Chapter 259: The Clippers

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"Boss!"

Seeing the new boss, who was famous and at the same time extremely unfamiliar, walked in, Elgin Baylor quickly stood up.

After briefly looking at the NBA legend in front of him, the current manager of the Los Angeles Clippers, Guo Shouyun waved his hand and motioned for the other party to sit down.

"Why didn't you order something to drink?" Guo Shouyun said with a smile after glancing at the empty table.

"Just arrived, it's not too late!"

Nodding his head, he beckoned the waiter and motioned for him to hand the list to Elgin Baylor. The latter didn't answer, but said quickly: "I want a cup of Blue Mountain coffee, half sugar!"

"Give me a glass of lemonade!"

"Yes, gentlemen. Do you need to order food other than drinks?"

"I'll order the dish later!"

"Wait a minute!"

After nodding, the waiter turned and left.

"How did I do with the things I explained?" Guo Shouyun said.

"As you instructed, this year we have selected Pau Gasol from Spain with the second pick and Memet Oku from Turkey in the second round. ”

Guo Shouyun nodded with satisfaction. Although back then he preferred to watch football rather than basketball. But after Yao Ming joined the NBA, there were too many people watching basketball. His college roommates, colleagues after work, and news reports revolve around Yao Ming almost every day, and even he, who doesn't pay much attention to basketball, knows a lot about some of the top stars in the NBA, as well as the Rockets' lineup. Just like people who don't pay attention to basketball know that there are Kobe Bryant and James in the NBA, and people who don't pay attention to football also know Ronaldo and Messi, not to mention that he is a person who often watches sports channels!

However, the 2001 NBA was not a big year for the draft, and the big names in the back, among which he only saw Paul Gasol, Tony Parker and Memet Oku, three names that he was familiar with;

Of course, parallel trade champion Kwame Brown also knows, but he definitely won't choose it.

"Well done. What about the other thing?"

The Rockets agreed to trade Cassano Mobley and next year's first-round pick for Lamar Odom and Darius Myers. But...!"

"But what?"

"Coach Alvin is against the deal. After all, Lamar Odom is our main centre-forward, and Darius Myers is also a very talented and talented striker!" said Elgin Baylor. In fact, he didn't agree to the deal either, but he was smarter than Clippers head coach Alvin Gentley in that he knew to compromise when the owner's will clashed with his own.

Guo Shouyun frowned. While he prefers a united leadership, he can't afford to miss out on the opportunity to increase the value of his assets. Lamar Odom also knows that the cornerstone of the rise of the Lakers in the later period is that among the centers, the strength is also first-class, which is especially precious in this era when good centers are scarce. But even so, ten Odom can't add up to one Yao Ming, especially in terms of commercial value.

In addition, in terms of strength and commercial value, he doesn't like a guy who smokes big ~ hemp, fights, alcoholism and other off-the-field troubles.

And, most importantly, if they don't come up with a chip that the Rockets can't refuse now, how can they give up their first-round pick next year?

As for Darius Miles, who is that? Guo Shouyun has never heard of it. If he hadn't heard of it, he wouldn't be a first-class star!

"In the center position, Memet Oku is very good, and Gasol can also be competent, with the two of them, we are safe enough on the inside!"

"Boss, they're all rookies in the NBA, and although they're the best in their respective leagues, in the NBA, competing with the best players in the world, they may not be as good as they were before!" Elgin Baylor said bitterly.

"How do you know if you don't fight? In short, I'm optimistic about their strength!" When the words fell, Guo Shouyun waved his hand and interrupted Elgin Baylor's next words, "This matter is settled!"

Hearing this, Altyn Baylor sighed in his heart, he had long expected this to be the case.

"As for Darius Myers, the Clippers have accumulated too many people at the small forward position, not to mention Eric Piakowski, and then Quentin Richardson, Teyron Nesby, and Corey Margetty, who can play small forward, three or four players of similar strength competing for a position, too wasteful, too reasonable. ”

"Boss, they're all swing guards, shooting guards and small forwards can do it!" Elgin Baylor said quickly.

