After the game, Xu Yong was unsurprisingly elected the All-Star Game MVP, and of course he won this honor for the second consecutive year.
When Xu Yong took the AMVP trophy from Xiao Hua and raised it up, the cheers at the scene lasted for a long time.
From yesterday's three-point contest and dunk contest to this year's main game, this is one of the most exciting All-Star events in NBA history.
Xu Yong also gave his acceptance speech.
"I need to thank every teammate on the Eastern Conference, Dwyane (Wade), Paul (George), Jimmy (Butler), Chris (Paul), Kyrie (Irving)... It is the efforts of each of them that won us the victory. This is not just my honor, it belongs to everyone on the Eastern Conference."
There was constant cheering at the scene, and the league's ratings broke a new record at this moment.
There is no doubt that this is another unprecedented heyday for the league since the Jordan era.
…
Cleveland.
"Damn it!" James cursed angrily after returning from Chicago.
He had been very enthusiastic about Xu Yong throughout the entire All-Star Game, but Xu Yong ignored him throughout the entire All-Star weekend and didn't even mention him when he gave his acceptance speech!
You know, Xu Yong both mentioned Paul and Irving, they were just substitutes, and he was the one who passed the ball to Xu Yong the most besides Wade and Butler!
This cannot be said to be accidental, it can only be said to be intentional.
With Xu Yong's attitude, the escape route that Fu Baoluo had envisioned for him was totally impossible to implement, and he was humiliated for nothing.
"King, this is actually a good thing." Rich Paul, who witnessed James' tragic experience in the All-Star Game, spoke at this time.
James frowned and looked at Fu Paul. If it weren't for the other party's bad idea, he wouldn't be in such an embarrassing situation.
"No matter how high Xu's status in Chicago is, he is still just a player, just like Michael back then. Maybe he has the power to decide who stays and who leaves, but does he have the power to refuse anyone from joining?"
"What's the meaning?"
"Like I said before, your joining will definitely strengthen the Bulls, not to mention the commercial value. It's like a huge pile of dollars dropping on Lauersdorf's head. What reason does he have to refuse?" Rich Paul knows these NBA capitalists too well.
"What if Xu objects and forces the emperor to abdicate?" James had already sensed Xu Yong's attitude from the All-Star Game, and he felt that was something that was likely to happen.
"He still has three years left on his contract with the Bulls. No one in the NBA has ever requested a trade for a player with such a long contract. He may object at first, but he will eventually be forced to accept it. As long as the team starts winning, the past will no longer be a problem."
"In the NBA, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. We have seen too many stories of enemies turning into friends." Fu Paul talked eloquently and did not forget to add.
James still frowned. He always felt that what Fu Paul proposed this time was not right, but he couldn't tell what was wrong.
"And even if it doesn't succeed in the end, it will cause conflicts between the Bulls management and Xu," Fu Paul added.
Hearing this, James' frown finally relaxed, mixed with a hint of joy, because he would not lose anything in this matter.
"You should contact them earlier." After realizing this, he immediately urged.
Just as he had thought before, going to the Bulls was just his retreat, and he didn't want to leave if he could.
If this season can lead to a conflict between the Bulls management and Xu Yong, and then the Cavaliers defeat the Bulls in the playoffs and win the championship, that would be the best ending for him.
Fu Bao Luo naturally knew this, and he nodded and immediately made arrangements.
…
After the All-Star Game, the 2016 trade deadline will be just a few days away.
Compared to last year, which saw the highest number of transactions in history, there are obviously fewer transaction rumors this year.
However, the Bulls are the more proactive party.
After Rose was injured, the team's back line was obviously a bit tight. Thibodeau initially used Foye as the starting point guard, but Foye was in poor form this season, and his three-point shooting percentage almost dropped to 35%. Then he tried Dellavedova. Dellavedova was very active, but his ability to start was really not enough.
Therefore, their goal is to trade for a starting-level guard, and they don’t even necessarily require a pure point guard.
Now, in addition to Foye, their chips that appear in the rumors also include inside player Hawes.
There is not much difference in Hawes' performance this season compared to last season. His condition is relatively better than Foye, but it is only relatively speaking. However, he is only in the second year of the four-year contract he renewed with the Bulls. The inside player with an average salary of 5 million still has certain trading value.
Although it is still difficult to trade for valuable players with just these chips.
The third day after the All-Star Game is also the last day before the trade deadline.
After a short vacation, the Bulls players returned to the training hall to continue training on this day.
Before the training was over, the team's general manager Foreman suddenly came to the training hall.
