Rebirth of My Rocket Dynasty

Chapter 176 The beginning of the shrinking season

While the Rockets were still conducting spontaneous training, the labor dispute also reached the last moment.

On December 1998, 12, the eve of Christmas Eve, Stern announced that January 23, 1999 was the deadline for negotiations, and the entire season would be cancelled.

All of a sudden, it caused a split within the players union. Some low- and middle-income players can no longer wait, they need to support their families.

Ewing, the chairman of the players' union at the time, had no choice but to discuss countermeasures with the then vice-chairman Billy Hunter.

In the end, they could only accept the compromise proposed by the league. On January 1, Billy Hunter accepted the union's compromise on behalf of the players union.

Tiger, who was far away in Houston, watched the report on TV and Amy beside him said: "Amy, in fact, when everyone can make a compromise, it still takes so long to make trouble. In the end, both labor and management will lose. As well as the fans, the dispute over the loud noise at home will bring great losses to both employers and employees, and the economic losses to both parties will be at least US$10 billion."

Amy leaned on Tiger and said, "Yeah, actually, let's talk calmly and come up with a plan that both parties can accept. Isn't it great? Both sides have to fight to the death, and finally we have to fight. The one who loses is yourself, what do you think they are planning."

Tiger looked at the beauty beside him and said with a smile: "Amy, if you think like this, there will be no wars in the world. This is a conflict of interests. Players want to get higher wages for themselves when they can't. When playing, they can live a life without worrying about food and clothing, but the owner of the team wants to limit the wages of the players to ensure their own interests. This is like an endless loop. Both parties need benefits to maintain their own lives, so this is the only way It’s a contest, there’s no way.”

Amy looked at her lover and asked, "What about your Rockets? I think the Rockets are good. There are not so many disputes. I see the players spontaneously training every day, just like when there are normal games."

Tiger stood up from the sofa, walked to the tea table, opened the bottle of wine, poured himself a glass, and said, "Amy, you must know that the Rockets are not the Rockets they used to be. A powerful gold-absorbing beast. He has his own foundation all over the world. The Rockets’ income in the United States is more than three times that of an ordinary NBA team. This is not counting the Rockets’ overseas business department. If all of them are counted, that is quite a large number. Therefore, Rocket is not afraid, Rocket has his own powerful hematopoietic function, and most importantly, behind Rocket is standing behind me, a big crocodile in the financial world. , who dares to provoke me."

Amy tilted her head to look at Tiger, and said softly: "Oh, I didn't realize that our Tiger still has such a great deterrent power."

Tiger looked at Amy's teasing eyes, and said with a smile: "Hey, isn't this just bragging, don't take it seriously, don't take it seriously."

Looking at Amy who was smiling coquettishly, Tiger had no choice but to go hungry and take action to punish Amy.

A night of nothing, a night of romance.

The next day, Tiger, who was still on the lazy bed, was awakened by a phone call when he was wandering around the world.

Looking at the number on the phone, Tiger had no choice but to pick it up lazily and said, "Paul, are you sick? What time is it in the morning? I'm still in bed."

Paul on the other side of the phone was taken aback when he heard this, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, Tiger, I'm sunbathing and looking at beautiful women on the golden beach in Australia, and I forgot about the jet lag."

Tiger was speechless, so he could only say in a helpless tone: "Tell me, what's the matter with you kid."

Paul said with a smile: "Man, don't be like this, the new season is about to start, can our trade be carried out?"

Tiger turned over on the field and said: "Of course, it's fine if you don't want to, I don't want to let you go."

As soon as Paul heard this, he immediately said, "Then I will inform my general manager that it can proceed."

Tiger picked up a glass of water at the bedside, took a sip and said, "It's up to you."

After Paul heard it, he was happy at the time, thanked him quickly, and then said to Tiger that his private yacht would be open to him at any time in the future.

Tiger pouted on this side of the phone, didn't say anything nonsense, and hung up the phone directly.

Then, cover your head and continue to sleep on the bed.

While Tiger was still on the lazy bed, all the teams in the league began to move.

Because of the suspension for too long, some deals that were negotiated in private can be brought to the table immediately.

Other teams in the league, who have coveted the Rockets' young players for a long time, began to offer offers to the Rockets, hoping to get the players they wanted.

But the Rockets remained unmoved, and just exchanged Jacques Vaughan for John Crotty of the Blazers.Then, the Rockets immediately announced that they had laid off John Crotty.

The Rockets announced their strong return with an unprecedented stability.

Although Jacques Vaughn is not very willing to leave the Rockets, he cannot refuse the three-year salary of 3 million yuan offered by the Blazers, and he can guarantee his position as the main substitute. For a role player, such conditions are There really isn't much more to say.

