Mickey. Kupchak, who is a household name in Los Angeles, is not a star, he is not a famous basketball player, he is a general manager, yes, he is the general manager of the Lakers.

Kupchak hasn't been down since he became the Lakers' general manager in 2000, and he has been called "the NBA's most outstanding general manager" by many because of one trade after another. ”

However, the outstanding general manager has been tormented recently, and he could not have imagined that Howard, who he had painstakingly traded, would run away and leave the Lakers irresponsibly.

In exchange for Howard, Kupchak and his Lakers team paid a lot, they sent Odom, Fisher, and even Bydam, and finally tossed and turned to welcome the league's No. 1 center.

But after only one season, Howard couldn't stand the atmosphere of the Lakers and left this team with a tradition of top-level centers.

When he got the call and learned that Howard was going to Houston, Kupchak's first reaction was, "The Lakers are done." ”

Kobe Bryant is injured, Howard is gone, the entire Lakers lineup has been destroyed and fragmented, and the only people who can support the scene are Gasol, who has been in a fluctuating state, and Nash, who has been injured continuously and is difficult to return to the top.

As the saying goes, it's hard for a good woman to cook without rice, let alone Kupchak?

Although he has reacted in time and actively started to contact the dream of a good center who is still a free agent, trying to make up for the loss of Howard's departure slightly, who else is a free agent in the league with a good level of center?

"It's all snatched away! Not a single one" with a wry smile helplessly, Kupchak has been able to determine that the Lakers will definitely be finished next season.

But even with such sad thoughts in my heart. Pukuchek still has to do his job.

So, he picked up the phone in his office and dialed it.

"Hello, you're Mr. Carman's agent, right? I'm the general manager of the Lakers, Kupchak, and we Lakers have a very strong interest in Mr. Carman, and I want to discuss Mr. Carman's joining the Lakers. I wonder if Mr. Carman has this interest? ”

Chris. Kaman may have been a very good center in the past, with good interior offensive strength, but now he .

Hanging up the phone, Pukuchek couldn't help but smile bitterly, the current Carman is not ranked in the NBA at all, but even so, the best choice for the Lakers now is him, if there is no Carman, the Lakers may not have a qualified starting center next season.

Although there is still a blue-collar Jordan in the team. Hill. But Hill is just a blue-collar worker, no matter how good his appearance is, he is only a blue-collar one.

The Lakers' first choice for a playful interior line like Gasol is a center with offensive ability, so as to complement Gasol, such as the former Bydam, later Howard, and the upcoming Carman.

Kaman may not be as good as he used to be, but at least he still has some interior offensive ability. It's better than nothing, right?

That's what Pukuchek thought in his heart.

After hanging up the phone, Pukuchek rubbed his temples with a headache. It's been a habitual move for him, and he's done it regularly since the Lakers won two straight championships in 10 years, because the Lakers haven't even played in the Finals in the three years since.

"Jingle bell bell." Just then, the phone in his office rang suddenly.

"Hello. I'm the Lakers' general manager, Pukuchek. Hearing the phone, Pukuchek immediately returned to normal, then picked up the phone and said flatly.

"Hello, Mr. Pukuchek, I'm here to discuss with you on behalf of my players about our cooperation."

A young woman's voice came from inside the phone.

Pukucek's brow furrowed slightly.

After he called Kaman's agent before. Karman's agent's reply was to discuss it with the player before giving himself an answer.

Originally, he thought that this call was a call back from Kaman's agent, but it was obvious that the woman's voice on the phone was completely different from the one he had heard before, because Kaman's agent was a man.

Pukuchek's brow furrowed slightly, and the first thing that came to his mind was the rookie players who were not drafted this year.

This is the time of the season when the players are at their most active, and because of the loss of the draft, their agents will do everything they can to get the team to notice their players.

The phone number in Pukucek's office is not a secret, so it is very common for someone to find out.

Although he was not satisfied, Pukuchek maintained his demeanor as the general manager of a team.

"Excuse me, what is your player?"

"My player is called Wang Cannon." The woman on the phone said.

"Oh, King Cannon! Sorry, our team is waiting now! What did you say? King Cannon? At first, Pukuchek wanted to use the fact that the team was not short of people to perfunctory this guy, but halfway through the sentence, he grew in shock.

"That's right, King Cannon."

"That king cannon of the Celestial Empire? That King Cannon who was with the Clippers last season? Pukuchek asked subconsciously.

"Of course, do you think there will be a second player in this league called Wang Cannon?" The woman on the phone, that is, Zhao Ling, said impatiently.

"I'm sorry, I lost my temper!" Pukuchek took a deep breath, his heart pounding.

