The cold months of December begin to descend on the North American continent, and the long winter blankets the entire country in a snowy white.

But this winter, after the BA shutdown ended at the end of November, the news of the transfer market and the free agent market has stimulated the hearts of players again and again.

On December 9, 2011, the day after the free agent market opened, it was just after Yi Jianlian joined the Pacers.

Los Angeles, 2 p.m., Kupchak, Morey and Hornets general manager Dyer. Depps devised a three-way deal. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the three general managers had already agreed on the deal, and the major media began to report on the deal.

Meanwhile, Smith conducted a phone interview with Odom, the Lakers' best sixth man who was involved in the trade, and Smith said, "Odom was deeply hurt by the deal. ”

On the phone, Odom kept repeating, almost with tears in his eyes: "Los Angeles is my home, and I can't imagine leaving the Lakers." ”

But who cares? The Lakers are like a "rich and handsome" who doesn't have time to pity their old love, so they have already bathed and changed their clothes, ready to welcome the "goddess" Chris from New Orleans. Paul too.

When Henson heard this, he also gave up on trading Paul. After the Hornets were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round last season, Paul named a big city, to Los Angeles or New York. In fact, whether you go to the big city or not is not the most important, the most important thing is that New York has Anthony and Stoudemire, and the Lakers have Kobe and Bynum.

Paul knows that big city teams are more willing to spend money on roster reinforcements than to be complacent as they were at the Hornets.

Just two hours after the news of the three-way deal was revealed, Henson, who was driving home from practice, received a call from Bird.

"I know, Chris. Paul's deal fell through, and we couldn't compete with the Los Angeles people. Henson still adheres to his style of not talking much nonsense, and as soon as the phone is connected, he doesn't even say hello, and goes straight to the point.

"No, I want you to go to New Orleans right now and hand over the team's training to Silas and Vogel for the time being."

On the phone, Bird's tone was unquestionable, but it confused Henson, "To New Orleans? What are you going to do? Attending a carnival? ”

"Of course it's going to negotiate with Chris. Paul's deal, I've got something to do here, something very important. So, you're going to have to handle the deal for me. Tell the Hornets that I entrusted you to go, and you represent me! ”

After being convinced that Bird was not joking with himself, Henson cautiously asked, "I heard Silas say that the three-way deal between the Lakers, Rockets and Hornets has not been completed?" ”

"Who said the deal was done? That's just that the three of them have reached a trading intention, and the alliance has not yet passed the review! ”

Henson pouted, Bird was talking nonsense. It's like this ball was obviously thrown, will the bonus be canceled because the referee forgot to gesture?

"The three-point trade between the Lakers, Rockets and Hornets is in line with the league's trade rules, and it's only a matter of time before the league reviews it, and the league ...... Wait, Alliance!? ”

"Hahaha, what did you finally find?" Bird on the other end of the phone smiled, Henson's high-achieving mind is very useful, I believe he can understand it without explaining it himself.

"I've got someone to book you a plane ticket to New Orleans in two hours, and you'll be going to negotiate early tomorrow morning. As for tonight, let's wait to see a good show tonight. ”

Bird finished and hung up. Henson turned the car directly to the airport and didn't even have time to pick up his luggage.

As he drove, Henson pondered what Bird called "good play."

The deal between the Lakers, Rockets and Hornets is theoretically reached, but Henson and Lakers general manager Kupchak have overlooked one point, and the current Hornets are the most special team in NBA history, and there is no one!

Thanks to Hornets owner George. Sheehan peddled the team, and Stern struggled to create a "more balanced league," so NBA commissioner David Brown. Stern doesn't want the Hornets' most likely potential buyer, Oracle owner Larry. Allison, moving the Hornets to San Jose, California.

As early as 2006, the owners of eight small teams signed a letter to the league, hoping that the league would solve the huge gap between the big city teams and the small city teams. I believe that the turmoil caused by the relocation of the SuperSonics in 2008 is something that Stern will not want to see again.

So, in order to prevent the wasps from relocating, the alliance bought the wasps themselves for $300 million. Until there is a buyer willing to keep the Hornets in New Orleans, the Hornets will be run by the Alliance.

What does this mean? This means that the Hornets' decisions are based on the interests of the other 29 teams! Henson smiled, this thing is ridiculous, but it is real!