Unexpected things happened one after another in the Blazers. The Blazers replaced their team doctors and formed a sports function laboratory similar to the Rockets to ensure the health of the players.

Sabonis received the most comprehensive and detailed examination, and made the most comprehensive training and physical rehabilitation plan according to his physical condition, allowing the old Sabonis to rejuvenate again.

Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Cato, and Jermaine O'Neal, these three were listed as non-tradeable by the Blazers management.

Then, a dizzying array of deals brought the Blazers Mike Bibby, Rashard Lewis and Ruben Patterson, three rookies of the year.

Sent away Greg Anthony, Cary Grant, Rodgers Carlos and Wells and other players, began the reconstruction.

However, the current Trail Blazers cannot be underestimated. Although they have lost some old guys, Damon Stoudemire and Isiah Ryder are still the main backcourt combination, and Rasheed Wallace The Warriors and Sabonis are still there, and with the gradual maturity of Cato and O'Neal, the future of this team is really bright.

Plus a rich boss and an excellent coach.

The Blazers already have the qualifications to challenge all the strong teams in the league.

Just as the Blazers started recruiting with great fanfare, another powerful team in the West was also taking shape.

That is the Kings. As soon as the regular season ended in May 98, the Kings traded Chris Webber with their star players Richmond and Thorpe. In addition, this year's rookie is known as "white chocolate". Williams, as well as Divac, Peja, Pollard, Joan Barry and a group of kings who later became like a rainbow of swords have begun to gather.

With the addition of Adelman's entry, the king began a radical change.

Such a change may only be understood by Tiger himself.

The preparations for the Rockets have suddenly intensified, because there is still a month to go before a 99-year league begins.

Looking at Jin's matchup situation, he will have to compete with the Sharks of the Lakers in the first game, and then go to Golden State. The beginning of the season is two consecutive away games.

The rocket is really lucky.

No matter, anyway, there is still a month, so wait slowly.

Time passed like this day by day, and the cooperation between the Rockets became more and more tacit.

The two rookies in this year's draft also showed their strengths. Matt Harprin, who was later called a villain, is still very shy. As a rookie, he has a well-regulated sideline, a strong body, and a fierce defense. , good movement speed, a variety of face-to-face attack methods, coupled with precise shooting, made Lao Tang very satisfied.

And the attacking guard named Mobley also has great potential, with fast breakthroughs, accurate pull-up jump shots, and a good three-pointer, which makes Lao Tang no longer have to worry about anything as a shooting guard.

While the Rockets were waiting for the new season to come, a trade shook the league again, and Pippen left the Trail Blazers.

This result stunned Tiger, who was far away in Houston, and then began to lament the power of history.

However, this year's Blazers' distribution of the ball is a bit tricky, and Mike Dunleavy is a bit difficult to handle.

However, if you think about it, there is such a 50 superstar players who are overwhelming the field. With the help of Sabonis, it seems that this year's Western Conference is not so easy to mix.

However, Tiger was still a little guilty, and it was time to ask Lao Tang.

Lao Tang glanced at Tiger and said, "Whoever he is, we just need to do our job well."

Although the words are simple, but the tone of the words is full of domineering, Tiger immediately thought, yes, don't care what others do, do your own thing.

As long as we are strong, foreign objects cannot hit us.

In the process of everyone looking forward to the stars and the moon, the 99 season officially started.

On February 1999, 2, at the Great Western Forum, the Rockets visited their first opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Looking at the obviously fat shark, Olajuwon stepped forward and hugged O'Neill.

And said softly: "I said Shaq, you kid did not eat less this holiday, no, you are not like a shark now, and you have begun to transform into a humpback whale."

O'Neill was happy when he heard this, and said in a low voice: "Okay, Hakeem, I know that you are training spontaneously during the holidays and lockouts, and you don't know how good your boss is. Work hard."

When Olajuwon heard it, he was also happy at the time, teasing O'Neill and said: "Oh, it's not new news that you can't even wear the biggest underwear when you stay at home."

When O'Neill heard this, his eyes turned red, and he said angrily, "Don't let me find out who said it. If you let me know, I will make him die ugly."

Olajuwon looked at O'Neal's lifelike appearance, laughed and said: "Okay, buddy, get ready for the game, let's see what new tricks you have learned in the past six months."

O'Neill said firmly: "Hakeem, we won today's game."

Seeing the confident O'Neal slowly, Olajuwon didn't speak, just smiled.

However, even a fool could see the contempt in the smile, and O'Neill gritted his teeth.

Olajuwon didn't talk to O'Neal, turned around and started to play.

The Rockets' first game of the new season is about to begin.

　I ask for everything I can ask for, thank you from the heavens.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)