On July 9, 2015, the NBA free agency officially opened.

The opening of the free market means that last season has officially come to an end, and the horn of the new season has been sounded.

However, before the horn sounded, the teams had already begun to recruit and compete in secret.

For NBA teams, players, especially stars, are assets that they expect to buy with a sum of money and then create more value in the years to come.

With the signing of new mega-broadcast contracts between the NBA and several sports broadcasters last year, the value of NBA players has risen, and the salary cap is destined to rise significantly next year, in 2016 (the exact amount of increase will have to be determined through labor negotiations, but it will definitely rise).

In anticipation of this, none of the big-name players with player options will jump out of their contracts this year to test the free market, such as the typical Kevin Durant, who decided to stay with the Golden State Warriors for another year and continue to attack the Los Angeles Clippers.

LeBron James signed a two-year contract with the Golden State Warriors in the summer of '14, and with a player option, he also decided to stay with the Warriors and challenge for a championship.

These two big fish are reluctant to leave, and the heat of the free market has dropped a lot in an instant.

This year's really big-name free agents include Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Gasol of the Pelicans, DeAndre Jordan of the Grizzlies, Mark Gasol, Leonard, Jimmy Butler of the Clippers, and Banyani of the Knicks.

Among them, the Clippers have a heavy contract renewal task, and their salary cap is running out, but there are three 20 million-level players to sign, and if they eat them all, they will definitely have to pay a lot of luxury tax.

If the Clippers continue the previous strategy of Min Congda's "should be continued" and eat all three contracts, the salary will definitely be explosive, and they will hit a higher five-game winning streak.

But Min's departure has left some cracks in the Clippers, which were unusually united internally, with Jimmy Butler in the "Three Little Fronts" being fiercely pursued by the Houston Rockets.

Because Jimmy Butler is a Houstonite, for NBA players, the hometown plot is still very important, and being able to play in his hometown is still a big temptation for star players.

Of course, the bigger temptation for Jimmy Butler is the salary cap and the treatment of the team's top name, and Butler is a very ambitious player.

To be honest, in the Clippers, he has already won enough collective honors, four rookies, four championships, and no desire.

What he wants to pursue in the future should be a high salary and boss status, in the Clippers he will never be the boss, he will not be the core, and he will be the No. 4, No. 5, or even No. 6 person all his life.

For any person with normal intelligence, under the pursuit of the rocket's top salary, he will not hesitate at all, and immediately jump ship and play hometown basketball.

But the Clippers are different, and Jimmy Butler hesitated in the face of such tempting conditions, and he called Min Congda before making a decision.

As soon as the phone was connected, Jimmy Butler apologized to Min Congda, "I'm sorry General Manager, I... I don't think I'm going to stay with the Clippers anymore. ”

Min Congda was a little surprised to hear Butler's words, and then he said, "Oh, no, no need to apologize Jimmy, you've done well enough in four years, haven't you?" Your performance is amazing, I didn't expect you to become so good, if you can go to another team and get the top salary and be a core player, I'm proud of you, really. ”

Jimmy Butler said, "That's... Then I should go to Houston, right? ”

Min Congda said: "This is your own choice, I don't have the right to decide, you can choose the place that is most beneficial to your career." Of course, if you had to suggest it, I wouldn't recommend going to Houston, because to be honest, I don't like that place, especially their general manager, Darryl Morey, who is a vampire, a ruthless and shameless man, and their boss is a calculating, slashing guy. If you want to go to Texas, why don't you go to San Antonio and play for Popovich, I think your style of play suits the Spurs. ”

Butler said, "Really? But... I've heard that the Spurs want Leonard more, and they seem to have started negotiations. “

Min Congda smiled: "That's none of your business, I just suggest, you can try to communicate with the Spurs, I will give Popovich a call, you can communicate with him then, and then make your own decision." ”

Butler understood what Min Congda meant, and it was very important for him to be able to get Min Congda's support, because Min Congda's choice and cultivation made him where he is today, and Butler has always been grateful to Min Congda in his heart.

"Mr. Smart, if you don't leave the Clippers, I'll definitely stay, even if I don't have a salary cap and no core position."

"I knew that if I stayed as a coach, I would one day make you MVP. But that's not interesting, is it? Go out there and fly higher in the sky, and I'll keep an eye on how you perform. ”

Min con Da reassured Jimmy Butler, and Butler's departure meant the Clippers would lose a significant force.

However, last season without George, the Clippers still won the championship.

With George back next season, the Clippers are still very strong overall, even without Butler.

But if Leonard also leaves, the Clippers' vaunted front wall will completely collapse.

Min Congda did not receive a call from Leonard, but received an inquiry from Orsie.

"Mr. Smart, how are you doing?"

"We just had coffee a week ago, just let out any fart you have, don't talk nonsense to me."

"Okay, okay, uh... You know what's been going on lately, the free market, we have the question of renewals. I'm going to continue your previous policy, and I'm going to continue it, but... Butler wasn't happy with our offer, and he wanted a top salary. Then, Leonard, his uncle said he wanted to go to the Spurs. I wondered, if I can't get Butler, can I give Leonard a maximum salary? He's a restricted free agent, and we can just get him with a max salary. It's just that in that case, if Gasol Jr. gives the maximum salary, our salary space will be unbearable. ”

"Is salary space something you want to consider? We've won four championships, and then in 2016, the salary cap is going to go up a lot, and now you're renewing, and it's a good deal to look at later. Hey, I said Olsie, you still haven't grasped the essence of my strategy, is my strategy just to sign up for everyone? Wouldn't it be better to put a dog up and be the general manager! ”

Even if Min Congda is no longer the manager of the Clippers, even if Olsie regains the position of general manager, even if Olsie has always been known for being strong, he is still obediently trained in front of Min Congda.

