Rebirth of My Rocket Dynasty

Chapter 63 The Proud Bird
Tiger and Dawson continued their transfer journey, the last stop being the Indiana Pacers.

On the plane, Tiger looked at Pacer's information, thinking about how to deal with that proud bird.

In terms of personal accolades, 'Big Bird' has gotten everything he can get.

As a coach, except for the championship, other honors have been won.

This year, Bird, who just took over the Pacers, has shown his coaching talent.

This year's Pacers can be said to be the strongest year.

Tiger slowly recalled Bird's experience as a coach.

In Bird's three-year head coaching career, his performance in leading the team can be described as remarkable.In the first season, the Pacers used Reggie Miller as the main scoring machine, achieved the best regular season record in team history with 58 wins and 24 losses, and reached the Eastern Conference Finals all the way, struggling 7 sets before finally winning 3: 4 lost to the defending champion Chicago Bulls led by Jordan.Bird himself won the NBA Coach of the Year award. In the 98-99 season, the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals again, this time they lost to the New York Knicks. In the 99-2000 season, Bird led the Pacers to make a comeback. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they finally defeated the Knicks in 6 games and avenged their revenge.Although they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers led by OK in the Finals, the tremendous changes Bird brought to the Pacers can be said to be obvious to all.

"Every day I think about it, this guy has everything," Pacers chairman Donnie Walsh said of Bird. "I hope our high school, college and professional basketball careers here can grow together and complement each other, and Bird is such an iconic figure. I have no doubts that he will be a good head coach."

"He has a certain charisma and when he speaks you are transported into his world. That's what a manager has to have."

"As a coach, I'm still a novice, but I feel that I have the ability to do this job well." Bird said to the media, "I have enough experience and knowledge about basketball, and I will lead everyone to do what is right and necessary. to win the game."

Thinking back to Big Bird's experience, Tiger's head also hurts one after another, it's really hard to deal with.

And that Donny? Walsh, is also an old fritters.

Walsh was born in Manhattan, New York, and attended Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx.Walsh played college basketball at the University of North Carolina before being drafted by the NBA's Philadelphia Warriors, but never played in the NBA.Walsh earned a double degree in law in college.But he still did not choose to develop in the legal field, but engaged in being a basketball coach.

Walsh served as an assistant coach on several collegiate teams, including at the University of South Carolina for 12 seasons, working with the University of South Carolina Gamecocks head coach McGuney.After that, he was selected by the Denver Nuggets to become Larry Brown's assistant.He served as the head coach of the Nuggets for a year and a half in 1979 before Doug Moe replaced him.In 1984, he became an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers.

He went on to become general manager of the Pacers, and in 1987 he made a very controversial choice at the time, selecting Reggie Miller in the NBA Draft over Indiana University homegrown hero Steve Alford Germany.This decision is very far-sighted now.Miller is already a famous figure in NBA history and Alford is just a very mediocre player.After that, Walsh became the team president until the 07-08 season.During his tenure, the Pacers made the playoffs 17 times in 16 seasons.

On April 2008, 4, the New York Knicks announced Walsh as the team's new president of basketball operations.After Walsh took office, he immediately set about solving several long-term big contracts of the Knicks. He traded Jamal Crawford for Al Harrington.Then they sent away Marty Collins and Zach Randolph in exchange for Cutino Mobley and Tim Thomas.Although the exchange of these players is of little help to the team, their contracts expire at the end of the 2 season, which will save the Knicks $2010 million in total wages, allowing the team to have enough salary space to Signed free agents with expiring contracts: including LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire.

在2010年大牌球员自由市场中，沃尔什在2010年7月8日，以总合同为5年1亿美元签下了自由球员阿玛尔－斯塔德迈尔。在2010－2011赛季，沃尔什通过多人交易把明星球员卡梅隆－安东尼和昌西－比卢普斯带到了尼克斯。

Such an experienced old man is extremely difficult to deal with.

Looking at the profile of the Pacers, Tiger said to Dawson: "Dawson, negotiating with the Pacers is very difficult. We don't know if we can achieve our expected goals." After speaking, he shook his head with a wry smile.

Tiger knows that this negotiation with the Pacers can be said to be the most difficult one to deal with in this transfer transaction journey.

"Yeah, boss, Bird and Donnie Walsh are old guys who have been in the league for many years. Moreover, this time the Pacers just need a player to serve as a substitute for Cassell. The chips in our hands are not Quite enough, Austin Crohill is also a first-round rookie, Anthony Johnson is just a second-round pick, although their current statistics are better than Croshire, but the gap in draft picks is not that big It's easy to level." Dawson also lacked confidence.

"Yeah, even with a first-round pick in 98, the Pacers may not be what we want. It depends on our operation, but the most favorable point now is that Anthony Johnson's data is good. Crohill's data is not worthy of his identity." Tiger looked at the data and analyzed his own strengths and weaknesses.

"It seems that the only thing we can use is this data. Crohill averaged 2.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. It really doesn't match his draft pick. Instead, Anthony averaged 7.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.2 assists per game. The score of [-] rebounds is completely in line with the score of a backup point guard, and he is only a first-year student, so he still has some potential." Dawson compared the data of the two individuals.

"Okay, don't think about it, there will be a solution at that time. I don't believe that the Pacers are a hedgehog, we can't talk about it." Tiger said a little irritated.

"Yeah, when the time comes, we'll adapt accordingly, so let's talk about something." Dawson also lost his composure.

In such a somewhat silent atmosphere, the plane was at Indiana Airport.

Greeting the Rockets at the airport was Pacers general manager Donnie Walsh.

Donnie Walsh also felt very difficult to deal with as he watched the Rockets and his party descend from the private jet.

The Pacers just want to trade a backup guard, and the Rockets' general manager and owner appear at the same time.

Could it be that this backup guard has great potential?

But after the observation of his team's scouts, he can only be the life of a backup point guard.

What's the reason? Donnie Walsh is also at a loss.

However, he did not dare to neglect the arrival of a super financial predator, and he was still in the basketball circle.

"Hello, Mr. Tiger, welcome to Indiana." Donnie Walsh stepped forward to shake hands with Tiger.

"Hello, Mr. Downey, thank you for coming to pick us up." Tiger also approached Downey Walsh warmly.

"You guys have worked hard in this line of work. First we went to Vancouver, then to Salt Lake City and finally to our Indiana. It's not close." Donnie Walsh said with great concern.

"Hehe, it's nothing, it's all work, there's nothing hard or hard." Tiger said with a smile.

However, Donny Walsh caught the trace of exhaustion revealed in his demeanor.

"Well, Mr. Tiger, you should go and rest first, and then we can negotiate tomorrow." Donnie Walsh suggested.

Tiger looked at the exhausted Rocket group and nodded.

Following the reception staff of the pedestrians, they came to the hotel to stay.

Just when the rocket people stayed.

The Pacers defeated the Toronto Raptors 89:77 at home.

Miller scored 20 points.

Kassel also scored 16 points.

The Pacers' strong defense makes everyone in the league uneasy.

And Tiger and his party are about to meet their toughest negotiating opponents in this series of itineraries.

Donny Walsh and 'Big Bird' Bird.

(End of this chapter)