NBA: I am the card dealer

The next day, major media had already bombarded the Lakers' offer to the Spurs and Pacers.

Especially regarding the details of the Pacer George trade, it was written clearly.

This is the trick of the market trading game.

In fact, many transactions were revealed when they were launched, and the news was deliberately released by both parties.

Just like this time.

Kupchak's favorite player is naturally Paul George. After the negotiation with Bird collapsed, he did not sit still and chose to contact Popovich of the Spurs.

Of course, this is a false move.

Leonard is not for sale to the Spurs, this is a well-known thing.

And he only had one purpose in doing this, which was to tell Bird in disguise that the Lakers did not have to have George. The trade plan proposed by Bird was really unacceptable to the Lakers, so they turned to charge other players.

After doing this, he spoke to George again, showing that the Lakers coveted him and at the same time breaking the harmonious picture between George and the Pacers.

In other words, it was a plan to alienate George and Bird.

As long as George wants to leave, there is no doubt that the Los Angeles Lakers will be George's first choice.

After all, this is George's hometown team, and it is also the team that George loved when he was a child. Kobe is George's idol. Playing for the Lakers must have appeared in George's mind countless times.

That was the purpose of those two calls from Kupchak.

And in fact.

It really worked.

After George ended the call with Kupchak, he immediately called Bird to question him.

George: "I heard that the team put me on the trade shelf?"

Bird just replied calmly: "This is just a tentative offer from the Lakers. I'm going to give it away casually. You don't have to feel any psychological burden."

There is no embarrassment at all, he is indeed an old fox.

George: "The NBA is indeed a business league. Anyone can be traded. I have deeply realized it now. Since the team doesn't need me, let's end it quickly and don't waste everyone's time."

As a top star in the league, it must be very uncomfortable to be put on the trade shelf.

after all……

This is so hurtful.

He fought desperately for the team, but the team turned around and sold him. That feeling is really unpleasant.

Bird, however, was still not salty: "George, don't be angry. No one will deny your importance to the team. This is just an offer. I have never thought of trading you. Please rest assured."

Ok……

As for the final deal being completed, that's another story.

If you listen to this kind of nonsense, you will be fine. If you take it seriously, you will lose.

George was obviously not a fool, "I am now officially informing you that I am leaving Indiana."

Bird: "George, there's really no need for you to be angry. It's really not what you imagined..."

George didn't listen anymore and hung up the phone directly.

And rumors about him were also circulating crazily at this time.

It also means that Kupchak's plan succeeded.

three days later.

Kupchak and Bird met by chance during summer league training camp, and they walked aside in a tacit understanding and had another conversation.

Kupchak: "There's a lot of fuss about George's trade! I heard that the bargaining chips offered by the Clippers, Grizzlies, Thunder and other teams are pretty good, but they should be far less than our Lakers."

Rumors have been getting louder and louder lately.

The first is the Clippers, who used Griffin as the main bargaining chip to exchange for George. This transaction framework is quite good.

But the problem is that Griffin's condition is declining day by day, coupled with his vitreous constitution, he is injured from time to time, and his performance in leading the team has never been able to make a breakthrough.

Therefore, as the core of reconstruction, it is definitely inappropriate.

The price offered by the Thunder is equally unattractive.

Andy West, Adams, soft special as the main body, plus two first-round picks to trade George, how can such a transaction bargaining chip attract the Pacers.

You know, George is an All-Star! He is also one of the four small forwards, good at both ends of the offense and defense, and his strength cannot be underestimated.

As a result, how many egg powders did you use as chips?

Bird certainly couldn't accept it.

Then there are the Grizzlies, which is even more outrageous, actually using Bosh as the main bargaining chip.

This was purely an attempt to take advantage of the Pacers, and Bird certainly refused without hesitation.

As for other teams, there is no particular sincerity.

Looking back, the main bargaining chips provided by the Lakers appear to be particularly rich, at least extremely suitable for reconstruction.

The two second-place picks, Russell + Ingram, have absolutely no problem with their physical talents. Russell already showed great potential last season, averaging 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. This was in just 28 years. The performance in minutes of playing time, coupled with the fact that Kobe was still there at that time, Russell was not the main core of the team, so Russell's room for improvement is still very broad.

As for Ingram, his height and arms length have a bit of Durant's shadow. His explosive power, speed, and impact are all very good. His dynamic and static talents are both top-notch. His future achievements should not be much different, otherwise. ...Ingram won't be the second pick either.

These two are the main players, absolutely suitable for reconstruction, and they are also young talents that the Pacers need very much.

Bird replied coldly: "The Clippers provide an All-Star power forward, but you only provide two rookies. I have no idea where your sense of superiority lies."

Kupchak is not angry either. He is a thousand-year-old fox, so he naturally knows that this is a ploy to lower the price: "Uh! You want some famous guys? It's not like we don't have Lou Williams, a quasi-All-Star guard. , using him to replace Russell should meet your requirements, right?"

Bird: "Huh... a transparent person with zero defense, you use him to fool me?"

Kupchak: "Come on, please. He is a near-first-class player. He won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. He averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Are you telling me that he is a transparent person?"

Bird: "40% shooting rate, this efficiency is really amazing..."

Kupchak: "Stop beating around the bush and just tell me, who do you want?'"

Bird: "I said, Russell + Ingram + Randle + two first-round picks."

Kupchak: "Don't talk about whether I'm willing or not. Their salaries don't match at all. How can we trade? Besides...do you think this is possible? Two second picks, a sixth pick, and two first picks. For the draft pick, you just go and grab it.”

Bird: "Then what kind of chips do you think George is worth?"

Kupchak: "Ingram + Lou Williams + a first-round pick."

Bird: "Are you crazy? With these chips, you still have the nerve to ask for an All-Star."

Kupchak, "Then add Nick Young."

Bird: "It's absolutely impossible. Ingram + Russell are the main body. This absolutely cannot be changed. Replace Lou Williams with Randle."