basketball never sleeps

Chapter 339 The call you made is temporarily unavailable.

The end of the All-Star game means the final sprint of the regular season is about to begin.

With the trade deadline fast approaching and the final window for strengthening rosters closing soon, coaches and management teams from all teams are busy preparing.

The media outlets, which had just finished reporting on the star player, almost immediately shifted to predicting the next big deal, with all sorts of news flying around.

Because of Mo Wen's meddling, the current player market is completely different from what it used to be. Several unexpected trades made early by teams aiming for the championship have left many "big fish" still in the fishpond.

Kidd, Shaq, Gasol, Marion, Ben Wallace, Artest, Bibby...

According to the latest rumors, the Nuggets' management, disappointed with Allen Iverson's abilities, has decided to put him back on the trading block. Rasheed Wallace has also been removed from the list of untouchable players because the Pistons want to completely tank and try to make a run at next year's draft.

A dazzling array of flowers can be overwhelming, but getting these "big fish" to truly move is not so easy.

Because there are very few teams with the strength, willingness, and courage to bring in these big names, it is now a complete buyer's market.

The "greatest center in history," who hadn't yet recovered from missing the All-Star Game, has recently suffered another heavy blow.

Shaq and Riley had a complete falling out. At the post-game debriefing after the All-Star break, the two started arguing about whether Shaq should have stepped out of the box during a defensive play. Then, like a couple who had a falling out, they started to escalate the argument, bringing up old grievances and sticking to their own opinions. It escalated into the most basic yet extreme form of verbal abuse. If other players hadn't intervened, it might have really turned into a full-blown fight.

Ultimately, after determining that Shaq couldn't provide enough support for the team in this year's playoffs, Riley decisively put him on the trading block. Shaq also revealed in a private interview that he couldn't wait to start the next journey.

then……

One day... two days... three days...

Miami media outlets have written eight articles about potential destinations for Shaq and what the Heat might get in return for him, but not a single "insider" has come forward to reveal which teams have made offers.

Just when everyone realized something was wrong, someone finally revealed that the Atlanta Hawks had called Riley.

The rumor was published in the morning, and before the New York media could even reprint it, the Hawks held a press conference in the afternoon to quickly clarify and distance themselves from the issue.

"We respect and admire Shaq's past achievements, and he remains one of the league's top centers. However, we are currently focused on building the team around our young core and have no intention of making any major personnel changes. Please refrain from making unfounded speculations and fabrications."

Shaq thought he could still choose a new employer he liked, just like he did three years ago, and fantasized about several domineering CEOs falling in love with him, a 36-year-old, 300-pound man who had been married three times and wanted a top salary.

But there's no such thing as "love-struck" in the sports world. Shaq's current abilities are not a liability, and his fame can attract many fans to the stadium. But a 3-year contract and a $2000 million annual salary are simply too outrageous.

Teams vying for the championship can't afford to gamble, and teams not vying for the championship can't afford to maintain them.

Is his fame being used to boost the football market?

Five years ago, Danzi proved that even the God of Basketball could be abandoned by fans after his performance declined. He couldn't even get enough All-Star starting tickets for The Last Dance. Shaq isn't even an All-Star reserve this year.

Riley and Shaq were completely caught off guard; when the tide went out, they realized they had both been swimming naked.

Driven by pure hatred for each other, Riley abandoned his dignity as the slick-haired godfather and began actively seeking suitable buyers. Shaq also dug out old newspapers from four years ago, recalling the adoration of his former admirers, and looking for an honest man to take over.

Riley: "Little Kron (Crangello), it's me, Uncle Pat. I have a big deal that can quickly boost your team's reputation and home attendance in a short time. Do you want to hear about it?"

Colangelo: "Thank you for thinking of me. If it were Dwyane, I would give up all the Raptors' future first-round picks for him."

Riley: "No, no, no, it's not Dwyane, it's..."

beep-

Riley: "Hey, it's Isaiah. I heard you're interested in trading Eddie Curry. And I happen to have a superstar you New York guys dream of... what do you think..."

beep-

Riley: "McK, it's me..."

beep-

Secretary: "Kidd is also making a fuss about leaving the Nets. Why don't you ask him?"