His appearance made the Bulls team feel a little uneasy, especially during the sensitive period when the trade deadline was approaching. No one wanted to be called in for talks at this time because it most likely meant they would be sent away.
When the training was over, Foreman walked towards them. However, what no one expected was that the person he came to see was Xu Yong.
Xu Yong was also a little surprised, especially after Foreman explained his purpose to him.
"Mr. Lauensdorf asked me to invite you to his house."
"Is there anything wrong?" Xu Yong couldn't help but ask. Could it be that Lauersdorf wanted to go back on his word and wanted to trade Rose on the trade deadline?
"I'll tell you more about it when he mentions it." Foreman didn't seem to know what was going on.
Forman's answer made Xu Yong even more confused, but since it was so formal, it should not be a small matter.
If it involves Rose, his attitude will not change. After all, his original bet with Lauensdorf was for one season.
The car once again arrived at the suburbs of Chicago, and Xu Yong entered Lauensdorf's manor for the second time.
And unlike last time, Lauensdorf actually met him in the restaurant today. There were all kinds of delicious food on the table, and it looked like a banquet for him.
After Xu Yong sat down and looked at the food in front of him, he felt a chill on his back, a bit like the Hongmen Banquet.
After eating for a while, Lauensdorf put down his knife and fork and told Xu Yong something: "LeBron's team contacted me. They are interested in coming to Chicago next season."
Is James really coming to the Bulls? And next season?
Xu Yong looked at Lauensdorf in surprise, with some disbelief in his eyes, but soon it turned into sudden realization.
No wonder James kept sticking to him during the All-Star Weekend. Butler really hit the nail on the head.
This is really unexpected, even unbelievable. Without the Nike halo, James has even given up his personality?
"What does Mr. Lauensdorf mean?" Xu Yong asked.
"I want to know what you think, since it involves Derek."
It turns out it's because of Rose. That's right. The Bulls don't have the space to sign James directly next season. The premise for James to come is to exchange Rose for space, and Rose's trade involves their bet.
This reasonably explains why the current scene is happening.
"I object." Xu Yong's answer was very straightforward. He opposed both Rose's departure and James' arrival.
"Well, that's the Bulls attitude."
"???" Xu Yong was stunned. He was ready to compete with Lauensdorf like last time, but Lauensdorf's answer was completely beyond his expectations.
"Since you don't want him to come, then we won't have him come." Seeing Xu Yong's reaction, Lauensdorf repeated.
Xu Yong didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Xu, I understand what you meant by 'worth it' last time." After finishing their meal, they drove out of Lauensdorf's manor and onto the main road, and Foreman said admiringly.
"I can sense that Mr. Lauensdorf obviously respects your opinion more."
Xu Yong smiled but said nothing.
Obviously, Foreman over-interpreted what he said last time, but the next sentence was not wrong.
He had not understood it in the manor, but after coming out, he began to understand it a little.
What Foreman said did have a certain meaning. This time, it was more like Lauensdorf was expressing his opinion than asking for his opinion.
The last Ross incident caused some tension in their relationship, and this time Lauensdorf expressed his stance, showing that he still respected his opinions.
But the two completely different attitudes show that things are definitely not as simple as they seem.
If Lauersdorf really respected him that much, he would have talked to Battier about Rose before, and the subsequent incident would not have happened.
There is probably only one reason why Lauersdorf was so decisive this time: he also didn't want James to come to the Bulls.
Theoretically, James can indeed bring a strength boost to the Bulls. Apart from anything else, James' attendance rate far exceeds Rose's.
But there is a prerequisite, that is, James is willing to follow the team's arrangements.
But judging from his resume over the years, James is not that kind of person.
From the Big Three of the Heat to the Big Three of the Pacers twice, James acted more like a troublemaker, leaving a mess every time he left.
As for commercial value, the Bulls' current commercial value has been maximized, and adding James won't make much difference.
Of course, the most crucial thing is probably James's say in the management. He signed two consecutive 1+1 contracts with the Cavaliers, which is a typical manifestation of his true intentions towards the management.
It seemed that the 1+1 initiative won the game at the moment, but in fact it was a wake-up call to the other 29 teams in the league.
So all in all, Lauensdorf does have enough reasons not to welcome James.
But Lauensdorf is a businessman, he needs a reasonable reason to refuse, and nothing can be more appropriate than "Xu Yong objects", which can not only convince James, but also show his respect for Xu Yong.
But no matter what the reason is, this is a good thing. After all, Xu Yong can now imagine James's frustrated look.
