Sports Medicine Master System

Chapter 648: Chapter 574: Reporting the Good, Not the Bad

It was already September. Normally, at this time of year, all the major deals in the free agent market would have long since been finalized, with only some minor roster tweaks remaining.

But now, the Phoenix Suns had suddenly put O’Neal on the trading block, an act that, like dynamiting a pond, sent shockwaves through the entire league.

Or, to put it another way, it caught everyone completely off guard.

Teams had already re-signed their players and inked new deals. They had painstakingly calculated their salary cap space and their rosters were more or less set. Given O’Neal’s massive salary, trying to assemble a trade package and match the numbers on such short notice was a monumental task.

You have to understand, a trade for a superstar like O’Neal typically required teams to start clearing salary space and gathering assets one or two years in advance.

Furthermore, the inherent limitations on O’Neal’s trade value severely restricted the Phoenix Suns’ options.

Skiles suggested that if they could get Nowitzki, they could also get Garnett.

And Garnett was an even better defender.

However, the Wolves were quickly ruled out as a trade partner.

It wasn’t that the Wolves were unwilling to part with Garnett.

Garnett was great. He had been with the Wolves for years and led them to the playoffs almost every season.

But they were still a long way from a championship.

Under these circumstances, trading for a new team centerpiece wasn’t necessarily a bad option.

As for Garnett himself, while he was certainly loyal, could he really have no complaints about the Wolves’ penny-pinching when it came to acquiring new talent?

In contrast, the Phoenix Suns were a much stronger team. When necessary, their management was truly willing to spend and showed greater resolve.

Plus, with Chen Yu there to look after them, the team held a natural appeal for veteran players.

All things considered, rather than wasting his career away with the Wolves, it was better to take a shot with the Phoenix Suns and chase a championship.

But there was one major problem: the contract.

That very summer, Garnett had just signed a contract extension with the Wolves: five years, one hundred million dollars!

His contracts were notoriously massive. After his rookie deal expired, and because Juwan Howard had set a precedent for huge contracts before the Arenas Provision was introduced, the Wolves were terrified of losing a super-prospect like Garnett. So, just an hour before the deadline, they signed him to a staggering six-year, $126 million deal.

His salary had always been among the league’s highest. For example, last season, he earned a whopping $28 million.

He was often criticized by fans who claimed his massive contract hogged all the Wolves’ cap space for new signings, thereby dooming the team’s future.

Having just re-signed, he couldn’t be traded for a while.

A five-year, hundred-million-dollar contract also ran counter to the Phoenix Suns’ goal of lowering their payroll.

By comparison, Nowitzki’s contract offered much better value.

Six years for eighty million, which took effect in ’02 and didn’t expire until ’08.

A salary of just over ten million a year—about the same level as Marion.

So, for all these reasons, the Wolves were moved to the back burner.

While Chen Yu was on his way to Spain, the Phoenix Suns had already received their first formal offer.

A team was offering a core package of Pau Gasol, Mike Miller, and Jason Williams, and was willing to include draft picks as well.

Having experienced the glory of the OK Duo, West clearly understood O’Neal’s importance.

An O’Neal and Wade partnership could definitely achieve great things.

Chen Yu had a strong impression of Gasol. In the previous season, his third year in the league, he was already putting up 17 and 8 and was very likely to develop into a top-tier big man.

Crucially, he was still on his rookie contract.

But this offer clearly wasn’t enough to sway Brian.

Because when it came to promising young players, the Pioneers had already contacted him. They told him outright that, aside from the recently signed Nash, he could have his pick of their draft choices and prospects.

Milicic, Randolph, Darius Miles, Joe Johnson—there were plenty of options to choose from.

But to sell tickets, the Phoenix Suns still wanted a star player in return.

As for the other teams, most were just kicking the tires and inquiring about the price.

It wasn’t that they were unwilling to make an offer. The reality was that it was already September. Many stars had already been traded, and teams simply didn’t have enough assets left to put together a compelling package.

The situation had gotten to the point where Brian was considering pulling O’Neal off the market and waiting until closer to the trade deadline to reassess.

The trade talks didn’t affect Chen Yu’s work. After a brief stop in Spain where he was warmly hosted by the Old King, Chen Yu set off for China.

「Beijing Capital International Airport.」

Chen Yu walked out of the passenger arrivals gate, pulling his suitcase behind him.

"Dr. Chen!"

He heard someone calling his name from a distance.

It was Su Jun.

Chen Yu waved in response and walked over.

Also there to pick him up were Chen Yu’s assistant Hunter, and the head of the company’s China division, Abel Anderson.

Abel was in his forties, with a receding hairline and only a few sparse strands of hair left on his balding head.

He had previously worked in the management of the Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox and later moved to the Major League Baseball Alliance office, where he had worked with Hill’s father.

He was a seasoned veteran of the sports industry.

Chen Yu had specifically poached him to spearhead the company’s expansion into China.

He had also been recommended by Hill’s father, so he was considered an insider.

After all, Hill’s father was one of the financial backers behind Chen Yu.

The group got into a business van and headed for the hotel.

In the car, after a few brief pleasantries, the group got down to business.

Chen Yu first confirmed the details of the commercialization plan with Abel, then turned to Su Jun and asked, "Su Jun, on the phone earlier, you mentioned there might have been some changes. What did you mean?"

Before coming to China, Su Jun had contacted him and said there might be some problems with the commercialization plan.

Chen Yu wanted to get the details as soon as possible, which was why he had asked Su Jun to meet him at the airport.

Su Jun lowered his voice slightly. "Dr. Chen, you must know that the Sports Bureau held a debriefing meeting last week for the Olympic Games, right?"

Chen Yu nodded. He knew about it.

The Athens Olympic Games were over. For the China Team, it had been a time of glory and success, such as surpassing Russia to rank second on the gold medal tally.

They were only three gold medals behind the United States Delegation.

Breakthroughs were also achieved in certain individual sports.

Especially in track and field.

Liu Xiang breaking the world record four times was truly sensational, shocking the entire world and boosting the confidence of sports in China.

But amidst the success, there were also regrets.

For instance, the basketball team failed to break into the quarterfinals.

Su Jun continued, "After the main debriefing, the relevant leaders also met with the various individual sports departments. We don’t know the specifics of what was discussed, but I’ve learned something from outside sources—that is, from local sports bureaus, media contacts, and club managers."

"It seems there’s a faction of people who are opposed to the league’s commercialization."

Chen Yu cut him off, asking if the information was accurate.

Chen Yu knew about the meeting. Yuan Weimin and Li Yuanwei had both been in touch with him. They said the general direction was set and that things were moving forward steadily.

That didn’t align with what Su Jun was saying.

If what Su Jun was saying was true, it could only mean that Yuan Weimin was painting a rosy picture and not telling him the whole story.

Su Jun nodded. "Based on information from various sources, I believe it’s credible. I’ve analyzed it myself, and whether we’re talking about soccer or basketball, full commercialization always comes up against one core issue: club ownership."

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