The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable.

beep-

……

On the other side, Shaq also approached Cuban, with whom he had previously gotten along well.

Back when he wanted to leave the Lakers, Cuban said he was willing to trade everyone except Dirk for him, but the Mavericks couldn't offer a suitable "gift" at the time, so the two were ultimately not meant to be.

Now that his salary is even lower, Riley has said that he's willing to give up everything if they break up, and he could even give her a breakup fee, meaning he can finally go after "true love".

Banban, actually, I've always loved you~

Shaq smiled with satisfaction as he thought about the Mavericks' current roster.

Despite being upset by the seventh seed last year, the Mavericks' strength is undeniable, and they are still ranked in the top five in the live championship odds provided by betting companies.

The Mavericks' biggest weakness right now is their center position. After Nash left, Dampier has become the culprit for the Mavericks' inability to win a championship in the eyes of the Dallas media. According to the media's logic, if Dampier were replaced by Shaq, wouldn't the chances of winning a championship have increased significantly?

If we can win another championship with the Mavericks, making it our sixth...

Shaq shuddered. The greatest of all time? GOAT? Hmm, that seems a bit too high, but stepping over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to solidify his position as the second greatest of all time—no, the GOAT of the big men—will be unchallenged.

To show how much he valued the call, Shaq, burning with excitement, didn't call directly. Instead, he put on a suit, shaved his head... he was bald, before solemnly dialing Cuban's number.

When the call connected, the two exchanged pleasantries like old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time. Cuban seemed to have guessed what was going on and kept talking to Shaq about life and entertainment, but never brought up basketball.

Shaq, burdened by his image, lost his usual American frankness and was reluctant to speak up, but in the end he couldn't help but bring up the topic of basketball and team building.

"Your Mavericks are actually pretty good too. The media are all talking about the Lakers and the SuperSonics, but I still think your Mavericks are more likely to win the Western Conference championship this year."

"Haha, thank you for your optimism. We've done our best, and we've already won the Western Conference title before. What the Mavericks need now is the NBA championship," Cuban said politely.

"Winning the championship is indeed difficult; after all, not everyone has Mo's luck."

Shaq also sighed. Last year, the Heat really had a chance to win the championship, but it was ruined by one injury after another. This year, although the roster has not changed much, the momentum of the three-peat has been interrupted. The whole team has lost its fighting spirit. The collapse in performance has brought about a series of chain reactions. His conflict with Riley seems to be the most acute conflict in the Heat, but in fact it is only the tip of the iceberg of the Heat's problems.

Cuban's face darkened when he heard Shaq's words of comfort. Cuban wouldn't have a problem with Shaq saying he was lucky, but Mo Wen was the guy who scored 60+ points against the Mavericks in the Finals. Anyone can say the Mavericks were lucky, but not the Mavericks players.

"Actually, you're still very close to the championship. You've accumulated enough ability to get there, but you might be lacking... championship experience?" Shaq said almost explicitly.

"Championship experience? That makes sense. I'll have Jamal (Nelson Jr.) keep an eye on him later."

"Why bother with all that? Don't you know someone who has the most championship experience among active players?" Shaq patted his belly, speaking with a hint of confidence and smugness.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a long sigh from Cuban.

“Shaq, I always thought we were friends, didn’t I? Don’t joke like that.”

Shaq's breath hitched, his expression froze, like a single man returning home for the New Year only to hear his childhood sweetheart getting married. After a moment, he scratched his face and forced a dry laugh.

"Haha, how did you know I was joking? I thought you'd take it seriously." "I knew it, you still love playing pranks, haha." Cuban replied, feigning amusement.

Having nothing much to talk about, the two agreed that next time they went to Dallas, Cuban would treat them to the best fruit platter before ending the call.

After a brief period of disappointment, Shaq did not lose heart. He found the phone numbers of the Kings and Nets owners that he had noted down at the previous gathering and called them one by one.

Ten minutes later, the phone shattered the window of Obama's villa.

Meanwhile, in the Mavericks' meeting room, Don Nelson looked curiously at Mark Cuban as he returned.

"Did another team owner or manager contact you just now, boss?"

He had overheard Cuban talking about the team in the hallway, and given Cuban's penchant for interfering in team operations, he couldn't help but be suspicious.

