The day of Liu Mang training with Stockton and Karl Malone has come again, this time very early, mainly after the Finals, after the expiration of free agents and other management contacts, several groups of people have come to find the two.

This year, the duo went to Stockton's hometown of Spokane, Washington, to train in the gymnasium of Spokane Community College.

Spokane Community College is the only university in Spokane, the second largest city in Washington state, the entire urban area of Spokane is only 170,000, and the entire Spokane City is only more than 200,000, which is similar to Salt Lake City, with a white population accounting for more than 95% of the city, with a developed economy and good public security.

The two old men change places every other year and take their families to each other's hometowns to train, which is the habit of the two, they have long settled in Salt Lake City, which is probably one of the most secure cities in the United States, because Salt Lake City is mainly white, and the chance of danger is relatively small, but both of them still go back to their hometowns to train for two or three months every summer.

Liu Mang came to Spokane on June 30 and trained with Stockton and Malone for three days, Malone continued to teach Liu Mang some tips for getting rid of defense in the middle distance, and how to use Liu Mang's unusual elbow strength to deal with defenders.

On the afternoon of July 3, the last training session was over, and before the three of them took a shower and prepared to leave, Liu Mang proposed to go for a walk around the school, and after a while, the three of them came to the playground of Spokane Community College to rest, and then they were about to leave.

Many universities in the United States only have six or seven months of classes a year, and Spokane Community College has been closed in early June, so there is no congestion, and the popularity of Ma Long and Liu Mang is still good.

"Ace, why didn't you call your team's Boozer? Aren't you two nicknamed Little Shuangsha? Stockton asked.

Liu Mang responded: "Carlos? He went back to Germany, where he saved up this year and moved to the North Rhine in West Germany, where he came home after the season to help fix the house and take care of his sick daughter. ”

Liu Mang sometimes thinks that people in Europe and the United States are very magical, and every big man is very tough, from cutting trees, moving bricks and repairing houses to sewing clothes and pants, embroidery needles can play.

Boozer is really a family person, by being selected in the first round, and by playing well as Liu Mang's teammate, he has been favored by some Chinese sponsors, his image is wild enough, he endorses some tires and trucks, and he is a lot richer than he originally was, and as soon as the season is over, he will go back to Germany to take care of his sick daughter.

"That's a pity." Stockton was silent.

Ma Long has been talking very little, and he hasn't spoken for a long time.

Liu Mang struggled for a long time, but still spoke: "John, Carl, will you still play next season?" ”

Hearing Liu Mang's words, both Stockton and Malone laughed.

Stockton smiled and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

Stockton didn't answer, but asked rhetorically, so that Liu Mang didn't know how to speak.

These two people are people with strong self-esteem, Liu Mang came to Spokane in a hurry, and when it was really time to speak, he was a little confused.

Looking at the seemingly nonexistent smiles between the two, Liu Mang gritted his teeth and said bluntly: "John, Carl, come to our team, we have the best lineup and the best team atmosphere, just an experienced leader!" ”

Stockton seemed to have anticipated the purpose of Liu Mang's visit this time, and said with a smile: "I know, Ace, I'll rest for a while, and the next time you come to me when you have time, I think I'll probably think about it, Carl, what about you?" ”

What is the answer to this? Did you say yes? Or don't say yes?

Liu Mang followed Stockton's line of sight and looked at Ma Long, who was still silent.

Stockton looked at Ma Long silently, closed his mouth and sighed, and said to Liu Mang: "Okay, let's go back, Ace, you are very busy in the summer, go back tomorrow, I will rest for two months first, try to stay away from basketball, and then think about whether to play next season." ”

Liu Mang could only respond and followed the two to the parking lot......

……

……

In the days when Liu Mang went to Spokane, the free market was opened, and the salary cap for next season was announced, due to the influence of some factors, the salary cap was a little more than a little higher than the original, reaching more than 49.523 million US dollars, and after the salary cap was determined, the teams that wanted to bring in reinforcements began to formally negotiate with free agents, and a lot of things happened in the league.

Stephen Jackson, who started last season with the Spurs ahead of Turkoglou, Marrick Rose and others, played a calm performance that he had never been before, and under Popovich, Stephen Jackson, who was abandoned after being drafted in 1997 and was on the move, became humble and hardworking, averaging 12 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2 assists per game.

