the rest, only noise

Chapter 1118 It's time to look forward

The first thousand and 130 chapters is time to look forward

Jerry West learned that Divac was traded through television.

"In one day, Los Angeles sent away Vlade Divac, Cedric Ceballos, and AC Green. Only David Robinson, who is confirmed to be reimbursed for the new season, is left on the familiar Lakers team."

"Fuck!"

West scolded.

His wife, Karen, said, "Jerry, don't keep using foul language."

"Why does that guy move so fast? Does he never think about the consequences?" West cursed, "We're fucked!"

Karen asked puzzled, "Who are you talking about?"

"Who else?" West yelled, "That damned Louis! He thinks he can do whatever he wants as the president, but I can't stop him, not only can't stop him, I have to help him clean up the situation!"

At home, West can say a lot that cannot be said outside.

Soon, the phone call interrupted his anger.

"Jerry, it's me."

West recognized the voice of the other party, Divac's agent Mark Fry (Mark Fry).

"Is something wrong, Mark?"

West knew exactly what was going to happen.

"Jerry, I'm not making this call to reminisce, but to convey my employer's wishes." Frye said straightforwardly, "If the deal between the Lakers and Rockets is not cancelled, my employer will protest by retiring."

"Don't be impulsive, we'll take care of this."

West reassured the other party.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!!"

After hanging up the phone, West went straight into a runaway state.

"Damn Louie!! I told him a long time ago, Divac is not kidding!" West yelled at his wife, "He really wants to retire!"

Karen said dissatisfiedly: "No matter how big this matter is, you shouldn't lose your composure like this."

"Damn it, this shouldn't have happened!"

"Since it happened, let's think about how to make up for it."

"Since that bastard announced the damn not-for-sale list, there is no turning back!" West yelled, "That bastard did it on purpose! He deliberately broke up the team in this way, and then he can form a new Lakers according to his own mind. This is his idea!"

Karen is far more sensible than her husband.

"Isn't that why you invited him here?" Karen's words broke her husband's heart. "Your method doesn't work, so a new person is needed to change the original order."

West was silent for a while.

"You may be right."

West reluctantly called Louie.

"I hope you call me at this time, not to say good morning to me."

On the other end of the phone, Louis' tone was as flat as ever.

"I'm not in the mood."

"Especially in the recent period, your complexion has obviously deteriorated."

That's all because of who the hell!
West told himself not to be angry.

He needs to tell Louis what just happened.

"Vlad is serious about retiring." West thought Louis would take this matter seriously. "His agent just called me to clarify his position."

"Oh, this is it."

oh?Is he listening to me?

"What do you think?" Louis asked.

"He's serious," West reiterated.

And I fucking told you already!

"Then please go and persuade him, don't be impulsive, talk about what you have to say, think about your own family, he can still play for many years, it would be a pity to retire now."

You fucking know how to give in now?

West's mental activity fluctuated greatly.

Mainly Louie annoyed him too much.

"Let me persuade him, is this your solution?" West gritted his teeth and asked.

"Could it be that you want me to persuade you?"

Louie wasn't playing a rogue.

On the contrary, he actually sought truth from facts.

"Please, even if I want to persuade him, he doesn't want to listen. He didn't even answer my phone before. If he hears my voice now, I'm sure he will greet me in a bunch of ugly native dialects. We can't chat harmoniously at all. This matter can only be done by you." Louis said at the end, and he didn't forget to remind West who is in charge, "You can talk to him on my behalf, and try to make him change his mind. What."

Losing an All-Star center for nothing is nothing to lose?

Elgin, Elgin, what kind of bastard have you been partnering with all these years!

"I'm going to talk to him, but I don't know if it will work."

"As I said, I can accept any result. If he really retires, remember to tell him a happy retirement life for me. He doesn't pay attention to etiquette, so I have to be polite."

West finally couldn't bear to hang up Louis's phone.

"Fuck!!!!!!"

West's rudeness finally angered his wife.

"If you continue to speak foul words, you will sleep alone tonight!"

"I really hate that bastard, I can't imagine him being such a person, what does he think of me, fire chief? Why should I help him put out the fire?!"

"Because you don't want Vlad to retire?"

Fuck!This is really a reason.

West could only adjust his emotions.

Unexpectedly, Louis called again.

But this time, West's wife answered on the extension in the living room.

After only chatting for a short while, Karen went to the bedroom and said to her husband, "Coach Lu asked you why you hung up on his phone just now, isn't it impolite?"

West yelled, "Fucking politeness!"

"Jerry, you sleep in the living room tonight!"

West can only face Divac alone.

He didn't call.

Divac would have been very courageous if said on the phone.

Only face to face can West be sure to persuade Divac.

To make it happen, West drove to Divac's house.

On the way, West remembered the behind-the-scenes story that happened before they chose Divac.

The Lakers discovered Divac through a preseason game with the Celtics and the Yugoslavia national team, but every scout on the team was against drafting him because he was untested in college basketball and the level of European basketball was very low - which will be proven wrong time and time again in the future.European basketball is indeed not as good as NBA, but it is definitely better than college basketball.

West fell in love with Divac because the opponent has a very high golf IQ and a long arm span, which looks like a spider web when he stretches out his hands.

When Divac came to the United States, West personally went to the airport to pick him up.

Recalling all the things over the years, West became more and more reluctant.

Divac certainly has a lot of grievances to tell, but West is no longer the one making the decisions.

For the first half hour at Divac's house, West was mostly a listener.

Divac spoke fondly of his love for Los Angeles, his pride in being a Laker and his desire to die here.

At the end, the seven-foot-tall man actually had red eyes and tears⑴.

Tell the player he's good, encourage him to keep going, just not with the Lakers.

It was the job West hated the most.

Like many old-school executives, he advocates patriarchal management.

The heartbreak stings when he has to send someone he loves.

"Vlad, I know your heart. I really want you to keep playing in Los Angeles, but this matter is beyond my decision." West also had rosy eyes, "I don't want to do this, but I represent the entire management team today. I beg you not to retire and let the deal be completed. You still have many good years, and you can continue to play. Whether you are in Los Angeles or not, you will always be a Laker. But now, we have decided to turn the page."

Both West and Divac were emotional, and they knew things were irreversible.

Divac insisted on retiring, and let Louis taste the taste of the deal failure.

West's mission seemed to fail, and Divac's wife finally came out to help persuade.

A player's career is short, no matter where he plays, he should cherish it, and there is still a family waiting for him to support him.

The wife wakes Divac up.

Personal pride is nothing compared to family, he figured it out.

West's mission was also successfully completed.

On the way home, West cursed Louie repeatedly.

But when he put himself in Louie's place, he found painfully that he would make the same decision.

Some people, some things, should go, you have to let him go.

It's time to move on.

⑴ In reality, Divac's deal for the No. 13 Hornets almost failed. Divac wants to retire just like in the article. His loyalty to the Lakers is beyond doubt.

(End of this chapter)