Wang Cannon's agent actually took the initiative to call himself! This is no ordinary thing.

You must know that after the Wang Cannon boxing incident, as long as the teams in the league have the conditions, they basically asked the Clippers for the price, and also called Wang Cannon to find out.

But most of them couldn't even get through to Wang Dacang's phone, and the only news they could get was a sentence from the mouth of Wang Dacang's agent Zhao Ling.

"My players don't want to discuss these issues now, please come back!"

That's it, there is no reason and no explanation. The arrogance makes people gnash their teeth. But there was nothing to be done. Who made Wang Cannon a big name? The big names have this capital hanging, because any team wants to pursue him.

The Lakers are no exception, but the Lakers' pursuit of Wang Cannon's idea is not as heavy as that of other teams, because the relationship between the Clippers and the Lakers is very sensitive, and there is Kobe, the 10,000-year-old boss, even if Wang Cannon's choice is next. Basically, the Lakers will not be chosen.

But now, Kupchak received a call from Zhao Ling, Wang's cannon's agent.

How does this not surprise Pukuchek? How not to be pleasantly surprised?

For a moment, Pukuchek even felt that the Lakers might have a new hope.

However, he quickly calmed down, after all, as a general manager, if he is frizzy, I am afraid it will be difficult to work in this team for 13 years.

"Mr. Wang is interested in our Lakers? Want to join us? Pukuchek still wanted to make a good confirmation.

"That's right, but we have conditions, and if you agree to our conditions, Wang Cannon can join the Lakers." Zhao Ling said.

"Conditions? What conditions? Pukuchek's heart was shocked, but he still asked.

"My players have three demands. First. He only signed for one year. The second point is that he wants absolute possession of the ball on the field. The third point is that he wants to play his own time! ”

"It can't be!" Pukuchek subconsciously said: "We will never agree to such a request." ”

Although he is eager for Wang Cannon, Pukuchek is the general manager of the Lakers after all, and everything he does is responsible for the Lakers.

But he had two requests for the latter. But it is difficult for the strong.

First of all, absolute possession on the field! If the ball is given to him. So what about Kobe? You know, Kobe Bryant is not a season reimbursement, he will come back halfway through the next season, that is, around January, what should I do at that time? Let Kobe Bryant and Wang Cannon fight?

Secondly, Wang Cannon requires time on the field, which is even more impossible. Because this is a complete attempt to challenge the authority of the coach! Although the matter has not yet been discussed, Pukuchek has already begun to fantasize about the scene where the head coach will ask Wang Cannon to go down one day, but Wang Cannon refuses.

This thing can really be done on Wang Cannon!

No matter how powerful Wang Cannon is, he will never agree to such conditions, which is already a matter of dignity for the Lakers, a giant team.

"Mr. Pukuchek. I think if you talk to my players personally, I'm afraid you'll change your insistence. Zhao Ling was not in a hurry, she said with a smile, and then handed the mobile phone to Wang Dapao who was sitting next to her.

"I'm King Cannon!"

Wang Cannon's voice came from the phone, but before Pukuchek could speak, Wang Cannon preemptively spoke.

"I said it, I want to be completely free on the pitch and have absolute possession of the ball! You must agree to me on these two terms! "Wang Cannon's words are categorical, and there is no room for negotiation at all.

Pukuchek sighed slightly, and was ready to open his mouth to reject the king cannon, although he was very tempting, but compared to the dignity of the Lakers, even ten king cannons could not be compared.

"Correspondingly, this season for the Lakers, I will guarantee that the Lakers will definitely make the playoffs."

Before Pukuchek could speak, Wang Cannon spoke again, and his words also made Pukuchek startled. "And the Lakers will definitely make it through the first round!"

After a long silence, Pukuchek asked: "Why would I believe what you say?" ”

"You can write all these conditions in the contract, and if I can't do it or break the contract, I'll compensate you a huge sum of money or something." Wang Dacang said indifferently: "But correspondingly, I will also write the privileges you provide to me in the contract, in case you don't count!" ”

At this moment, Kupchak's brain began to work rapidly.

To be honest, Pukuchek doesn't particularly believe in what Wang Cannon said, and Wang Cannon alone can lead the Lakers to the playoffs. Pukuchek is all too clear about the current situation of the Lakers, although there are still players like Gasol and Nash on the team, but the bottom of the league next season is basically a foregone conclusion.

Even if Kobe Bryant will return halfway through the schedule, who can be sure how strong Kobe Bryant, who has reached the age of 35 after his comeback?