Just after the end of this season, Stephen Jackson's two-year 1 million contract with the Spurs also expired, and many teams threw an olive branch to Stephen Jackson, and finally, when the free market opened on July 1, Stephen Jackson chose the Detroit Pistons with the most money and the shortest contract period, and signed a two-year 5 million contract with a player option, of course, it is a verbal agreement, and the formal signing will not be officially reached until the end of the 7-day free market freeze period.

Although it is a verbal agreement, the NBA is still a place with a high probability of credibility, and the verbal agreement is basically equivalent to the signing of the contract, and there has basically been no reversal.

Free market contracting is a verbal agreement, but the formal trading market does not have this restriction.

On the same day, the Spurs and the 76ers made a deal, and the Spurs sent Glenn Robinson his final year expiring contract, and got the 76ers' Derrick Coleman with only 1.8 million in part of the guaranteed contract.

Then the Spurs announced that they would cut Derrick Coleman, and Derrick Coleman became a free agent.

The 76ers ate Glenn Robinson, basically making it clear that the next season will be rotten, Allen Iverson's surgery will take about seven or eight months to get better, and it will be the middle of the season by then, so the media's speculation about the 76ers' trade is to learn from the Raptors' methods last season, let Iverson recover from his injury, and Bo a high draft pick.

The Clippers exploded in the frontcourt, just picked another center, and once again gave up several former high-pick rookies, letting go of Sugar Man Olovo Kandi and waiving Lamar Odom's parent contract extension, and the two became free agents.

After the Spurs made room, they made a deal with the Lakers, trading Steve Kerr from the Lakers to Robert Horry, and then the Lakers and Steve Kerr bought out the contract, and Steve Kerr announced his retirement in Los Angeles.

And also......

These are all petty deals and signings, and on July 4th, Liu Mang just returned to Atlanta, and the signing of the real impact league came!

……

……

Liu Mang looked at Kwame Brown, who was playing with Jimmy Jr. on the training ground, and Korver, Rasheed Wallace, and Willie Green, a few new teammates who had just joined to undergo a physical examination, thinking that he would receive a call from Rahim when he got home in the morning, and he heard the news, and he should have come.

Gary Payton, one of the best point guards in the league who averaged 19 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season, announced that he would join the Los Angeles Lakers with a full mid-range of 10.37 million in two years.

The combination of Payton, Kobe Bryant, and O'Neal, the league is crazy, Payton also got the highest salary of his career of 12.64 million last season, according to the estimates of some team management, such as the Hawks, if you want to sign Payton, it is possible to sign a short-term contract of at least 10 million or a long-term contract of about 8 million.

Payton chose to take a pay cut to join the Lakers to form a Big Three combination, which shattered his glasses.

After Liu Mang went from Spokane to Atlanta, he came to Phillips Arena to hook up with Coach Kruger...... No, it was the result of inviting the double brakes to join, but I didn't expect to receive the news on the way to Phillips Arena.

Liu Mang probably understood why Ma Long was silent yesterday.

Probably Peyton had already come to them first!

Liu Mang is a little regretful, but there is no way to do it, maybe he will have to compete on the highest stage at that time!

Thinking about it, Liu Mang was still a little excited.

It's just that Liu Mang thinks that it is probably impossible for Stockton to go to the Lakers, so let's fight for it when the time comes!

It's a pity, Liu Mang didn't have much loss, Ma Long didn't get it, and he didn't tighten, the depth of the Eagles' big forward position was leveraged.

However, Liu Mang still won a team signing position for Stockton, and now the Hawks have Liu Mang, Jason Terry, Prince, Korver, Raheem, Barnes, Willie Green, Rashid Wallace, Muhammad, Ratliffe, Kevin Willis, Kwame Brown, a total of 13 people, and two places to strengthen the candidates.

It's mainly a backup for the point guard, and a veteran for the lineup, if you can get Stockton, both problems will be solved, and then find a backup point guard in the bench when Stockton needs to rest, Liu Mang just suggested that the team wait for Stockton's decision, and gave Stockton the phone number of the Hawks management, as for how to operate, he can only say that it depends on fate, if Stockton wants to retire, there is no way, if you join, everyone will work together to have a chance to do the Lakers.

