Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 176 Everyone Cheating in Progress! Country Bumpkins and Nouveau Riche

Chapter 176 Everyone Cheating in Progress! Country bumpkins and nouveau riche!

"Then there's the Boston Celtics, a top team that, along with the Lakers, is considered one of the league's two best!"

"The Celtics' advantage is very obvious. They have Auerbach, the best manager in the league. Ever since Bird retired and Bias, on whom the team had high hopes, was drafted, he died the day after he was drugged. The Celtics have been at the bottom ever since."

"Since reaching the Finals in the 1988 season, they have only made it to the conference semifinals twice in the next nine years. The rest of the time they either got into the lottery or were eliminated in the first round. In the last five years, they have only made the playoffs twice and won only two games in total."

"The Celtics have hit rock bottom. Join them, and you'll carry the hopes of the entire city, become Boston's savior, and a hero for the whole city! Although the Celtics' current roster is average, with Auerbach on the team, he can equip you with a top-tier lineup at any time!"

"If you want to take it slow, the Celtics have drafted three top-ten picks in the last two years, and their young talent is considerable! In addition, they have plenty of salary cap space, with the highest-paid players being Dee Brown and Dana Barros, who are both earning around $350 million."

"Both of these guys have great contracts. Auerbach can easily clear a huge amount of salary cap space. The contracts he can offer you might even be better than those from the Lakers and Knicks!"

"Top-tier clubs, top-tier salaries, top-tier management. Here, you can stand shoulder to shoulder with Russell, Bird, Havlicek, and others, becoming a top star who is no less than them."

Pelinka glanced at Lin Tian's expression and continued, "Then there's the Indiana Pacers! They've been one of the NBA's mainstays for the past few years, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in '94 and '95, and making it to the second round last year."

"This team missed the playoffs last season, finishing only tenth in the Eastern Conference, because they traded away their star point guard, Mark Jackson! But while they missed the playoffs, they also had some very good players like Miller, the two Davises, Schmitz, and Jalen Rose!"

"You could say the Pacers are missing a true point guard! Yes, I know they have Mark Jackson, but obviously, if the Pacers really thought Jackson was enough to lead them to a championship, they wouldn't have traded him. In short, the Pacers are very good at the other four positions right now! They just need a top-tier point guard!"

"Joining the Pacers means joining a complete team with a well-established system and strong teammates. You can become the final piece of the puzzle and lead this team from a lottery team to the top of the league!"

"In addition, they hired Larry Bird this year to serve as both the team's general manager and head coach. Although Bird is a rookie, he has been working in Boston since he retired and has learned a lot under Auerbach's tutelage."

"At the same time, he was known for his intelligence during his playing days, and after retiring, his management and coaching abilities and talents were described by Auerbach as top-notch in the league. Auerbach always felt that Bird was his best successor. Unfortunately, Bird was obviously unwilling to wait for Auerbach to retire, so he joined the Pacers."

"The Pacers can also offer you a lucrative contract because Miller has stated that he is willing to sign you to a minimum salary contract if the team can strengthen its roster. At the same time, the Pacers can clear out some contracts to further free up cap space for you."

"The contract they can offer you will definitely be substantial, and you'll get to play alongside Miller, a top-tier player who can rack up assists for point guards. Joining the Pacers will significantly increase your chances of winning the assist title next season!"

"There are two other teams that, while not quite matching your requirements, I think would be a great fit for you! One is the Minnesota Timberwolves. I really think this team would be a perfect match for you, or rather, I think Kevin Garnett would be a perfect match for you!"

"He and you were both drafted in 1995, and like you, he was selected to the All-Star team this season! His playing style, defensive ability, passing and playmaking skills, and his shooting ability on offense are a perfect match for you!"

"And it would be very simple for the Timberwolves to get you. They just need to trade away the talented guard Stephon Marbury they just acquired, and also get rid of two bad contracts. If I remember correctly, you and Marbury have a grudge?"

"What kind of grudge is that?" Lin Tian waved his hand and said, "I've already made him so depressed, what grudge could there be?"

"Anyway, Minnesota is a good place to be, except it's too cold and the city is too small. After all, you and Garnett are about the same age. You two might be able to play together for 10 years and become another Jordan-Pippen duo!"

"Finally, there's the San Antonio Spurs! They're also very aggressive in their pursuit of you, or rather, they're one of the most aggressive teams on the market. After benching David Robinson for the entire season last year, the Spurs got the number one pick this year."

"Then they selected Tim Duncan, a top center who was considered to be the best rookie since Shaq and a star player and All-NBA selection as soon as he entered the league."

"Many people believe that even if the Spurs keep their current roster, they will still be among the top three favorites for the Western Conference title next year! And now, with salary cap space, a strong frontcourt, and the addition of another top-tier guard, they will definitely jump to become one of the top three favorites for the NBA championship!"