In fact, Olsie wanted to say, "It seems that it is not impossible to let a dog go", but that scolded both Min Congda and himself, so he had to listen to instructions without speaking.

Min Congda said: "The reason why the Clippers are really strong is because of the good team atmosphere, we are united, we are united, we are united, there is no intrigue, we compare each other, so we have achieved a great quadruple championships. Butler's kind of departure for his own ambitions and ideals, we support and encourage. But Leonard is different, does he really want to go to San Antonio? I don't think so, I'm afraid that he or his family wants to use this way to blackmail the team to pay the highest salary. The Clippers can give him a maximum salary, but if it is given in this way, what does that make others think? How to stabilize the morale of the military? In the future, as long as you want to get a high salary, you will threaten to leave the team? It's not the Clippers' style. ”

"Of course, I know that the NBA is a world of capital, and it is only natural to play to earn money and sign contracts. But to achieve something, to stand out from the crowd, to have a unique belief. Don't let your faith be shattered, that's what you'll do next. I'll get in touch with Leonard on his side, and then I'll call and communicate with the Spurs, and you tell Leonard's uncle to restrain himself and stop standing up and pointing fingers at every turn. ”

"Okay, I get Mr. Smart. The Clippers really can't live without you. ”

"Less sycophants, just this summer, and next summer I won't be in charge of the team. When the time comes, I hope the team is still thriving. ”

After talking to Olser on the phone, Min Congda followed up with Popovich and texted Leonard, who he knew didn't like to call.

After some communication and coordination, the Spurs changed their minds the next day, no longer pursuing Leonard, but successfully acquired Jimmy Butler with a four-year maximum salary.

Butler took off his Clippers jersey and returned to Texas, joined the Spurs, wore the Spurs' No. 22 jersey, and received a promise from Popovich that he would be the Spurs' outside core.

In addition to Butler, the Spurs also have a salary cap space, and after some lobbying, they successfully acquired Aldridge, one inside and one outside, and the Spurs became the biggest winner in the offseason.

After Leonard was persuaded by Min Congda, he also gave up the heart of sitting on the ground and starting the price, and renews the contract with the Clippers with the highest salary, followed by the Clippers also signed a high-salary contract with Gasol Jr.

On top of that, the Clippers also successfully re-signed Livingston, but couldn't keep Dragic, who went to the Rockets for more playing time and more room to play.

Other teams have also shown their abilities and tried to strengthen as much as possible, but overall this year's free agency market has been relatively uneventful, after all, everyone is waiting for the big contract boom in the summer of 2016.

However, whether this big contract boom will come depends on this year's labor negotiations - how the extra salary amount will be distributed after the new broadcast contract is launched.

This is the third major issue of the year, following the resolutions of the board of directors of the League-Referee Labor Negotiation and the Legalization of Gaming.

Originally, the matter was conclusive, that is, a one-time large increase in the salary cap, because in the previous labor negotiations in March, the players' union rejected the proposal to "steadily increase the salary limit".

The players' union is essentially dominated by veterans and superstars, and of course they want to significantly increase their wages as soon as possible so that they can get bigger contracts.

At the level of the salary cap before, the maximum salary contract was about 20 million a year, and a superstar like Kobe Bryant, who has played for many years, can get 30 million a year in the later stage of the contract.

And once the salary cap is raised directly under the new collective contract in the summer of '16, the starting salary of the new maximum salary contract will reach $30 million, which is of course a good thing for the superstar.

However, this will undoubtedly lead to the birth of garbage contracts, as well as the compression of middle-class contracts (the maximum salary is too large to sign long-term middle-class contracts), so that middle-level players can only sign with a base salary or short-term middle class.

Before the official start of next season, there will be a negotiation between employers and employees to determine what exactly will be done with the 2016 salary cap, and the management is actually tending to compromise.

Because for the management side, whether it is a large one-time increase in the salary amount or a steady gradual increase, the money spent is the same, and they have no incentive to offend superstars, and they have no incentive to fight for the welfare of the league's mid-level players.

However, the arrival of Min Congda, Dong Zhuo, undoubtedly brought variables to things.

Of course, the first problem Min Congda has to face is the referee, and the labor negotiation with the referee association is close at hand.

The Referees Association made two requests to the league:

First, a 300 percent salary increase.

Second, don't let Min Congda participate in the referee management work.

At the first working day meeting that Min Congda attended, Bozia directly informed Min Congda of these two requirements.

Then he told Min Congda: "I have already found a good house for you, a high-quality apartment, 276 square meters, 3 bedrooms and 2 living rooms, the rent is... $20,000 a month, are you acceptable? ”

Min Congda nodded and said, "I can accept it." But I want to talk to the referees association, and only one of the two conditions they put forward can be accepted. Either I'll stay, or they'll never want to raise their pay by 300 percent. Don't even think about two hundred. I swear. ”

(End of chapter)