Liu Mang originally planned to go home after the report, pack up his things, and return to China in two days, but it just so happened that he saw a few new teammates who came to the team to report on the physical examination on July 4, and stayed to say hello.

Rasheed Wallace is very familiar, and after seeing Liu Mang, he hooked his shoulders and chatted, excitedly expressing his excitement about playing with Liu Mang, and said that he was ready to renew his contract with the Eagles, or the kind with a large salary cut.

There is no way to reduce the salary, next season Rashid Wallace's salary is as high as more than 16.7 million, and when the Hawks traded Kwame Brown, they traded out the middle class clause before they accepted Kwame Brown, and now the salary has reached more than 54.6 million, with only a two-year two-year exception of 3.5 million.

And Rasheed Wallace's own market is very bad, and he can't sell him in the previous Trail Blazers fire sale, and this contract extension and salary cut are inevitable.

The two rookies of Jay Chou and Willie Green are standard American college students, who are very good at getting things done, and when they saw Rashid Wallace and Liu Mang, they ran up to help with the bag.

As for Kwame Brown, it feels very special to Liu Mang, without the feeling of dark clouds when he played each other in the past two seasons, and he smiled when he saw everyone......

For Kwamei Brown, who smirked when he was fine, Liu Mang could probably understand Kwame Brown's mood, but the others looked panicked.

After the four new teammates warmed up, they completed the physical test, passed the team doctor's examination and physical examination, and played with little Jimmy, who often came to the team's training ground to practice after the holiday.

Rasheed Wallace played for a while, ready to go, he had to look for a house, the Hawks like he assured him that they wouldn't trade him again in the first season, to stabilize his anxiety about being traded, and now he's going to find a place to live in Atlanta for the next year, and as for what happens after this season, he's going to think about it slowly over the course of this season, from how well he fits into the team, how well he's playing, etc., etc.

"Ace, I'm leaving, give me a ride, I'll go to the Hilton Hotel." Rashid Wallace hippie smiling face to rub the car.

“…… Don't you know how to buy a car! I've heard you've been here for days! Liu Mang said angrily.

"Wait first, I'll buy it when I renew the contract, aren't you poor now, and you have to rent a house to live in." Rashid Wallace didn't care at all about Liu Mang's annoyance.

“…… You're the highest-paid on our team next season! Liu Mang reluctantly took a car rub to the parking lot, but he didn't expect that one day he would also be rubbed by the car.

As for Kwame Brown and Willie Green and Korver, they're still going to stay, and on the team's plane in the evening, Mike Woodson is going to take the three of them to play in Summer League.

As the champion show, he has played for two seasons and has to play in summer league, and Liu Mang feels that Kwame Brown is really pitiful.

But Kwame Brown himself is quite happy, leaving Jordan's side is a good start for him!

Rasheed Wallace's very different personality on and off the court is too much for Liu Mang...... I like it, although it looks a little rougher, but this kind of character is really good, if it weren't for the fact that the Trail Blazers are all uncles who want big contracts, Rashid Wallace wouldn't be ostracized there.

When he renewed his contract with the Trail Blazers in 98, because he was a rookie before 98, there was no renewal clause for the parent team, he was a completely free agent, and the team gave him a 6-year 90 million contract, but he wanted to stay with the team, and the team said that he wanted to renew his contract with Damon Stoudemire, hoping that he could take a salary cut, and he immediately reduced it to 6 years and 80 million.

Now when the Trail Blazers and others renew their contracts, they are using Rashid Wallace to drive down the price, and Rashid Wallace is being squeezed out in the Trail Blazers locker room.

……

Phillips Arena Parking Lot.

Rashid Wallace was amazed at Liu Mang's red Lamborghini, but he didn't expect Liu Mang to like red cars.

When he got into the car, Liu Mang thought of something and asked, "By the way, Rashid, don't you want to play center?" There are times when we need you to play as a centre-forward. ”

Rashid Wallace didn't expect Liu Mang to ask this, so he was stunned for a moment, and replied with a sly smile: "Ace, who did you listen to?" I love playing center! ”

"......" Liu Mang seemed to see a fox who single-handedly sent himself away from Portland prison!