Super Evolution of Basketball

Chapter 611 Arms Race
Without Hayward, the Lakers uniform team pinned their hopes on Covington. Fortunately, his team admired the Lakers and Yuan Qingshan very much, so he agreed to keep the signing rights for the Lakers until early August.

The news that the Lakers are looking for the starting number three gradually spread, and everyone can understand that Paul George has no intention of renewing his contract at all. Otherwise, it has been so long and he hasn't acted. What are you waiting for?
Laughlin calls Magic almost every day, reminding him to talk to the rest of the lineup about contract extensions.

The magician has been hesitant. He and Jenny Buss have not completely broken the concept of superstar basketball. He is still subconsciously obsessed with pursuing superstars.

At this moment, Paul George's agent found the magician again, and proposed not to hand over the maximum salary space before mid-August.

Coincidentally, Kawhi's uncle made the same request the next day.

However, Covington's commitment card is only until the first ten days of August. Defensive forward players like him have always been very sought-after. Even during this period of time, I don't know how many teams have contacted his team.

At the same time, news of Kawhi Leonard's departure from the Spurs is increasing, and Popovich is said to be urging the team's general manager to find a replacement.

This is a very difficult decision. Everyone on earth knows that if the Spurs hand over Leonard now, they will definitely not be able to get back an equivalent bargaining chip. The only thing they can do is to reduce losses.

San Antonio.

The sound of basketball hitting the floor kept coming from the Spurs' training management, and the rhythm became more and more dense. From this, it could be heard that the people who were practicing were in a state of confusion.

"You are not a child anymore. I told you more than ten years ago, you must be calm and slow down." The white-haired Popovich walked over with his hands in his pockets.

Ginobili lifted the ball over his head and slammed it down.

Bang!
"Why did we do this? Coach, what happened between you and that guy Kawhi?" Ginobili was puzzled and annoyed at the same time.

The San Antonio Spurs are the most difficult team in Texas. GDP has dominated the league for 20 years. The team has always been a group of mutual trust and mutual dependence.

But at the end of their careers, something like Leonard happened.

Both Tim Duncan and Ginobili asked the team management and Popovich about the situation, but they were all prevaricated casually and failed to get the real reason.

As for Tony Parker, as soon as he spoke half a sentence, Popovich scolded him with his ears.

"Nothing happened between us." Popovich's face remained motionless, and he didn't look like he was lying.

"Nothing happened? Then why did the media say that you have a gap, and why did that Kawhi guy have to go?"

Popovich bent over to pick up Ginobili's ball, took aim from beyond the three-point line, and then made a big three-pointer.

"It seems that I am still young, haha!" Popovich made a victory gesture.

Ginobili was determined not to be perfunctory this time, so he put his arms around the coach's shoulders and took him to the sidelines: "Coach, I know you are highly respected. No one can force you to do something you don't like, but look at my hair. I'm also 40 years old, so don't try to fool me."

Sure enough, Popovich looked at the top of Ginobili's head, and the old man suddenly felt sad: "It is said that programmers will lose their hair, but how can they play basketball?"

"Hey!" Ginobili shouted dissatisfied.

Popovich smiled and waved his hands: "Well, no kidding, the reason why Kawhi wants to leave is very simple. Compared with New York and Los Angeles, San Antonio is too small and has no commercial value."

"What?" Ginobili was puzzled: "It's that simple?"

Popovich spread his hands: "Isn't it that simple. Let me tell you, Manu, you and Tim are people from the previous era. They don't understand the thoughts of young people today. For them, playing basketball is just a profession. They need lights and money while completing their work."

Ginobili: "We have won so many championships, isn't it enough to satisfy his vanity?"

Popovich: "Now those young people who live purely, driven by their skills, don't even care about vanity."

Hearing what the coach said, Ginobili somewhat understood. To put it bluntly, they and Leonard were not in the same era at all, so don't try to understand his thoughts.

Ginobili asked: "What will the team do, let Kawhi go, and send him to Los Angeles?"

"Hehe." Popovich said with a fake smile: "It's not up to him."

The next day, WOJ officially announced that Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for DeRozan and two first-round picks.

The first thing the magician did after seeing the news was to call Paul George's agent.

The agent still asked the Lakers to continue to keep the maximum salary space in an unhurried manner.

The magician was a little panicked now. Leonard's uncle said the same thing at the beginning, but he was sent to North America overnight.

After losing the hopes of Hayward and Leonard one after another, the only goal the Lakers can pursue now is Paul George, an All-Star.

The Lakers waited again for two days, and almost all the top free agents on the market have been settled. At present, only Paul George and Covington have not made any moves in the third position.

The Lakers uniform team also knows that they are very sorry for Covington, because if the Lakers do not sign him in the end, it means that Covington has missed many teams until August.

Two days later, Paul George's words are still the same, wait a minute.

At this critical moment, the Lakers held team meetings over and over again to discuss how to respond. The summer league is almost over, but there are still many vacancies in the Lakers roster. In the end, they will have to go to the NBDL to win the lottery.

The signing market has finally calmed down for a while, and the Warriors, Thunder, and Heat are the stage winners in the arms race.

Then the Cleveland Cavaliers made an effort, and they signed Pau Gasol with 2 years and 1500 million space.

Pau Gasol averaged 12.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last season, showing beautiful support and passing in the Spurs.

The Cavaliers signed Gasol at a small price, which can make up for the offensive and organizational skills of the center. He can complement Tristan Thompson very well and attract defense for Kevin Love.

When everyone thought that the Cavaliers could repack and continue to challenge the Lakers, the news that shocked the league came again.

The Cavaliers traded Kyrie Irving to the Portland Trail Blazers for Damian Lillard and a second-year first-round pick!

(End of this chapter)