June 29, 2005.

Toyota Center Arena in Houston.

Carol Dawson and Yao Ming have made an appointment to negotiate a contract extension on this day.

Renewing Yao Ming is the top priority for the Rockets.

Although they still have one year left on their contracts, they failed to reach an early extension at the end of last year, and the Rockets are keen to complete the extension this summer to avoid offers from other teams next summer.

Renewing the contract early can squeeze Yao Ming's contract, and wait until other teams offer an offer next summer, then the price will be different, and the salary cap will increase every year.

If you can save money, this is the consistent style of the Rocket team.

As for the record...... With Yao Ming and Richard Jefferson, 50 wins are still guaranteed, and with the precedent of the Nets reaching the Finals with less than 50 wins, now the 50-win team can say that they are championship teams.

As a general manager of the Rockets, you have to learn to save money.

With Yao Ming's gentle impression, Dawson has full confidence in completing the task assigned by the boss to reduce the price.

……

At two o'clock in the afternoon, Yao Ming and Bill Duffy arrived at the general manager's office at the Toyota Center.

When Dawson saw the two of them come in, he immediately went up and hugged Yao Ming and Bill Duffy.

Dawson has a good relationship with Bill Duffy, Dawson is the kind of person who is highly respected in personality, and as for the team management...... What can be done if you don't give money, it's difficult for a smart woman to cook without rice, Dawson began as the general manager of the Rockets in 1995, and his biggest achievement was to get Barkley in the 96 trade, and the rest is basically gone.

Closing the office door, the three of them sat down, and Dawson immediately took out an offer contract: "Yao, we are very sincere, very sincere hope to complete the renewal with you, you can take a look at the contract first." ”

Yao Ming looked at the contract, the starting salary is 12.9 million, a total of 75 million for 5 years, which is the top salary given according to the salary cap of the past season, according to the estimates, the salary cap in the 2006-2007 season will reach about 57 million US dollars, if there is no incident like the Auburn Hills Palace again, it will only be high, not low, the 5-year top salary at that time is about 83 million in 5 years, about the contract, Yao Ming and Bill Duffy have studied.

Dawson is anxious to renew his contract at this time, and it is also because of this that if it comes to next summer, other teams will give 100% the maximum salary, and the gap between coming and going is 8 million US dollars, and he can sign Bob Sula for two years.

Yao Ming looked at the contract and gave it to Bill Duffy.

Both understood what Team Rocket was thinking.

This makes the two of them even less psychologically burdened.

Bill Duffy handed the contract back to Dawson, Dawson was a little puzzled, took a look, didn't study it, and was ready to sign it directly?

In Dawson's confusion, Bill Duffy said, "Carroll, we're not here today to talk about a contract extension, we're here to request a trade. ”

As soon as these words came out, Dawson stood up in fright: "Watt? Oh, Bill, you're not kidding, are you? ”

Bill Duffy shook his head very calmly: "Like, Carol, you heard it right, we are going to apply for a trade, and my employer doesn't want to play in Houston anymore." ”

"Bill, you wait, we have something to discuss......" Dawson turned to Yao Ming and said, "Yao, our cooperation has always been very pleasant, hasn't it?" Why? ”

Happy working together? Yao Ming looked at Dawson and said, "Carol, I know you are a good person, and I also like to have a general manager like you, and I am very grateful for your technical guidance to me." But Ace has two championships, I can't wait, I don't see any hope here, I'm two years older than Ace, he's getting better and better now, and if I don't make changes, I won't have a chance to catch up with him in my life. ”

What are brothers used for? Isn't that a good weapon at this time? There is nothing more sufficient than the reason to chase Liu Mang.

Yao Ming, who is unparalleled in benevolence and righteousness, decisively used Liu Mang as a gun.

Hearing Yao Ming's words, Dawson hurriedly said: "No, Yao, we will definitely build a championship lineup for you, we will definitely win the championship, you have to believe me!" ”

Yao Ming shook his head: "I don't believe you, I waited for two years, and I waited for the team to strengthen for two years, and at this time last year, Steve left, and you didn't sign another Steve, and Steve, who could get it for 10 million, became the MVP, he reached the Western Conference Finals, and we didn't have anything, you only know how to save money, I don't trust you anymore." ”

What is the ...... How do you refute it? Dawson can't argue with that!

Dawson's brain also turned quickly, and said: "Yao, Bill, even if the team agrees to your deal, no team has the chips to get Yao, Yao's strength ......"

Before Dawson could finish his sentence, the phone rang in his office.

"Sorry, I'll answer the phone." Dawson was ready to answer the phone call to suppress the shock.