"Xu, do you know Lance Stephenson?" Foreman asked after a while.
"A little, not much." Xu Yong didn't tell the truth. How could he not know about the [No. 1 James Fan]? When James was still in the Pacers, he was surprised to see him on the same team with James. It's a pity that because they were on the same team, the famous scene of classical physics praising James was gone.
"We are trying to trade him now, what do you think?" Foreman asked more directly.
When Xu Yong heard this, he was stunned at first, but he reacted quickly.
It seems that the person whose attitude changed the most during this meal was Foreman.
Come to think of it, if the boss respects his opinion so much, Foreman, the general manager, must follow up.
"I'm not LeBron, Gal." Xu Yong said meaningfully.
Foreman was stunned for a moment, then laughed and nodded.
"We won't trade Derek and Kirk." After laughing, he said seriously.
Xu Yong smiled and nodded.
He may have to thank James now.
James's behavior put the relationship between Foreman and him in a delicate balance that was just right.
Although he still won't tell the management who he wants like James, as Forman said, his attitude will become crucial when it comes to the old guys in the team.
…
The next day, the 2016 NBA trade deadline arrived as scheduled.
Only ten transactions took place on this day. Because the salary cap will skyrocket this summer, teams are much more cautious when making transactions.
The Bulls are involved in that one-tenth.
They reached a deal with the Clippers, sending Spencer Hawes and Randy Foye to the Clippers in exchange for Lance Stephenson and Cole Aldridge.
There is no need to say much about the purpose of the Bulls making this deal, which is to strengthen the backcourt, and Stephenson is the most suitable chip they can find.
Although Stephenson averaged only 4.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game for the Clippers this season, his average playing time was only 15.8 points, and his shooting percentage was close to 50%, with three-pointers above 40%. It is not so much that he is in poor form, but rather that he does not have the trust of Doc Rivers.
To quote a Clippers fan's complaint: The reason Stephenson is not as good as Austin Rivers is that he is not Doc Rivers' son.
Moreover, Stephenson's contract is very maneuverable. This year is the second year of his three-year, $27 million contract, and the third year is a team option. If he plays well, he can either exercise the third-year option or renegotiate a contract; if he does not play well, it will be equivalent to clearing out Hawes' long-term contract.
For the Clippers, the fourth highest-paid player in the team with an annual salary of 9 million can only play for 15 minutes, which is something the management cannot accept. It would be better to replace the team with two reliable substitutes.
After all, from a certain perspective, Foye and Hawes' mediocre performances are due to a lack of playing time, and the Clippers can provide that.
On the second day after the trade deadline, Hawes and Foye came to the locker room to clean out the contents of their closets.
The atmosphere in the locker room was a bit solemn. Foye and Hawes were teammates who fought side by side in the past two seasons, especially Foye. Butler hugged him tightly when he said goodbye. Their similar lives made them close.
"Good luck." Xu Yong also hugged them and patted their backs to send his blessings.
If Foye and Hawes continue to play, they will most likely disappear from the NBA. Leaving may not be a bad thing for them. After all, they have won the championship, and what they need more now is playing time.
After saying goodbye to Foye and Hawes in the morning, Malone brought Stephenson and Aldridge to the locker room in the afternoon.
When he saw Stevenson, Xu Yong felt somewhat familiar with him, because this guy had played for the CBA Liaoning team when he had no ball to play, and he had seen his funny personality with his own eyes in the commentary booth.
After putting away the luggage, Stephenson began to show his completely different personality. He did not greet others like Aldridge, but swayed his body while humming a song, and even unconsciously made his "guitar playing" movements at the end.
"What are you doing?" West on the side showed Nick Young a question mark face. Even though he has played in the NBA for so many years and has seen a large number of teammates come and go, it is the first time he has seen someone do this as soon as he arrives at a new team.
"Celebrate." Stephenson said happily.
"Celebrating what?" West was even more confused.
"For the championship ring I'm about to get."
Hearing his answer, West put his hand on his forehead.
"Hey, guys!" Perhaps feeling that the celebration was enough, Stephenson shouted again.
"My name is Lance, from Brooklyn, New York. You can call me [born ready]. Of course, if it's not too much trouble, you can also call me [Born Ready for Big Game]. My agent told me that Chicago lacks a championship defender, so I'm here. Relax, I will finish it, finish it perfectly, for the championship!"
Now it wasn't just West who was shocked. Everyone else in the locker room couldn't help but put their hands on their foreheads. How could this be so funny?
