tried to stop him. Given the salary cap was growing at least 10% each year, in three or four years Pippen would have had the chance to earn a ten million annual salary. He refused short-term for long-term contracts...

Ha, that actually helped us a lot back then. With the space freed up from Pippen, we managed to snag Harper from the Clippers and Rodman from the Spurs. After Michael came back, we won three straight championships. If it weren’t for Pippen’s 7-year 21 million, there would be no ’God of Basketball’."

Zhang Yang thought about it, and it really was true! All greatness involves countless coincidences... Of course, seizing those opportunities is the core reason, and Joe’s prowess sealed his divine status during the 97-98 season.

For some reason, Zhang Yang suddenly thought of French Pippen, Batum: Could it be that Jordan was channeling his past guilt towards Pippen into French Pippen, that’s why he offered 5 years 120 million?

Otherwise, it’s really hard to explain why Jordan would pay such a salary to a player averaging 9 points per game, even if the salary cap later exploded, no player averaging 9 points has ever commanded such a high salary...

By 9 o’clock in the evening at the United Center Arena, the Bobcats and the Bulls’ new season’s first preseason game kicked off!

Yao Ming was utterly defeated by Okafor in the jump ball... He should have called in sick tonight!

Last night Zhang Yang had visited his house for dinner and stayed overnight. At first, he had only a few drinks, but as he continued... eventually, Ye Li had to help him back to his room...

The joy of changing teams, Yao Ming dared only to show in front of his parents and wife. Publicly, he still had to maintain a facade of reluctance to leave his old team. Being Chinese, he valued a gracious gathering and departure. Since there wasn’t any outright conflict, it was essential to maintain good ’face’ with his former team.

Though his parents and wife were his closest, he knew they couldn’t truly feel how happy he was now, so he had suppressed his elation for a long time, which was not as comforting as deliberately suppressing sorrow.

In private meetings with Zhang Yang, Yao Ming finally found someone who could empathize and share his joy, and he unwittingly drank too much.

As a result, when the slim version of the Day Moon classmate stepped onto the court tonight, he felt as if he were floating, with a headache and weak legs...

Not only could he barely lift his feet during the jump ball, but he also moved slowly in defending Zhang Yang and Felton’s Drive Attacks, and continued to miss high shots against Perkins.

His teammates were stunned. Big Ben: "Isn’t it, Little Giant? Where’s the energy you had when you dunked over me during practice?"

Before the game, commentators from both TV stations were going on about how formidable Yao Ming was, paired with Ben Wallace, they touted it as the best defensive and offensive frontline, highlighting advantageous matchups against the Bobcats... Yet Yao Ming’s preseason performance was terribly subpar.

The commentators could only jest, "Yao seems as if he’s high tonight, perhaps he’s just not yet accustomed to the new team..."

Meanwhile, Zhang San, who had been drinking only milk and soda water yesterday, aside from drinking too much water and getting up twice in the middle of the night, slept soundly. Fully rejuvenated, he was the main offensive threat in today’s preseason game, performing beautifully with drives, high-post shots, and fast-break scoring!

Seeing Yao Ming’s hangover-like poor performance from across the court, Zhang San regretted... He wished he hadn’t gone to Yao Ming’s house last night, and saved the visit for the regular season instead!