Cleveland, the capital of Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Cavaliers General Manager's Office......

Jim Paxson looked at a rookie report in front of him, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, which was his habit when thinking, and the rhythmic tapping helped him clear his thoughts.

He was waiting for someone, and he was also thinking about the next way to negotiate.

And the name on the rookie report suddenly turned out to be the national basketball genius who had entered the field of vision of all NBA teams in the United States as early as this time last year and had also caused a sensation: LeBron James.

At that time, all the teams were staring at this high school talent, and Jim Paxson also went to St. Mary's High School next door in Akron several times to watch LeBron play.

This is a young man with great talent that can be seen with the naked eye, but unfortunately, last year's Nike Summit and World Championships destroyed him.

I heard that he can't play at St. Mary's High School now, but that's not the worst, the really worst thing is the bad reputation of this guy in Ohio and even in the whole of the United States.

'Sinister villains without sportsmanship', 'rotten people from the slums', and so on, have become labels that cannot be removed from his head.

Besides, he can't even play in the high school league, and after a year of lack of competitive form, how much talent and combat power can he retain now?

Now the league has sent out the rookie roster for seven or eight days, but according to the information he has received, there is not a single team that invited LeBron to a tryout.

His competitive form is only one aspect, but more importantly, most of these teams don't want to offend the fans.

But it's irrefutable that this guy's true potential is definitely qualified to be in the top five rookies this year.

A high-pick is destined to be a high-pick draft, and frankly, it's a pretty good deal in terms of improving the team's strength alone.

Jim Paxson had mentioned this at a previous meeting of the team's top management, but it was rejected by the top brass at the time.

In this era, the NBA is still more about tradition and reputation, and it is not cost-effective to exchange a so-called 'cost-effective player' with the possibility of being ridiculed and sprayed by fans across the United States.

What's more important is that the team background is different.

If the Wizards want to sign LeBron, relying on Jordan's name, fans may not have an opinion on the Wizards, they will only relish to predict whether LeBron will be sprayed as an idiot by Jordan in a few days or months, or even happy to see it happen.

Another example is the Lakers, there is an OK combination that is now in full swing, even if people sign LeBron, fans will only say that this is the team's generosity and give the bad people a chance, and then for the Spurs, fans will shout cool, looking forward to an honest coach like Popovich to abuse LeBron out of.

In today's league, there are probably only these few teams that dare to want LeBron.

Can they knights? What do they knights have?

Not only do they not have a coach like Popovich, nor do they have a star like Jordan and OK, and even, last year's Cavaliers gave away almost all the team's valuable assets in order to reorganize and reorganize, and even Andre Miller, who had just been trained, was sent away in exchange for ten newcomers with less than four years of NBA experience, and even fired the former head coach Lucas because the team 'won two more games'.

As a result, they still didn't win the more crazy supersonic and sun, and they were all so bad, and they only got a third-pick probe lot......

All in all, the current Cavaliers want nothing at all, if the Cavaliers sign LeBron, they will only be ridiculed by fans, saying that a bad team deserves a bad person, and even a label such as no sportsmanship will be directly shifted from the top of LeBron's head to the Cavaliers' head, and then one by one use a magnifying glass to pick the Cavaliers throughout the season, whether LeBron or the team, any small mistake made may become an attack point for fans across the United States......

So the target of the top management is Dwyane Wade, the super newcomer who once played against Lin Dong at the World Championships and is known as the Flash, even if he retreats to the second, he also chooses Chris Bosh, the super power forward who once became the main defense of the United States team Lin Dong at the Nike Summit and the World Championships, and builds a team around these two.

Secondly, it is also the choice of Carmelo Anthony, the offensive kaleidoscope, which has already allowed all three of them to come to the trial.

But in Jim Paxson's view, that wasn't enough...... Of course, these are definitely the geniuses of geniuses, but just one is not enough.

What if you could add a LeBron? Take advantage of the fact that all the teams are unwilling to wade into this guy's troubled waters.

The Cavaliers also have a low-pick first-round pick and a high-pick second-round pick, and of course, if LeBron is to be chosen, then he can only choose one more between Wade and Bosh, after all, Anthony's position coincides with LeBron.

Signing one of Wade or Bosh, paired with a LeBron, is the perfect piece of the puzzle in Paxson's mind.

As for the question of his reputation...... Paxson had a way, and he managed to convince the management.

If you see something, you have to start it, it's nothing more than spending money!

Bang bang bang.

Just as he was thinking about it, there was a soft knock on the door.

Paxson straightened his collar: "Please come in." ”

The beautiful female assistant walked in with a guy with a baseball cap and a low brim: "General manager, this is ......"

"I know." Paxson smiled and stood up and walked over to LeBron, then held out his hand to him: "It's nice to meet you, son of Ohio, I've been following you for a long time." ”

It was undoubtedly a meeting against league rules, but Paxson didn't care...... Akrand is very close to Cleveland, through prior phone contact, LeBron was quietly picked up from Akrand by special car, and now LeBron is not cared for or paid attention to at all, which is much more hidden than his sensitive general manager going to Akrand.

Son of Ohio?

