On the fourth day of free agency, the transfer market was buzzing.

ESPN's spotlight focused on two free agents.

Karl Malone's last four-year contract with the Jazz expired, and he announced that he would not renew his contract with the Jazz, but he would not retire either.

This means that Karl Malone, who has been with the Jazz for 18 years, is leaving the Jazz, and his goal should be the O'Brien Cup.

Gary Payton, who was traded to the Bucks by the SuperSonics in the middle of last season, also expired on his contract, and after becoming a free agent, the Bucks do not seem ready to renew Gary Payton.

The combination of the two news, Qiao Hai thought of the F4 of the Lakers in his previous life, and during working hours, he browsed Hoop Sports for a while, but did not find any revelations.

So, he made a phone call to Kevinding.

"Kevin, did you notice that Karl Malone and Gary Payton's contracts are expiring?"

Kevindin smelled a hint of big news, and he replied directly: "What? Did they find their next home? ”

"You inquire first, I got the grapevine that the Lakers are operating, hoping to sign Malone and Payton on low-cost contracts to form the Big Four!"

"The Big Four?!" Kevindin was so surprised that he almost swallowed his tongue.

However, a closer analysis shows that the possibility is very high.

After last season's playoff loss, the Lakers learned from the pain, and it was impossible for Mitch Kupchak to continue to waste the peak of the OK combination, so further reinforcement became the only way.

The two big fish on the free market, Karl Malone and Gary Payton, happen to be misaligned with the OK combination, and the Lakers can't be without ideas.

……

Hanging up the phone, Qiao Hai thought about the lineup of the Rockets next season.

If the Lakers form a Big Four and the Pistons don't have Billups and Tyshawn Princes, maybe the Lakers really have a chance to win the third O'Brien Cup of the OK combination.

Qiao Hai knocked on the table, he thought, Carl Malone and Gary Payton in the competition, can he get involved.

"The team's current lineup only has two substitutes for Alston and Muchinoris as point guards, Wade and Jamal Crawford as shooting guards, Ron Artest and Korver as small forwards, Boozer as a big forward, Chris Anderson and Darlius Sangueira as a big forward, and Boris Dior who can play two forward positions."

"The center forward is Yao Ming Gakato."

"If it's a lineup and the point guard position is missing starters, then it should be good to grab Gary Payton and just make up for the vacancy."

The Rockets are different from the Lakers, they have a lot of salary space, they can give Gary Payton a contract that is not low-paying, and in terms of money, the Rockets have an advantage.

……

Qiao Hai thought about it, and Darryl Morey pushed the door in and handed Qiao Hai an email.

"Joe, we got a trade offer from Utah."

Qiao Hai took it suspiciously, and the email read: "Inquiry Carlos Boozer." ”

"They want Carlos?"

Qiao Hai's doubts were solved, and the offer from the Jazz seemed to be that Jerry Sloan had a crush on Carlos Boozer, plus Karl Malone was about to leave, and Jazz was going to take one step and find Karl Malone's successor at the same time when Karl Malone left.

Qiao Hai thought about this offer for a while.

He feels that Boozer is not impossible to trade, and next season, the Rockets' offense will inevitably be biased to the outside, and the interior will be completely left to Yao Ming.

Boozer is already a bit redundant, and even if the Jazz don't get it, Boozer will be traded.

So now, it's better to go with the flow and negotiate directly with the Jazz.

Joe Hai pondered how he would negotiate with the Jazz, while on the other side, Morey reported on the whereabouts of the Rockets' veterans after the free market opened.

"Kenny Thomas went to Philadelphia, Trent Morris joined the 76ers' summer league roster, and Devin Brown is currently unavailable...... By the way, James Posey has received an offer! ”

Qiao Hai raised his head suddenly.

Darryl Morey handed over another email: "22.4 million for 4 years, an offer from the Grizzlies." ”

"Grizzly bear?" Qiao Hai frowned, he was even more puzzled, why did the Grizzlies compete for James Posey? Is it just to disgust him?

Darryl Morey nodded again: "A reporter from the Los Angeles Times told me that the Grizzlies may have hired Jerry West as their new general manager. ”

Jerry West? Grizzlies' new general manager?

This is another big news, Qiao Hai feels a little unreal, Jerry West After being humiliated by Qiao Hai, the grizzly bear actually chose this Qiao Hai's subordinate defeat?

Is Michael Haisley crazy?

Qiao Hai couldn't figure it out, but in fact, Michael Haesley couldn't do it, Billie Knight couldn't, and he didn't want to trust those rookie general managers anymore.

And the best among the veteran managers is naturally Jerry West, and his final choice of Jerry West is not a strange operation, although in terms of public opinion, Michael Haesley's operation was frantically complained.

……

Jerry West is in charge of the Grizzlies, and the Grizzlies are going to change a lot.

During the Billie Knight's period, the Grizzlies' team building strategy and direction followed the strategy of the Qiao Hai period, but Billy Knight did not have Qiao Hai's vision, so Billy Knight was a failure, and he couldn't even maintain the lineup left by Qiao Hai.

And Jerry West is in charge, his team-building strategy is definitely very different from Qiao Hai, and signing James Posey is a signal, perhaps, Jerry West is going to make a big move.

……

"22.4 million in 4 years, with an average of more than 5 million per year, let's match it directly."

This price is neither high nor low, but it is enough to satisfy James Posey, and if the offer is successfully matched, a big stone pressing on Qiao Hai's heart can be removed.

Darryl Morey nodded, and began to inform James Posey's agent.

But before leaving, he pointed to Sir's inquiry: "What about Sir's inquiry?" ”

Qiao Hai picked up the inquiry letter and thought for a while.

Carlos Boozer, his trade value is big or small, Qiao Hai can blow him into a future All-Star, but some people believe that Boozer is just a potential star, and the trade value may be a little higher, but not much.

The draft pick somewhat constrained Boozer's trade value.

"Well, you reply to the Jazz first, DeSean Stevenson, and Sir next year's first-round pick, in exchange for Carlos Boozer."

Darryl Morey nodded, he knew that Qiao Hai was a lion's mouth.

DeSean Stevenson is good enough to say that Karl Malone is leaving, John Stockton is retiring, and the Jazz's first-round pick next year is destined to be a lotto, and it is a lotto pick that is not low.

Therefore, Qiao Hai's return jazz must not agree.

But Johi's lion's big mouth also makes sense, on the one hand, his return price means that Carlos Boozer can be traded.

On the other hand, Qiao Hai's lion opening also represents the value of Carlos Boozer in Qiao Hai's heart.

If there is a negotiation, the Jazz will also weigh a few points.