Cuban shook his head with a somewhat gloomy look.

"That's not true, it's irrelevant."

As the best buyer in the buyer's market, God knows how happy Cuban has been these past few days. In the past, everyone thought he was a sucker. The good players he had his eye on were either untouchable or demanded ridiculously high prices for contract renewals, forcing him to inflate prices.

Now, price inquiries are raining down on his office window.

Those team managers who used to have an inexplicable sense of superiority over him all dressed up their former idols and presented them to him in a proper manner.

Although many people still came with the intention of ripping him off, at least they had something to choose from.

As for Shaq?

Three marriages, five children, and a changed figure...

We're really not familiar with each other.

……

After the All-Star Game, Mo Wen did not immediately return home. Instead, he went to New York to help the Olsen twins and the eldest princess establish connections and refine his network in the fashion industry. He also did a couple of photoshoots for several fashion magazines before leisurely returning to Seattle.

Mo Wen had barely landed and hadn't even had a chance to rest when he was taken by Prestige to discuss the team's reinforcements before the trade deadline.

Similar to the offseason, several teams that contacted Presti were still after Gay and Millsap, and of course, the trade terms were more favorable than in the offseason.

The logo guy, who still hadn't given up on Guy, even offered a deal involving the two of them plus a random accomplice to directly exchange for Gay's sister-in-law.

Meanwhile, Dumars submitted a similar trade proposal to the Pistons, except that their offer was Rasheed Wallace.

"Because of Francisco's issues, the owner is very worried about our interior depth. Compared to our interior players, we do have a lot more resources on the wing, so he hopes to further optimize the team's personnel structure."

Presti's tone was flat; he didn't like this trade consideration, but Bennett's thinking did make sense, and the Seattle media had been discussing the SuperSonics' interior defense as well.

After Milicic left, the SuperSonics' interior offense became quite barren. The only truly impressive player was Tyson's easy baskets. Scola has a near-complete interior skill set, but as an older rookie, he still needs to adapt. He needs to adapt to his increased weight and muscle mass, to higher intensity physical contact, and to faster defensive reactions. Therefore, he can't yet be used as a primary weapon.

Before the Warriors won the championship, it was almost a consensus in the industry that to win a championship, you needed an All-Star caliber center.

Mo Wen shook his head: "No need. Our current roster structure and defensive system are good enough. Gay and Paul can't provide the rim protection and top defense of traditional centers, but it's no longer the era of centers. If we do a good job of perimeter and lateral defense, the interior won't be under so much pressure."

The SuperSonics' current defensive system revolves around switching on defense. Even though Gay and Millsap lack experience, their talent alone can put considerable pressure on the offense. Moreover, with Morey anchoring the defense, their defensive value is definitely no less than that of an inside star.

As for inside offense, it doesn't necessarily have to rely on inside players to finish plays. Mo Wen's shooting percentage is close to 60%. Currently, there are no players in the league who can compare to Mo Wen, whether inside or outside, when they average more than 20 points per game.

"What if Tyson gets injured?"

"If Tyson is injured, we'll play small ball. As long as we have a contingency plan for things that haven't happened yet, there's no need to worry too much. To be honest, I could also get injured, but can the team eliminate that potential risk by signing new players? No way."

Mo Wen never worries about injuries. Even when Tyson and Francisco are injured, the team still has Petro, who can also be used as a rim protector and a meat shield.

He'd encountered similar situations countless times in dungeons, and he himself had lost count of how many times he'd taken over Ogre's account. It was indeed difficult without a reliable insider, but it was definitely not impossible to win.

Presti nodded. The team was developing very well, and he didn't want to make any big trades that would disrupt the team's chemistry.

Moreover, Gay and Millsap are both invaluable assets. Even if the team can't afford to renew their rookie contracts when they expire in three years, selling them in the previous year or in a trade would be more profitable than selling them now during their peak growth period.

The SuperSonics chose to remain inactive, only holding free agency for a few interior players, while other teams had already begun making big trades.

