Jim Bass Ambition

Chapter 6 Jordan is already in the formation
As the general manager of a team, the ability to deal with emergencies is very important. How to seize fleeting opportunities and use the bargaining chips in your hands to bring greater benefits to the team is an important criterion for measuring the level of the general manager.

It is undeniable that every general manager will have a dream in his heart, to personally operate a transaction that shocked the league and build a galaxy fleet, but this kind of opportunity is rare.

As Jim often said: "We have to start small and build a tall building with bricks." Kupchak slandered this many times. Obviously, the biggest radical before was Jim. How could he win the championship instead? Transsexual.

In short, taking advantage of the opportunity of the Nuggets to sell Ryder, the Lakers cut the mess quickly, paid the price of backup guard Mike Pampesi and veteran center Greg Foster, and got Ryder and a second-round pick from the Nuggets in 2002.

"Dan Issel is an idiot. There will never be any coach with a sane mind who will let me play as a backup for a nobody like James Posey. A bad team like the Nuggets doesn't deserve me. I will be hard in the back. Kicking their asses, yes, I am ready to win all the honors in Los Angeles, O'Neal will be my good helper, of course we will continue to win this season." Ryder, who was traded away, was interviewed He delivered an impassioned speech, harshly criticizing the Nuggets and coach Issel, and looking forward to his bright future in the City of Angels.

To Ryder's embarrassment, the Lakers traded him and Devin George to Salt Lake City the next day, and the chips they got were the Jazz's first-round pick in 01 and the Jazz's rookie DeShawn Stevenson. .

Regardless of Ryder's mood at the moment, even all the famous Lakers are confused about these two deals.During Reed's injury, both Devin George and Pampesi got a certain amount of playing time, and each performed well. As an undrafted player, Pampesi contributed 13 points and 7 rebounds in only 4 minutes of playing in the Lakers' home game against the Nuggets The comprehensive data of 5 assists led the Lakers' bench lineup to play a wave, and Devin George showed that in addition to his explosive physical fitness, he also has the potential of a 3D player.

The Jazz took a fancy to this and decided to introduce George to fill the team's aging lineup. In the playoffs of the shrinking season, Ryder once hammered the defense of the league's No. In the end, the season's MVP Malone hated the Western Conference semifinals.So when the Lakers proposed to use the two as the main body to trade a low-ranked first-round pick and Stevenson, who had no chance of playing, the Jazz quickly agreed to the deal.

"My God, what did Mitch do? He doesn't really think we're going to win a championship with Shaq and Kobe, does he? Did he forget that when we played with Kareem, Michael (Cooper) and Kurt (Rambis) they got a championship together Look what we got Stevenson? Don't Mitch know that scouting reports are all lies? His template It's Jordan, could he be the next Michael?" Cobra Worthy saw it anxiously, and poured out his bitterness to his friend Magician.

On the other hand, Jim, Dr. Bath and Kupchak also had a discussion at Dr. Bath's home.

"Jimmy, although I don't know the reason why you insist on making these two deals, I hope our future will be as you said." Dr. Buss said in a serious tone.

Kupchak is also full of question marks. He used to have a lower offer plan, which can be exchanged for a good immediate combat power to supplement the team, but Jim threatened to break the relationship.

"Of course I'm not stupid enough to think that Stevenson will be the next Michael Jordan. Whatever the media likes to say, it's up to them. Although I think Stevenson still has a future if he is trained well. I believe Phil can Make good use of him." While talking, Jim took out a few video tapes and started playing them. "Actually, my real target is these few people, so I need draft picks, the more the better."

After watching the video tape and Jim's commentary, Dr. Buss and Kupchak's mood obviously improved a lot.

"Jim, I have to admit that I have been so prejudiced against you for so many years. I thought you only had the passion to do things. Unexpectedly... If the small owners of other teams are like you, then the scouts will Unemployed collectively," Kupchak laughed.

The season continued, and a notable game was the Jazz's away game against the Lakers. Ryder uttered bold words before the game, and he must give the blind-eyed Los Angeles people a little color.During the game, Ryder had blood in his eyes, fire in his nose, and he attacked crazily with sparks and lightning, constantly attacking Staples' basket.

As a result, Staples's basket was in bad luck. Ryder's convulsion singles were a sharp saber when facing the old Hornacek, but they were facing the outside line of Harper, Kobe, and Fox. When the iron gate was combined, it became a rusty hatchet. Ryder made only 16 of 3 shots in the whole game and almost smashed the basket. The Jazz's offense was shattered by his too many singles. Stockton's assists were rarely in double figures. Coach Sloan put Ryder on the bench in the fourth quarter, but other players lacked the ability to attack independently. Malone's state was relatively average. Kobe Bryant with 31 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals and O'Neal with 27 points, 19 rebounds and 5 blocks, the Jazz suffered a fiasco.

As the season progressed, Reed returned from injury and provided good offensive firepower on the bench. Although Stevenson did not play the expectations given to him by the man who wrote the draft report before, he did not hesitate to use his physical strength. The defensive style and the occasional explosive dunks still won him a stable playing time.

Before the All-Star Game, the Lakers tied for second in the Western Conference with the Spurs and two games behind the Kings with a record of 30 wins and 15 losses.

In the East, when the Pacers were declining, the Knicks were disintegrating, and the Heat were sluggish due to Mourning's kidney disease, the Philadelphia 76ers relied on the support of offensive core Allen Iverson and insider Ratliff, coupled with a group of blue-collar engineers. With a record of 35 wins and 13 losses, they reached the top spot.Just as the 76ers were thriving, bad news came. Ratliff, who averaged 12.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and a terrifying 3.7 blocks per game in the season, was selected as the Eastern All-Star, announced that he would be reimbursed for the season due to a broken hand.

The 76ers, who are aiming to win the championship, rushed to stop the loss in time before the trade deadline, and sent the 27-year-old Ratliff, the Bulls hero Kukoc, the young center Naz Mohamed and the Argentine guard Pepe Sanchez to Atlanta. , The trade got the 34-year-old veteran Mutombo to fill the vacancy inside.

Nothing seems to be different.

(End of this chapter)