The league has hosted the Hornets for a year, and no one cares about small fights, but now that the team is trading the top card, there will definitely be people who will jump out and complain. After all, what a terrible thing it is for Paul to join the Lakers!

Thinking about this, Henson had already driven to the airport. He hurriedly got on the plane, but he didn't know who the person who jumped out after he got off the plane would be. And what role will Bird play in this matter?

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11 p.m., New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport. As soon as Henson got off the plane and turned on his phone, he received a text message from Bird.

The text message is like a look, and it is the Cavaliers owner Dan. A letter from Gilbert to Stern. Gilbert is perhaps the league's favorite letter-writing owner, and after James left the Cavaliers last year, he wrote an open letter to Cleveland fans with an angry index.

When he learned that another "rich and handsome" was going to rob the "goddess" of the small club, Gilbert probably had painful memories welling up in his heart, so he tapped on the keyboard and wrote such a letter to Stern. The content of the letter is basically to condemn the Lakers for getting a trade for Paul.

Henson looked at the letter with interest, and Bird must have fanned the flames in it, otherwise he wouldn't have called himself to New Orleans so confidently. From the beginning, Bird didn't want the Lakers to make a trade!

Bird has always been one of the cronies of the "red-headed" Auerbach, and his means are somewhat or less.

There was a sentence in the letter that undoubtedly poked at Stern's soft underbelly: "If the league doesn't interfere in this deal, 25 of our 30 teams will just go to exhibition games!" ”

Reading between the lines, Henson smelled Gilbert's wrath. And for Stern, who is bent on making the league more "balanced", this is undoubtedly a critical blow. Paul has gone to the Lakers and Kobe Bryant to join forces, and this is still a ghost of balance. In the past, the league couldn't control the gathering of stars, but now that the Hornets are hosted by the league, then the league has to curb this kind of thing!

Sure enough, it was a good show.

Hopson took a taxi and arrived at the hotel. After talking to Anjiali on the phone, Henson did not sleep, but kept scrolling his phone.

Finally, at half past twelve in the morning, an explosive piece of news popped up on Henson's phone.

NBA Commissioner David Brown. Stern announced that the three-way deal between the Lakers, Hornets and Rockets was halted for some basketball reasons, and the league did not pass the review! ”

Henson gasped, presumably at this time, the basketball circle must have become a mess of porridge. While the Cavaliers owner's letter certainly wasn't the whole thing that messed up the deal, it certainly played a role.

The deals made are all mess-ups, and the NBA is really "a miracle happening here".

※※※

Chris. Paul was ready to go to Los Angeles for a preseason training camp, but when he woke up, he almost smashed his phone out of the window.

"Basketball reasons? What basketball reason!? Paul yelled into the receiver, and he just felt like the whole league was working against him!

"Listen, don't worry, I'm still talking to Stern. But if we don't make it to Los Angeles, we have to choose a backup plan. ”

"Don't have any backup plans, tell all the teams that unless it's Los Angeles and New York, even if I get traded, I won't renew my contract with anyone!" Paul was furious, furious. Last night, he was still thinking that he could win a few championships with Kobe! As soon as I woke up, the transaction was actually stopped!

"What if it's Indiana? Henson. Joe called me early this morning! Paul's manager Leon. Ross wasn't actually looking for Plan B, but telling Paul that if he didn't want to stay in New Orleans, he only had Plan B to choose from right now!

"Walkers?" Paul was stunned for a moment, although the Pacers had expressed interest before, Paul had never been in contact with the Pacers.

Last season, the Hornets were beaten by the Pacers and were also double-killed by the Pacers throughout the season. In fact, Henson's coaching and the Pacers' group of youngsters did impress Paul.

Now that the existing strong team can't go, Paul's only hope for winning the championship is to go to a team with potential. But truth be told, Paul knew almost nothing about the current situation of the Pacers.

"We can talk, but don't expect too much." Paul looked out the window at New Orleans and shook his head in annoyance.

Basketball Causes...... Isn't it true that God has to stop his championship dream?

Just hung up Leon. Rose's phone, Paul's phone rang again, it was an unfamiliar number.

Paul answered the phone impatiently, but his eyes widened again.

"Hello Chris, I'm sure Ross is already on the phone with you. So let's talk, I'm downstairs from your house right now. I have a plan, a plan for the championship. ”

The man's no-nonsense style on the phone made Paul, who was originally angry, couldn't help but smile slightly.