Bishop of the Abyss

Chapter 178. 178. Transaction Progress Takes a Step Back

The time came to mid-November. After two consecutive away games, the Timberwolves quickly adjusted their state.

All players worked hard to prevent the game from being dragged into the final stage, and strived to clock in and get off work in the first three quarters, so that the game could enter garbage time early.

Although the Timberwolves' current team system has flaws, and there are often power outages on the offensive end, when the players are fully concentrated on the court and go all out on the defensive end, it still makes opponents feel uncomfortable.

With the Timberwolves limiting the opponent's total score to less than 80 points in three consecutive games, after the first [-] games, the Timberwolves started the game with a record of [-] wins and [-] losses.

Although it is down from the 16-game winning streak at the beginning of last season, when the Timberwolves are in a re-run system, this record is enough to prove the strength of the Timberwolves.

However, no matter how strong the defensive end is, it is difficult to prevent the opponent's offensive efficiency every game, especially when the opponent's offensive touch is hot. Even if the Timberwolves have four DPOYs at the same time, they can only watch the opponent score on their heads.

In the game against the Warriors, the Warriors scored a total of 19 three-pointers, of which the head star Baron Davis hit 7 goals alone.

He scored 37 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the Warriors to a home victory over the Timberwolves, giving the defending champion their third loss of the season.

The next day, the sluggish Timberwolves challenged the Lakers in back-to-back away games. They thought they could use this game to boost the morale of the team, but Kobe poured cold water on the Timberwolves with a 43-point personal performance.

In the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves once led the Lakers in score, but in the last 2 minutes Kobe scored seven points in a row to kill the game, running through his personal heroism to the extreme.

After losing to the Lakers, this is the second time the Timberwolves have suffered a losing streak this season. At the same time, the record of 10 wins and 4 losses also made the Timberwolves slip to third in the Western Conference.

The struggling performance of the Timberwolves after the start of the game made the fans very worried. Seeing that the Timberwolves have established a dynasty, the new season has become extremely unstable. So far, they have suffered two consecutive losses.

You must know that the Timberwolves only lost eight games in the entire season last year, and the Timberwolves lost four games not long after the start of this year.

The downturn of the Timberwolves not only made the fans worry all the way, but also made other championship teams shine, as if they saw the hope of touching the championship.

At least the Timberwolves' consecutive losses let the outside world know that this defending champion is not invincible, but just a slightly stronger overall team.

…………

In the general manager's office, McHale reached out and rubbed his messy hair, and then looked at the opposite side with a tired face: "Lu, the team has exposed more and more flaws in the offensive end recently, should we speed up the promotion? Allen deal."

"Otherwise, once other teams get the upper hand, it will not be easy for the team to find a scorer like Allen."

Since the last time general manager McHale received a call from the 76ers management, Luke asked McHale to start negotiations with the 76ers.

The 76ers have great ambitions in this deal. They not only want the rookie Rondo who was just selected by the Timberwolves this year, but also want the Timberwolves' first-round picks in the next two years.

As expected, the 76ers' proposal like a lion's mouth was directly rejected by Luke.

Iverson's salary this season has reached 1700 million U.S. dollars. If the Timberwolves want to reach this deal, they must use "madman" Sprewell to balance the salary.

According to the 76ers' thinking, the Timberwolves' bargaining chip for Iverson is to take out Rondo + Sprewell + first-round picks for the next two years.

Once this deal is reached, the 76ers can be said to be full of money, and they don't have to worry about it in the next few seasons.

Faced with the 76ers' proposal to take advantage of the fire, Luke will naturally not compromise. Although Iverson, who still scored 33 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists last season, deserves this bargaining chip, there is absolutely no team in the league that can win more than the Timberwolves. The chips out are more valuable.

What's more, Iverson and the 76ers management have been in conflict for a long time. Even when Iverson learned that he was likely to be traded to the Timberwolves, Iverson immediately went on strike and refused to continue playing for the 76ers.

I want to put pressure on the team management in this way, so that the team can reach a deal to send themselves to the Timberwolves as soon as possible.

Even if Iverson's actions violated the league's regulations, he may receive punishment from the league in the near future, but this is Iverson's character.

Iverson doesn't want to stay in this ghostly place of Philadelphia now, especially when he opens his eyes and sees these managements with cerebral palsy who are arguing with him every day. Iverson only feels that his life is better than when he was in the slums Also annoying.

The Timberwolves are the most promising team in the league today, and Iverson, who is still the uncrowned king, naturally does not want to miss this opportunity.

Before the 76ers and the Nuggets started negotiations, Iverson had no choice but to passively accept the 76ers' trade plan. As long as the 76ers can trade him away from the team, Iverson doesn't care which team he is traded to.

But now that Iverson finds that he is expected to join a championship team like the Timberwolves, Iverson is naturally excited.

However, the 76ers' management was a bit ugly, and Iverson couldn't help but publicly scolded the team's management as a bunch of cerebral palsy, and received a huge fine from the league for this.

A $4 fine is an astronomical amount for a role player at the bottom of the league.

But in the eyes of Iverson, who spends money like water, as long as he can leave Philadelphia, let alone a $4 fine, Iverson will not hesitate even if it is $40.

At present, the Timberwolves and the 76ers have not been able to discuss the bargaining chip issue. The tough attitude of the Timberwolves makes the 76ers know that their previous request is indeed a bit delusional.

Therefore, the 76ers have reopened negotiations with the Timberwolves, and the two sides are currently trying to reach a unity.

It's just that this deal is not only related to the fate of the two teams, it is likely to change the league structure, and the two sides have to become more cautious at the negotiating table.

Iverson is the most valuable trading chip in the 76ers team. Even if the management has been in conflict with Iverson, the team does not want to let Iverson leave the team easily.

After all, the 76ers still hope to use Iverson's final transaction value to make the team a good profit.

"It's really a swarm of headaches."

"Delay for another two days. If the 76ers are still unwilling to let go in these two days, we will start the B-level trading plan."

"The team's current state is no longer suitable for consuming with the 76ers. Although the team atmosphere of the 76ers is worse than ours, the opponent is aiming at playing badly, but we want to win the championship."

"After the deal is concluded, we have to run in. Time is too precious for us, and it doesn't make much sense to spend it with the 76ers." Luke said while stretching out his hand and pinching his forehead while sitting on the sofa.

(End of this chapter)