So. What Wang said will definitely bring the Lakers to the Finals, which is very unreliable in Pukuchek's opinion. This kind of thing is not necessarily possible even for Jordan and players like Chamberlain.

Although Wang Cannon is no less than these perverted beings in the alliance now, the possibility is still not high.

After all, the Lakers' Western Conference is much more competitive than the East, and many times even if the team wins 45 games. are all likely not to qualify for the playoffs.

What capital does Wang Cannon have to say this?

However, if Wang Cannon can really do this, the requirements he said before may not be so impossible.

After all, victory can explain the problem, and the thought that the Bauhinia Dynasty Lakers will usher in an extremely dark time, Kupchak is panicked in his heart.

That's why he hesitated.

So, he asked a little cautiously, "Mr. Wang Cannon, I want to know." Why did you choose us Lakers? ”

Pukuchek is not stupid, he knows very well that the current Lakers no longer have the capital to attract stars in the past, and they are ready to give Kobe Bryant another two years of high-salary contract to stabilize the Lakers' only lifeline, so that with Gasol's contract of more than 19 million, the Lakers simply do not have much salary space to attract players.

In such cases. Why did Wang Cannon like the Lakers so much that he even asked his agent to take the initiative to call him?

"Do you really want to know?" Wang Cannon's tone was a little strange.

"Yes." Pukuchek, of course, wonders. Because when he knew the purpose of Wang Cannon, he could judge whether he should discuss this matter or not.

"I'm going to get revenge on Sterling." Wang Cannon's reply was simply simple.

"Karma?" Pukuchek was stunned.

"You don't know my grudge against him, do you?" Finding Pukuchek's surprise, Wang Cannon became strange, "I beat him half to death, and he also found an opportunity to stop my game for a long time, the enmity between the two of us is too great." How could I possibly make him happy? Next season. I'm going to be in the same city of the Clippers, Los Angeles to continue the plan of revenge against him, and I'm going to make him regret it! ”

A drop of sweat broke out on Pukuchek's head.

I have to say that Wang Cannon's way of revenge is really weird, and he can think of this method with this kind of funny comparison, right?

Hesitated. Pukuchek did not reject Wang Cannon at the first time, but said: "This matter is more important, I need to ask the owner of the team, can I call you back later?" ”

"Of course." Wang Cannon said.

After hanging up, Pukuchek immediately dialed the team's owner, Jim. Bath's phone.

Since the death of the elder Bass, although the team consists of his two children, Jim. Buzz and Jenny. Bath shared, but Jenny. Buzz was only responsible for the team's commercial development projects, Jim. Bass is the man in charge of the team's project.

After a brief explanation of Wang Cannon's request, Jim was on the phone. Bass, that is, Bass Jr., fell into a long silence.

It took a long time for little Buzz to smell: "Mickey, what do you think about this matter?" ”

Pukuchek had long thought that little Bass would ask him, and he had already thought of the answer. "Coach, there is an old saying in the ancient Celestial Empire, called the enemy of an enemy is a friend."

Little Bas fell silent again, and after half a sound, he said to Pukuchek as if he had made up his mind: "So, let's take a bet?" Could this king cannon be our friend? ”

Pukuchek suddenly laughed, "Okay. ”

The pressure on Buss Jr. Pukuchek is well aware, after the death of his father Buss Sr. in February this year, he has become the pillar of the entire Lakers team, especially now the Lakers, whose record is extremely bad, has caused him not a little pressure.

The Lakers, who have been run by his father for so long, and the Lakers, who have won dozens of championships, have become a bad team in the league in their own hands, who can accept this kind of thing?

Perhaps many people think that it is a very stupid thing for Bass Jr. to bet on this eccentric and funny Wang Cannon, but you must know that Bas Jr. has no choice.

Without Kobe Bryant, without Howard, who else can the Lakers rely on?

With the approval of Bass Jr., Pukuchek called Wang Dacang back again, and the two sides agreed on a time to negotiate the contract, and then Pukuchek hung up the phone with a smile on his face.

He could already imagine what kind of shock the alliance would fall into after learning this news.

Before he could fall into his delusion, though, his phone rang again.

"Mr. Pukuchek? I'm Carman's agent, and my players still have a lot of interest in the Lakers, so I thought we could go over the details of the partnership. ”

Listening to the voice on the phone, Pukuchek couldn't help but laugh again.

If it had been half an hour ago, he might have felt a little happy about the call, but now, he didn't take Carman to heart. With King Cannon, who would still think about Kaman?

"I'm sorry, we've found a better fit, so please say a humble word to Mr. Carman on my behalf, I'm sorry, we Lakers have lost interest in Mr. Carman." (To be continued......)