However, Xu Yong was amused. After confirming through eye contact, he found that this guy was the "junior brother" in his impression.
"Lance." Xu Yong suddenly spoke.
Stephenson looked at Xu Yong in confusion.
"Welcome." Xu Yong continued.
Stephenson was obviously stunned for a moment, then he immediately laughed and ran to Xu Yong with his arms open.
When Xu Yong was forced to get up and do business, he immediately hugged Xu Yong tightly.
"Enough, enough." He didn't let go until Xu Yong reminded him, but he couldn't hide the excitement on his face.
"I will go back and tell my daughter that Xu personally welcomed me in the locker room today. It was an exciting and perfect day."
This made Hinrich on the side couldn't help but shake his head. Stephenson's style was obviously incompatible with the Bulls. I don't know why the management thought of bringing him in. It is also possible that the Bulls management didn't expect him to be such a funny guy.
However, it must be said that because of Xu Yong's active welcome, most people in the locker room did not have much resistance to Stephenson. After all, the boss welcomed him, and even if they couldn't agree with him, they would not make things difficult for him.
Except one person.
"You'd better really help the team," Butler said bluntly.
He was already in a bad mood after Foye was traded, and then someone as stupid as this came along. If the person came here to just hang out, he would definitely not give him a good face.
Stephenson was not angry. He smiled at Butler and went back to his seat.
On the first day of training, Stephenson just followed the team to do some basic training, but by the second day, he had already started to follow the tactics on the court. Although he sometimes made mistakes, the overall performance was very good.
This inevitably changed the views of some people on the Bulls on him. Although he had a weird personality, Stephenson's basketball IQ did not seem to be low at all.
Xu Yong should be the least surprised about this, because to other people on the Bulls, Stephenson might just be an NBA rotation player or a marginal figure. He even left the Pacers early and didn't have the chance to praise James, so naturally he is not well-known. But he knows that Stephenson's talent is not bad.
Stephenson is 1.96 meters tall and can play the PG/SG/SF positions. He is good at scoring, rebounding, passing and defending. There are not many such players in the NBA.
Of course, he has fallen to this point because of his personality. Sometimes his brain short-circuits. He can be said to be half angel and half devil.
However, he found that Stephenson was very serious in the past two days since he joined the Bulls, except for being a little funny on the first day. Especially last night when he was halfway through his extra practice, Stephenson actually came to the training hall for extra practice.
Therefore, if he can put away his devilish side and become the Bulls' "sword-wielding guard" like JR did after joining the Cavaliers, this deal will become one of the most underrated deals.
The Bulls' first game after the All-Star break is tomorrow, against the Cavaliers.
This is the second time the two teams have met this season. The last time was in December at the Cavaliers' home court, but this time it was at the Bulls' home court.
This will also be Stephenson's debut with the Bulls.
When the players finished training that day and returned to the locker room, Stephenson was still the funniest person in the locker room. He even performed a piece of Michael Jackson's moon dance for everyone, which made others laugh continuously.
Funny people are often the most contagious to those around them. Not to mention how much fighting power Stephenson's joining can bring to the Bulls, the atmosphere has really become a lot more relaxed.
Of course, Stephenson is not the only one who is happy at this time, but also Jokic.
In the previous deal of the Bulls, Stephenson was the protagonist, but the biggest beneficiary was actually Jokic.
Although Jokic was included in the active list before, his chances of playing were still very limited, after all, there was always Hawes in front of him.
But now, Hawes was suddenly traded away.
The only person competing for the backup center position on the Bulls now is Aldridge, who was just traded.
This Aldridge is not that Aldridge. He is a white man. In order to distinguish him from Aldridge of the current Mavericks, he is also called "White Aldridge".
He is 2.11 meters tall and has a wingspan of 2.26 meters, which is very similar to Jokic's body shape, but he is even bulkier than Jokic.
If you don't have a very concrete concept of a white tank center, then he is the typical one.
It is difficult for such a center to get a chance to play in a championship-contending team. The Bulls traded him more because the Clippers didn't want to keep him and forced him in.
In fact, the Bulls sent Hawes away in the middle of the season, one of the reasons being to make room for Jokic.
Although Jokic didn't have many opportunities before, every time he was given a chance, he could bring some surprises.
In particular, he has maintained his training intensity and his performance has been clearly improving throughout the season.
Therefore, as long as he can seize this opportunity, he will have a chance to secure the position of backup center.
Of course, Xu Yong was also looking forward to this game, because he was eager to see what James' expression was like now.
Or perhaps he couldn't wait to ask James in person how he felt.