"If you want money and exposure, go for the Lakers and Knicks; if you want to be the savior of your city and take on challenging tasks, go for the Celtics; if you value roster fit and completeness, go for the Pacers and Spurs; if you prioritize a top-class frontcourt partner, go for the Timberwolves and Wizards."

"In short, based on your requirements, these are probably the teams that are most suitable for you to join."

Looking at the names of the seven teams written by Pelinka, Lin Tian cleanly raised his hand and crossed out two of them.

Washington Wizards and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The management of these two teams is notoriously bad! Not only bad, but also stingy, with chaotic team-building strategies, signing contracts for no reason, being stingy when they should be generous, and generous when they should be stingy. Their specialty is missing good opportunities and signing the wrong players!

Unless Lin Tian has some masochistic tendency, he wouldn't even glance at these two teams!

As for Garnett and Webber?

Well, if you want to come and join me, I welcome you. But if you want to join one of these two teams... forget it, don't even think about it!

"The management of these two teams is terrible! Who would give Howard 7 years and $100 million? The management of the Timberwolves is also very bad, otherwise they would not have made the playoffs for the first time in 8 years! They may be full of talent, but what is hidden under the talent is an extremely chaotic and incompetent management."

Then, looking at the remaining 5 teams, Lin Tian said:

"Let's make it these five. Arrange a meeting, and we'll make a choice as soon as possible!"

"No problem, I'll arrange it for you within 3 days!" Pelinka gave an OK sign and didn't ask any more questions. He stood up and left. He was completely in the zone and determined to do something big with Lin Tian!

Not long after Pelinka left, Lin Tian's phone rang.

Seeing the somewhat unfamiliar number, Lin Tian answered, "Who is this?"

"I'm Ben, Ben Wallace!" a deep, resonant voice boomed. "Lin, I listened to you and am training with Charles in New York now! I feel I've improved a lot, but there's a problem: Charles wants me to join New York!"

"Wouldn't joining New York be better?" Lin Tian already guessed what Wallace wanted to talk about when he called, but he still had to ask.

"Joining New York is great, and Charles is a benefactor to me, but I want to play with you in Lin! I'm very grateful to you; you rescued me from a wrong path. During this year's playoffs, I made up my mind that if you need me, I will definitely play with you next season!"

"So I called with only one question: Would you be willing to take me with you to play for your new team?"

coming!

I didn't even need to plant a flag; people came to join me!

Lin Tian was overjoyed at Ben Wallace's defection. This kind of super role player with top potential in the league's history could grow into the league's best defensive center in three years at most! Ben Wallace alone could support a top-tier defensive system!

"Of course I hope to play with you, Ben! Like I said before, I have high hopes for you! I think you can become the next Rodman or Oakley! Even better than them! You are unique!" Lin Tian praised Ben on the phone before saying, "But I haven't decided where to play yet."

"I guarantee that if you stay with me, I will make you an excellent starter in the league within two years and a star player of the best defensive player level in the league within five years!" Lin Tian calculated Ben Wallace's growth process and long development period in his mind and gave a very conservative timeline.

"But I also have to say, no matter which team I go to, that team won't have much salary cap space. I won't take a pay cut for you, so your first contract will most likely be a minimum salary contract. But with me here, I guarantee your efforts won't be in vain, and I guarantee you'll have plenty of playing time!"

"If you can get a better offer, I suggest you go and earn more money!"

"No, I'll go with you!" Ben's tone was very firm: "All Charles can offer me is a low-paying contract with no guarantee. No one has ever said this to me except you, and no one has this much faith in me."

"I believe in you, Lin! I'm waiting for your news!"

After saying all that, Ben hung up the phone without any further pleasantries or small talk, which shows that Ben's personality is very practical and direct.

Easy to get along with, and willing to work hard for others!

Absolutely a great buddy.

The day after hanging up with Big Ben, just as Lin Tian had expected, Klaus called even earlier than Pelinka.

"I'm sorry, Lin, please pretend I didn't say what I said yesterday. Reinsdorf doesn't want Michael to leave Chicago, so... just pretend I didn't talk to you yesterday. I really beg you, please don't say this to Michael, otherwise, my life will probably be even harder!"

Klaus hung up the phone hastily without even waiting for Lin Tian to agree to keep it a secret, as if saying another word to Lin Tian would let Jordan know that he wanted to trade Jordan.

Klaus is such a coward!

They wanted to escape Jordan's shadow, yet they dared not defy him at all.

Then, again before Pelinka could finalize everything, another unexpected phone call came in: "Lin, are you really not considering coming to Miami for a visit? Your agent told me you're not even prepared to meet with us? I thought we had a pretty good relationship!"

Riley, the "Mastermind"!

"Pat, I'm sorry, Tim and I are really too close, and I don't want him to be betrayed by the team like this, so I have to decline your offer."