Just in time, Bill Duffy spread his hands and said "please".

"Hello, I'm Carol Dawson, what's the matter with you?" Dawson picked up the phone, ready to chatter, no matter who it was, to chat, to buy time to figure it out.

But the call came from Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak......

Hearing the voice on the other side of the phone, and what was said, Dawson was shocked again, or was already angry!

After Kupchak said something, Dawson was already so shocked that he didn't know how to answer, and now he was even more angry! Just hung up the phone!

Dawson, who hung up the phone, looked at his old friend Bill Duffy, and the big man in front of him, who he always thought was soft and easy to fool, and felt that he had fallen into a trap!

On the Lakers' side, Kupchak made an offer to trade Yao Ming, saying that the Rockets could choose from any of the Lakers' players except Kobe, and draft picks could be taken at will.

This is clearly discussed!

Dawson angrily said to Bill Duffy: "Bill, you are operating in violation of the law! ”

"No, no, no," Bill Duffy quickly shook his head, indicating that it had nothing to do with him, and then said, "I haven't had any contact with the Lakers, and I just learned his thoughts from Yao, what my client wants to do, I can only fully support it, if you don't believe me, I can authorize to provide you with my communication record query, as well as my flight query, I haven't been to Los Angeles in the last two months, and I haven't contacted the Lakers through any channels." ”

Bill Duffy didn't say anything, Yao Ming didn't contact the Lakers, neither did Bill Duffy, Yao Ming just communicated with a certain No. 8 player a few times.

In terms of rules, this is not a violation, otherwise players who are not on the same team simply don't communicate.

Looking at Dawson's angry look, Bill Duffy continued: "Carol, you know, I respect you very much, and I have always respected you, but the boss you serve is too unfriendly to Yao.

Yao has already made many and reasonable suggestions,

On April 27, 2003, Yao suggested reinforcements for the first time, but you ignored them.

On February 11, 2004, Yao suggested reinforcements for the second time, but you ignored them.

On July 1, 2004, the Trail Blazers sold Antoine Walker, and Yao suggested a third signing, bringing in Juwan Howard and trading Steve Francis for Richard Jefferson. Richard Jefferson is great, but Steve is in the top five MVP this year, and I don't think trading Steve for Richard really made that much of an improvement.

On August 25, 2004, Yao suggested bringing in Steve Nash, and you chose Bob Sula, which I don't understand, an All-Star player only needs a salary of 10 million, you don't want a player who is not even willing to pass the ball to Yao, and this player with a salary of 10 million won the regular season MVP.

On December 9, 2004, Yao suggested trading Ratlier Spreville, and you got Joan Barry.

On December 27, 2005, the Kings fired Chris Webb, Yao suggested a trade, and you turned it down.

On February 1, 2005, Yao suggested trading Sam Kassel, and you ended up trading back for Tyronn Lue.

These few suggestions, Yao found the reinforcements you applied for, and you all treated Yao with a perfunctory attitude, these are very suitable reinforcements that Yao and I have considered together, and considering that the team has no chips, it is not very difficult for these players to get.

Since Steve Francis was traded away last summer, Yao has been asking for good guards, but you've been perfunctory, and in the end it's about saving money.

The financial income that Yao brings to your team, it's no problem to sign all these people, but what you do is very chilling.

In such a situation, Carol, you are Yao, how will you choose? ”

Bill Duffy's half-truths made Dawson stunned.

The timing is right, and the reinforcements are required...... Yao Ming asked for more than this, every time he applied for reinforcements, he could provide a list of up to 5 targets, and in the last year, Yao Ming made 5 requests for reinforcements, and each time he gave a lot of candidates, Bill Duffy put forward the most critical names.

The point is that those people didn't get it, which made Dawson very regretful, and he was most impressed, these were all things that could be easily obtained, but the boss was unwilling to give so much money, and he couldn't get it back if he wanted to, the boss didn't care about anything else, just two requirements.

One is the playoffs and the other is not paying the luxury tax.

Under this kind of requirement, if you want to form a championship team, unless there is a player like Liu Mang who takes the basic salary and gets the MVP in the third grade, he has the opportunity not to pay taxes, and he has to pay taxes if he changes to an annual salary of tens of millions like Nash.

Dawson's impression of Yao Ming's request for reinforcements is key, and it seems that Bill Duffy's words are justified and convincing.

Dawson was originally angry, he felt betrayed by Bill Duffy, but hearing Bill Duffy's clear and methodical sentence by sentence count the "seven deadly sins" of Team Rocket, Dawson went from anger to calmness, and finally ...... I don't know what to say, Dawson, who is a good old man, feels sorry for Yao Ming!