The Pope of Basketball Community

In 2010, James had the opportunity to join the Clippers, but it was his face-saving personality that caused him to miss the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If James had joined voluntarily, Yang Rui would definitely not have considered trading for Chris Paul. James' statistics every season are stable and close to a triple-double. His physical fitness is inhumane and it is difficult to decline before the age of 35.

As long as James is willing to sign a long-term contract, he will become the boss of the team and will be difficult to be squeezed out in the future. With his record and luxurious statistics, he doesn't know how many championships and personal honors he can win.

James was worried about gains and losses. At that time, he believed that the Clippers were too weak and it would be difficult to win the championship even if Yang Rui joined. He believed that he would team up with his friends to win the championship when they were at their peak, but he was wrong.

Now, he is indecisive again. He wants to join the Clippers but also wants to wait for someone else to invite him. In this way, he can occupy a dominant position without signing a long-term contract, and all the media will not say that he will go to other teams to gain support. In fact, it doesn't matter whether the media talks about it or not. As long as the fans are not blind, they can see James' leadership level in the past 11 years.

As long as he fails to win the championship, his popularity will drop again and again. He can't blame his teammates every time, right?

If James bluntly states that he wants to join the Clippers and is willing to sign a long-term contract, Yang Rui will definitely sign him. But he didn't say anything. Nearly two months have passed since the Cavaliers were eliminated in the playoffs, and he has not contacted the Clippers management. When interviewed by the media, he also looked inscrutable, aloof, and wanted to investigate. The attitude of many teams.

James has reached the point where his entire career will be ruined if he doesn't win the championship. He is still trying to show off to save face, hoping that others will regard him as a real leg, which makes many team management unhappy.

Moreover, James has basically had a bad relationship with the head coach since the beginning of his career. Every time the team's performance is poor, it will be revealed that the head coach has insufficient control and is not compatible with the team players. This is not an ordinary problem but a big problem. !

Last season, the Cavaliers had another internal quarrel. The head coach didn't dare to say that he had problems with James. Instead, he made indirect remarks and said that the players didn't listen to him and that the locker room had no way to control it. To put it bluntly, the coach said that James has too much control and cannot control the players!

James' agent contacted the Clippers front office through a friend. Instead of contacting manager Olshey, he contacted scouts and went around a circle to ask if the Clippers were interested in signing James and if they could be more proactive in negotiations.

This method of communication is like a girl with severe princess disease who finds a friend to contact a friend of the man she likes and informs the man to pursue her. Of course, having a car, a house and both her parents are dead are essential. , she agreed as long as she was sincere enough.

This is not tsundere, this is psychopathy.

The scout reported the situation to Yang Rui and the ideas of James' team, but Yang Rui rejected it without thinking about it.

Kim Hughes asked: Boss, if we sign James, we will be the strongest in the league in both positions and have a lot of gimmicks. His asking price is not high in two years, so why not?

Because he will affect the training of newcomers. After two years of playing and getting a ring, how will the newcomers be delayed? It's not like the Clippers can't survive without him, and the superstar team is not a good gimmick. Otherwise, I will send Paul and Griffin? That's it, hang up.

After Yang Rui finished speaking, he threw the phone aside and continued to play game consoles with his girlfriend and daughter at home.

If James comes, the Clippers' tactics will have to be adjusted, which has pros and cons. If Yang Rui is brought in early, he will consider it. Now that the team has a 20-year-old Antetokounmpo, what does the 30-year-old LeBron want?

In terms of popularity, Curry is now higher than James, and it's hard to tell who is the boss of the team.

James is selfless on the surface but independent at heart. He must be the boss. In his previous life, he always took over the Heat. He will not give up his position to Irving when he returns to the Cavaliers. With the basketball in hand, I have the world.

Not to mention the Cavaliers, where the All-Stars take family photos, the ball is all in James' hands.

James has held the ball in the Eastern Conference All-Star photo for eight consecutive years since the 2007 All-Star Game, making him the player with the most possessions in the All-Star photo in NBA history.

Yang Rui doesn't sign James, and naturally he won't sign other stars in the 2003 class. Wade has never been able to practice three-pointers. Bosh has a hidden risk of blood clots. Anthony used to be an offensive kaleidoscope, but now he is an offensive pull-out maniac.

After receiving the reply, James was immediately dumbfounded, and his self-confidence was hit again. He has always believed that he is the hot favorite that all teams want, but it turns out that is not the case.

James' current situation is rather embarrassing. If he can't win a championship after leaving the Cavaliers, he will fall into a ditch if he fails to take a single step. It's impossible to win a championship if you stay with the Cavaliers.

Bosh and Wade have also jumped out of their contracts. Once they leave and no big-name stars are willing to join, James will have to work hard to enter the playoffs if he stays in the Cavaliers. Without the attraction of a championship, no star would be willing to join the Cavaliers, unless they offered high salaries to poach second-rate stars like they did 10 years ago.

Equally embarrassing are the Lakers. None of the stars Kupchak asked about is willing to join the Lakers.

ESPN previously predicted that Anthony would join the Lakers for 100 million in four years. It would be a good choice for James to join the Lakers and team up with Melo. But their management teams didn't negotiate with the Lakers at all. They probably didn't want someone from the Lakers team to say to them, I'll teach you how to win the championship.

On the 16th, the Clippers signed center Hassan Whiteside with a one-year minimum salary. The reason why it took so long is because Whiteside went to play in the summer league and had no outstanding performance.

In Yang Rui's previous life, Whiteside also played 5 times in the preseason for the Grizzlies, averaging 8.2 minutes per game, 3.4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 block. Unless he is given the right tactics to take advantage of his physical strengths, he is nothing. Whiteside didn't play a single regular season game with the Grizzlies and was waived at the end of November. His data in the Development League was good, and he was signed by the Heat with a two-year basic salary in the mid-term.

Yang Rui only signed a one-year non-guaranteed basic salary contract with him in order to facilitate the renewal next year. With the Clippers' inside depth, Whiteside will not produce super statistics.

The Clippers signed veteran Hedo Turkoglu with a minimum salary as their last roster spot.

The 35-year-old Turkoglu played for the Warriors last season, averaging 10.4 minutes per game, 3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists, and his three-point shooting rate was as high as 44%.

Turkoglu has always been a floor player, but now he can only play the 4th position, and can't keep up with the rhythm on the outside. Yang Rui does not expect him to play a big role on the court, but wants him to impart some experience to Antetokounmpo. Turkoglu is a well-known point forward in the league, with a peak of 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5 assists. Not only can he shoot, he can also pass people by three steps slower.

Young players are groping for their own direction and it takes them a long time to succeed. It will be much easier to have a master to guide them. Turkoglu plays smart, and if he had better physical fitness, he would definitely become an All-Star. Antetokounmpo has superhuman physical fitness, but what he lacks is experience and training.

In mid-July, the Clippers' new 15-man lineup was determined.

Center: Hassan Whiteside, Pau Gasol, Nene Hilario.

Power forwards: Draymond Green, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Hedo Turkoglu.

Small forwards: Rudy Gay, James Jones, Robert Covington.

Shooting guards: Danny Green, Allen Crabbe, Khris Middleton.

Point guards: Stephen Curry, Zach LaVine, Jordan Farmar.