"I know, but it's still too much, especially since I didn't count the guys who guarded the water cooler just now!"

Seeing that Guo Shouyun had made up his mind, Elgin Baylor didn't say anything anymore.

"Also, we have a '98 No. 1 pick center named Michael Olovocandi, right?"

"Yes, although Michael's performance is not satisfactory, but he has improved very quickly recently, especially last season, 82 games, an average of 85 minutes of playing time in 8.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, so that we have a strong addition to the inside!" for fear that Guo Shouyun will sell Michael Olowokandi again, Elgin Baylor finally emphasized.

Guo Shouyun nodded, of course he would not stay with this player who had never heard of him. The center position of the Clippers in the next ten years is Yao Ming and Oku, and if there is a change, Gasol can also play.

"Use this Michael Olowokandi, plus Jeff McGinnis, and ask the Suns if their Jason Kidd would like to sell! ”

Elgin Baylor looked stunned, and couldn't help but say after half a sound: "Boss, Jeff is our main guard, and Eric is our main small forward!"

"Of course I do. But Jason Kidd is far more talented at playmaking than Jeff McGinnis!"

Jeff McGinnis, a name that Guo Shouyun has never heard of.

In addition, he also took into account that with his own foreknowledge, the Clippers definitely have no shortage of good offensive players. But how to connect these powerful basketball players, how to distribute the ball, how to twist them into a rope, not only needs a good coach, but also a good playmaking point guard.

In the alliance, there are not many who can meet Guo Shouyun's requirements at present. Steve Nash counts one, Gary Payton counts one, John Stockton counts one, and Chauncey Billups counts half.

Gary Payton and John Stockton are too old for their experience and brains, but the stamina can sustain a maximum of half a game. Steve Nash, being good is enough, but Guo Shouyun is worried that he may not be able to adapt to the style of the Clippers in the future.

With Yao Ming and Gasol two big men, there is no doubt that the Clippers will focus on the twin-tower tactics in the future. While the twin-tower tactics ensure the advantage of the interior line and the strength of positional warfare, it also has the disadvantage of slow pace. These are undoubtedly two extremes of the Suns' fast-paced 'small-ball tactics' that Nash led at his peak.

This is also the main reason why Guo Shouyun did not dare to choose Nash. In addition, Steve Nash is also a little worse than Kidd in defense. It is said that offense wins the regular season, and defense wins championships. Therefore, in the future, the Clippers who will face the problem of ball distribution, Guo Shouyun prefers to choose a point guard with strong defense, weak offensive desire and super organizational ability, and in this regard, Kidd is undoubtedly more suitable than Nash.

Of course, just in case, he didn't forget to ask Elgin Baylor to buy Chauncey Billups. Although he is worse than Lops in organizing the team and controlling the tempo, his calm and intelligent mind and big heart in critical moments also give him the strength to surpass first-class point guards.

If Kidd is bought with Pus, let them partner with the backcourt, and as for the 'old cat' Mobley, this guy is a jack-of-all-trades type that can push him to the front line, with him plus Quentin Richardson, plus the bench, the three positions of point guard, shooting guard and small forward are not weak. As for the center and power forward, if all goes well, it will definitely be Yao Ming plus Pau Gasol, and then Memet Oku will be the two as substitutes.

According to Guo Shouyun's plan, the three of them will play 48 minutes equally in a game. Ensure that Yao Ming, who is not physically strong, has enough rest time. After all, compared with the economic value, the commercial value on him is more worthy of Guo Shouyun's attention.

"Boss, if the three deals go through, the Clippers will be rebuilt!" Elgin Baylor said with a wry smile.

If all the main players are sold, isn't it equivalent to tearing down and rebuilding!