The Mavericks wanted to strengthen their perimeter game and initially set their sights on Bibby, who was being traded by the Cavaliers. However, the Cavaliers wanted a center more, and the Mavericks' offer of Devin Harris, Diop, or draft picks was not worth the Cavaliers' interest. No team was willing to trade a valuable center for the Mavericks' meager assets, so in the end, the Mavericks had no choice but to take on Kidd, who the Nets desperately needed to get rid of.

The Warriors were the second to make a move, packaging Monta Ellis, Al Harrington, and Biedrins to the Pistons in exchange for Rasheed Wallace, quietly forming the BYD trio of Baron Davis, Yao Ming, and Rasheed Wallace.

Upon hearing the news, Mo Wen couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Yao Ming really did get to eat something good!

Who is the best inside partner for Yao Ming in this era?

Aside from unrealistic fantasies like Duncan and Garnett, the first choice would undoubtedly be Rasheed Wallace.

The biggest regret for Chinese fans of the Rockets was not that they could have drafted Roy but the logo was ruined and they drafted Battier instead, but that the Pistons wanted McGrady and offered the entire team to pick him, but the Rockets rejected this trade that could have brought them Billups and Rasheed Wallace.

Rasheed's tough defense, space-saving offensive style, and physique that could occasionally hold off centers made him almost the perfect partner for Yao Ming.

Originally, with Yao Ming and Baron Davis suffering injuries in turn this season, Mo Wen thought the Warriors would likely coast through the season. However, after the trade, if they can stay healthy for the playoffs, the Warriors will be more competitive than last season.

With one tower guarding the paint and the other sweeping the perimeter, Baron Davis orchestrated a series of high-flying shots, and the team also boasted several above-average forwards like Samuel Barnes and Pietrus…

Terrifying?

No, for Mo Wen, who craves a challenge, this is the ultimate delicacy!

On the trading deadline, the last major deal was finally finalized.

The Cavaliers, Bulls, and Grizzlies completed a three-way trade.

The Cavaliers traded Bibby and Devin Brown for Ben Wallace; the Bulls traded Wallace, a first-round pick, and two second-round picks for Pau Gasol; and the Grizzlies traded Gasol for Bibby, Devin Brown, and the Bulls' draft picks.

The Grizzlies initiated this trade, as Pau Gasol no longer wanted to waste his time with the Grizzlies. Although the Grizzlies didn't want to sell their core center for a pittance, the lesson of Carter's falling out with the Raptors was still fresh in their minds, and they wanted to maintain a more respectable image.

The newly appointed Grizzlies general manager heard that the Cavaliers had been looking for a star center, so he contacted the Cavaliers management to give them a chance. However, the Cavaliers management surprisingly refused. To be precise, it wasn't a refusal; they were only willing to make an equal trade involving Bibby and Varejao and were unwilling to give up any additional draft picks.

Looking back, the Cavaliers' offer of this deal, which was practically a robbery, was undoubtedly extremely arrogant, but in the current environment, Gasol truly deserves this treatment.

Gasol's current stats of 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, his record of consistently making the playoffs but only leading his team to a first-round exit, and the current league's stereotype that European white centers are soft without defense—all these factors have led so-called experts to underestimate his value.

The Cavaliers desperately need a reliable interior star, but what they need even more is an interior player who can provide defensive rim protection and hold his own against the Celtics' Big Three and the Magic's Twin Towers. Gasol, in the current impression, clearly cannot provide these values.

Gasol can provide valuable inside offense in Kobe's eyes, but that's not what LeBron needs. LeBron's efficiency in the paint, which he drives to the basket frequently every game, is no worse than that of a star center. Rather than having a star center take up his ball possession, he needs an inside partner who doesn't take up space or ball possession.

This is a misalignment of demand.

So both teams brought in a third party. Just then, Ben Wallace couldn't stay with the Bulls anymore, and the Bulls' head coach had had enough of the completely ineffective and clumsy Ben Wallace. So the Bulls voluntarily "took a loss" and gave up their draft picks, "downgrading" Ben Wallace to Gasol.

LeBron James expressed limited satisfaction with the trade. He still preferred players like Shawn Marion or Rasheed Wallace, who could provide defense and create space for him. However, from the team's perspective, a top-tier center with four Defensive Player of the Year awards and two rebounding titles... doesn't seem so bad, does it? (End of Chapter)