This once glorious title did not move LeBron, he just shook Paxson's hand very calmly: "Thank you for the invitation, although I didn't receive a trial notice." ”

"Yes." Paxson smiled and said, "But before I do, I need to know more about you, and I have to negotiate something first." ”

The female assistant retreated playfully and closed the door.

"I haven't played this year, but I've not relaxed my training and if the team gives me a tryout, I think I'll ......"

'I know your potential, in fact all the teams know that, and that's not the most important thing. Paxson smiled and invited LeBron to sit down on the couch: "I want to ask you a few questions." ”

"Speak, please."

"First, are you afraid of Lin Dong?" Paxson stared at LeBron's eyes tightly, and instead of trying to understand how much competitive form he had, Paxson felt that his mental state was more important.

If a person has developed a demon on the court against another opponent, then that person is really useless.

Thankfully, he didn't see that in LeBron's eyes.

"Don't be afraid." LeBron said quietly, and instead of fear, the flickering in his eyes was a raging war.

Paxson smiled and changed to a relatively comfortable and relaxed sitting position: "How do you feel about your unethical sports behavior at the World Championships?" ”

This is the second psychological test, and Paxson deliberately makes his tone appear a little sarcastic and sarcastic.

Frankly, no matter what LeBron answers, whether he wants revenge, wants to be more ruthless, or repents or mends his ways...... It doesn't matter how he answers, Paxson doesn't care about that, what he wants to see is LeBron's attitude and emotions.

This question is undoubtedly a pain point for LeBron, the worst experience he has had from heaven to hell, and he can't face it if he's not really ready to play.

And what makes Paxson very happy is that LeBron is even better than he thought when facing this problem.

"Everyone makes mistakes, especially for a poor kid who is suddenly hit on the head by great fame and fortune." LeBron said calmly: "It is an experience and a lesson, and it will be my precious treasure." ”

"What are you willing to do to make up for the mistakes you've made?"

Again, if the other party says what to do to repent, to beg the opponent for forgiveness, to reform from now on, and so on, Paxson will scoff at it, which is the way of thinking of the weak, and it is equivalent to admitting mistakes.

A truly strong man will not apologize, let alone admit his mistakes, and if he is both a strong man and a wise man, then his answer will be even more interesting.

LeBron gave him a more interesting answer, very abstract: "Everything I can do." ”

All...... The implications are wide-ranging.

Paxson laughed, and he felt that the kid in front of him was more than just a basketball talent.

He finally sat up straight again: "Last question, would you like to come to the Cleveland Cavaliers?" No matter how big the risk? ”

"Don't rush to answer me yet, kid." Paxson smiled and said: "I think there will still be a few teams in the league that are interested in you, maybe in two days they will send you a tryout invitation, they just want to wait and see first, and also show in front of the public and fans that they don't really want you, but these teams will not be very high in the draft, and at the same time, they will not be willing to do more for you, and they must not be willing to do more for you." ”

"For example, the Wizards, for example, the Spurs, for example, the Lakers, they are much stronger than the Cavaliers today, they are more concerned, they have more fans and a bigger market. But if you go, you're destined to be a miscellaneous and won't get too many resources from the team to develop, but if you come to the Cleveland Cavaliers, I can guarantee that you will at least be given the second priority to develop. ”

"So, think about it before answering me." "If you're willing to come to the Cavaliers, you don't have to say no when these teams offer you a tryout, that's not reasonable, but I want you to give you a poor performance," Paxson said. I can't give you a reputation for being a top pick, but I can give you a rookie contract with a top head, and in the meantime, I'll mobilize all my PR team to wash away all the stains on you! Of course, this will also require your own cooperation, and it will even require you to sacrifice something......"

No high rank means no fame, and frankly speaking, after half a year of hard work, LeBron feels that with his current competitive level, such a choice is a bit humiliating.

And this is tantamount to a gamble, giving up the trial or deliberately pulling his crotch during the trial, then he can only rely on the knight, if the knight ends up playing him, don't sign him......

But the bad reputation is something he has to face now, and the worse teams dare not sign him, and even if there are really current hot teams such as the Wizards, Lakers, and Spurs throwing an olive branch to him, the situation will be the same as what Paxson said, he will not be reused and cultivated by the team, and no one will bother to help him clear his reputation.

Then he may never have the opportunity to challenge Lin Dong, whether on the court or off the court, never!

LeBron didn't dwell on this issue for long.

I don't seem to have any choices.

"I'm willing, as long as the team is willing to train me, it can give me a chance to beat Lin Dong." LeBron said calmly: "Someday, you will be glad that you have decided today, this will be the most valuable trade you have ever made in your life!" ”

Paxson was stunned for a moment, and a smile appeared on his face: "It may take time." ”

He likes confident guys and prefers crazy gamblers, because only this kind of gambler who knows that he has no way back can burst out to his maximum potential on the court.

"What I have is time." LeBron said, "You shouldn't be lacking, right?" ”

"I'll give you a tryout as soon as possible, but until then, there are some performances that you need to work with." Paxson laughed and reached out to LeBron.

LeBron also held out his hand: "Willing to serve." ”

Two big hands clasped together.

"Happy working together!"

(End of chapter)