basketball behind the spotlight

Chapter 27 Expansion Draft
From the next day, Lu Ziqiu's daily work was to watch videos, analyze players and listen to reports from scouts. In the blink of an eye, the date for the expansion draft was approaching.

Just the morning before the expansion draft, Diana suddenly called and said that her mother had a successful operation and that her family could take care of her now. She had completed all the resignation procedures and could come to the Wolves to report at any time.

Lu Ziqiu was overjoyed, and immediately asked his secretary to book a ticket for her.

Diana arrived that afternoon and got to work right away.

For her, it was as if she had returned to the Bobcats, but it was just a change of environment.

On the day of the expansion draft, Diana, Xia Kexin, Thompson and Harris appeared.

Lu Ziqiu stayed in the Wolves club's office, while Diana and Xia Kexin kept him informed of the latest situation.

However, things have changed a little bit. The players that Lu Ziqiu is looking at did not participate in the expansion draft.

Diana did exactly what Lu Ziqiu wanted, and successfully captured Lan Feng and Luo Mang.

But four people quietly told Diana that they were unwilling to play for the Wolves and they wanted to seek a buyout.

Diana frowned and asked Xia Kexin to call for Lu Ziqiu's opinion.

The shareholders who were also waiting in the office turned green when they learned that four players were unwilling to come.

Xia Hongfei asked with a wry smile: "Ziqiu, what about these four people?"

"Buying out, there is no other way, the saved salary space can just be used."

"Do you have any ideas?"

Lu Ziqiu nodded and said: "I definitely have ideas, but we can't be anxious for now. All the teams are waiting and watching. We have to find the right opportunity before we can make a move."

"But with these players, can they be exchanged for good players?"

"It's fine as long as it is suitable. In different systems, different players can play different roles. In fact, among the players I picked just now, I really want them, and there are only two of them. Although other players are suitable for us, but To be honest, it’s nothing to me.”

Xia Hongfei was stunned for a moment, and the other shareholders also looked at each other in blank dismay.

Lu Ziqiu directly told Xia Kexin, "Promise them, our team agrees to buy out."

Xia Kexin gritted her teeth and said, "Shall we stop fighting for it?"

"No, I really don't like them."

"Okay, I'll tell them later."

Xia Hongfei waited for him to hang up the phone before he said worriedly: "There are only four rounds left, even if all the players we selected in these four rounds are willing to stay, there are only ten players, but the summer league is about to start, what should we do?" Is that good?"

"Don't worry, I will sign a few undrafted picks right away, and then transfer two suitable players from the second team. At that time, I will use this lineup to play in the summer league."

"If you can't trade the right players, or the free market can't sign the right players, with the current lineup, how many games are you sure you can win?"

Lu Ziqiu shook his head slowly, "If we get along well, we are sure to win [-] games."

"Is there only [-] games?" Xia Hongfei's face suddenly collapsed, "Why don't we just play badly and try to get a better lottery next season."

Shareholders also nodded.

Lu Ziqiu smiled wryly, "I don't have that much time to wait for rookies to grow up."

"This..." Xia Hongfei was momentarily at a loss for words.

Only then did the shareholders recall the additional clauses when the two parties signed the agreement, and they couldn't help gnashing their teeth in anger. At the beginning, they were so crazy that they went to listen to the advice of a woman named Bai Yufei. It's all gone.

Xia Hongfei sighed, "Then when are you going to make a deal?"

Lu Ziqiu pondered for a while, then his eyes flickered suddenly, "It's not the time yet, it's best to wait until the mid-term transaction."

"Why?"

"Now this group of players does not have much transaction value. They need to play good data in the league to have good transaction value."

Some shareholders asked eagerly: "But they are all players who have been given up by each team. Can they play good numbers?"

Lu Ziqiu nodded and said: "No problem, as long as I arrange some tactics suitable for them, their statistics will definitely become very good, but in this way, our results in the first half of the season will be very, very dismal, everyone must do well Mentally prepare."

Xia Hongfei remained silent after listening.

"That can't be done." Some shareholders felt that they jumped up, "If our results are too poor, we might as well just let it go, so that the fans will still have hope for us next season. It's getting better again, and it will be even more uncomfortable if you can't get up or down."

"That's right, Ziqiu, if it's really bad, forget it."

"As for the additional terms of your contract, if it really doesn't work, we can discuss and change it. There's no need to be so eager for quick success."

"That's right, we really need to make a long-term plan. If we keep going up and down and there are no good rookies, it will be really hard."

Shareholders jumped out to speak one after another, and Lu Ziqiu was in a dilemma for a while.

Xia Hongfei sighed secretly, signaling to everyone not to get excited, "Ziqiu, we all know your ability. If we follow your plan, how long will it take us to reach the playoffs?"

At this moment, Xia Kexin suddenly called again, "General Manager, Diana wants to pick Lin Sen, but there is a team that wants to trade the draft pick. Shall we change?"

"No, tell Diana, don't hesitate, I have to take Lin Sen." Lu Ziqiu refused without hesitation, unless it was the top ten picks, no one could change Lin Sen.

"Okay, I'll tell her right away, don't hang up the phone yet."

After a while, Xia Kexin's bitter voice came, "We have won Lin Sen, but he just quietly told Diana that he wants to seek a buyout, general manager, should we agree to him?"

"If you don't agree, tell him that if he doesn't come to the team to report before the buyout is reached, we will sue him."

"Do you really want to say that? He has a very bad temper."

"Tell him plainly as I say."

"Okay, but we have already selected Lan Feng and Luo Mang. If we add him, will the team be difficult to manage?"

"You don't have to worry too much, I will find a way."

Having said this, Xia Kexin didn't hesitate anymore, and directly conveyed his meaning to Lin Sen.

Lin Sen's eyes turned green on the spot, "Is this what your team means?"

"That's right." Xia Kexin was also tough for a while, turned around and left after answering.

In the remaining three rounds, the three selected by Diana will all seek buyouts.

In this way, eight out of fourteen people are seeking buyouts, and the expansion draft has been held several times. This is the first time that such a situation has been discovered.

Xia Hongfei and the others were so angry that they jumped up and down.

Xia Kexin asked with a wry smile: "What should we do? The salary of these three people is much higher than that of the previous four people. If we just buy it out like this, although we can save space, it's too worthless."

Lu Ziqiu said coldly: "Don't pay attention to them, and don't have too much contact with them, come back immediately after the end."

"Ok."

Xia Hongfei asked with a wry smile: "They want to leave, what should we do?"

Lu Ziqiu also lowered his face, "I will find a way to trade them away."

"But will other teams accept it?"

"Every player has his own value."

(End of this chapter)