"A Clippers team with 61 points and 23 rebounds by O'Neal and only 31 wins for the whole year has rotted to the extreme, and it's time to push it to the rebuild!"

The entire Clippers team except for Odom is not bad, and there is no other player he fancies. It is simply unreasonable for such a team not to rebuild. Moreover, even if the Clippers' property is not valuable, it cannot be allowed to depreciate.

"Coach Alvin is only afraid that it will be difficult to convince, after all, this team has cost him a lot of effort!"

"You're in charge of that. If Coach Alvin doesn't agree, then ask him to find another job!"

Alvin Gentley is not a Zen master, let alone Larry Brown and Pat Riley, and he has not yet had the ability to make Guo Shouyun regress. And even if the above three people are here, he will not change his original intention.

“… Also, I don't have the slightest interest in continuing to be a foil for the Lakers in Los Angeles. So the home of the Clippers is leaving Los Angeles. ”

"Leaving Los Angeles?"

Elgin Baylor was shocked.

Guo Shouyun nodded, "San Jose, as the third largest city in California, although the population is not as large as Los Angeles, it is enough as the home of the team!"

San Jose is the heart of Silicon Valley, less than 10 kilometers from his Guo estate and Hanshan Villa. Of course, San Francisco is not bad, but Oakland, which is across the sea from San Francisco, already has a Golden State Warriors.

While he doesn't mind competing with the Warriors, who have a fan base of decades, for Northern California's basketball market, it's not a smart man's choice to choose the more difficult option when it's clear that there are better and easier options. In contrast, San Jose, California's third-largest city with a population of nearly one million, is closer to where it lives and has a population of nearly one million that is more suitable than San Francisco.

As he spoke, Guo Shouyun took out a document from the briefcase next to him and handed it over.

"This is the material for the San Jose Coliseum, and now I've bought it. I'm currently getting the architectural firm to prepare the blueprints, and in the next two years, I'll build a new arena on top of the old arena to rival Staples as the home of the Clippers. ”

The 15.3-acre site, located in downtown San Jose, cost Mr. Guo $93 million. It is paid in installments, and the pressure is not too great. As for the later construction funds, it is believed that by the time the drawings were completed, 9/11 would have passed long ago. At that time, the money in his hands will be rich again. It is not difficult to invest three or four hundred million yuan in this stadium.

Looking at Elgin Baylor, whose expression was full of shock, Guo Shouyun fired another heavy cannon.

"Also, the name of the Clippers, I think it needs to be changed. … From now on, it's going to be called Thunder. Of course, there is no need to change it now, and it is not too late to change it when the new arena is built and the team moves over!"

His most important business is the Thunder Fund, so it makes sense to change the Clippers to the Thunder. As for seizing the name of the Oklahoma City Thunder team in the future, Guo Shouyun didn't care about it at all. After all, that's the future, and the SuperSonics are having a good time in Seattle right now.

Looking at the information in his hand, and then at the new boss in front of him, an indescribable excitement slowly surged from the bottom of Elgin Baylor's heart. He realized that the Clippers, who had been with him for nearly two decades, had a new owner with 10,000 ambitions, and most importantly, he was worth a lot of money and didn't skimp on investment.

"Maybe I'll witness the most glorious moment in the history of the Clippers!"

Later, the two ordered lunch, talked about their vision for the future Clippers, chatted about NBA anecdotes, and ended the meeting.

As for the arrangement of the Clippers, in Guo Shouyun's opinion, it is not much of an important matter, and he will deal with it when he is busy. What really worries him and drains his mind is the next meeting with Jeffrey Jilin and the resolution of the threat to Enron.

Without Enron's energy controls, Pan Pacific Energy Group's operations can quickly balance expenses and even turn a profit. In this way, he not only strengthened his own strength, allowing him to have more financial resources and energy to deal with the attacks of financial consortia such as Morgan and Citigroup, but also went to one of the main pillars of this group, weakening the enemy's strength in disguise.

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