"Stop talking nonsense! Seriously, why not consider Miami? We have a 60-win roster, Alonzo, and a fully-fledged lineup. If we upgrade Tim to you, we can dominate the league for years to come!"

Why?

"Pat, you're too cold-blooded. When faced with interests and choices, everything you say is just empty talk." Lin Tian didn't hide anything from Riley, saying directly, "I don't like people who are too business-minded and too rational. I'm genuinely a sentimental person. What promises did you make to Tim when you traded for him last season? Now you want to trade him, have you considered his feelings, or your own promises?"

"Just one year later, after the team lost the Eastern Conference Finals, you went back on everything you had promised. Pat, I'm sorry, I can't trust you and I don't want to work with you."

"This is a business alliance! All those promises, loyalty, and integrity are just lies! Only profit is eternal, Lin. If you can't see through this, then you really disappoint me. I thought you were as smart as me. If you're too obsessed with these hypocritical lies, you'll find it hard to succeed!"

"Pat, you're right, but if an alliance is left with only these things, only cold transactions and mechanical operations, then the greatest charm of this alliance is gone. Business and interests are important, but the core of this alliance is always something deeper."

"Perseverance, waiting, struggle, effort, resilience, and never giving up."

"Don't you find what you're saying ridiculous? No matter which team you go to, those teams will dismantle their existing roster and trade away their players. Where are your loyalty and principles then?"

"The same Pat, you made promises to Tim, you made promises to Alonzo, you made many promises to Los Angeles and New York, but did you ever keep them? You always ended up being kicked out in a less-than-graceful manner, didn't you?"

"It's not that we can't trade, but that once a promise is made, it must be kept!"

After saying this, Lin Tian hung up Riley's phone. He didn't care whether Riley listened to him or not; Riley would most likely just chuckle and continue doing as he pleased.

But there were some things Lin Tian just wanted to say.

A day later, Pelinka brought good news: he had arranged times with all five teams, and Lin Tian would visit each team in turn to have a good talk with them before deciding which team he would join!

Then, just as Lin Tian was about to set sail for his first stop on this trip, which was New York, the closest city to Chicago, someone knocked on his door again.

"Larry? Reggie?" Lin Tian opened the door and saw two guests he never expected.

Larry Bird and Reggie Miller.

The Pacers' two most important figures today! A newly appointed management team and the team's absolute core player for many years, both paid a visit!

"Isn't our coming here today a little suspicious of cheating?" Bird smiled at Lin Tian and said, "Reggie thinks it's cheating, but as everyone knows, I like cheating. Can we come in and have a seat?"

This guy is shameless.

Lin Tian didn't say much, but stepped aside to let the two hopes of Indiana walk into his house together.

Once seated, Bird asked frankly, "So, Lin, have you decided where you want to go? Los Angeles or New York?"

"So these are the only two places I can go to?" Lin Tian smiled and looked at Bird. "Larry, Reggie, we're old friends, so we can talk about anything." Lin Tian said, "You should know that Indiana is one of my last five options, so we can be frank with each other."

"Lin, you should know that I have been very optimistic about you ever since I first met you two years ago. Well, it started when you took down Karl with an armbar. I have always hoped that you would join the Pacers. Last year, the Pacers' management offered me a 5-year, $5500 million contract extension, but I only signed a 1-year, $1200 million contract."

"I don't need to explain why I'm doing this, do I?"

Miller spread his hands and said first, "I'm a very simple person. All I want is to win. I want to win a championship. I want to win a championship for the Indiana people who love me! I don't care if I'm the MVP or Finals MVP, and I don't care if I'm the team leader."

"Two years ago, Rick played better than me, so I gave him the most shot attempts. When Mark was dribbling, our team's offense was the best, so I let Mark control all the ball and call plays. Even earlier, Schrempf and Chuck Persson had better tactical roles than me."

"I don't care about any of that, really, I don't care! All I want is a championship! If you come, you want the best spot in the middle of the locker room? Here you go! You want the closest parking space to the arena? Here you go! You want to be the last one introduced by the DJ when you come out? No problem!"

"You decide the tactics, the ball is in your hands, and we'll play the way you want us to! Like I said, I just want to win a championship for Indiana!"

As soon as Miller finished speaking, Bird chimed in, "Lin, I'll be both the Pacers' head coach and general manager next season. I'll do everything I can to help you build a roster with absolute strength to compete for the championship! I know what you want."

"Surpass Michael! Prove you're still the best point guard even without Michael, show everyone what you've achieved in the past two years—you can achieve it without Michael! Then come with me, I have plenty of experience beating Michael!"

"He's never beaten me even once in his entire playoff career! Not a single time. We've faced each other twice, and I swept him both times!"

"There's nothing to be proud of, Larry. When you beat the Bulls, they had only won 30 games in the regular season." Lin Tian exposed Bird's veiled criticism without hesitation.

But this old guy clearly inherited his mentor Auerbach's thick skin, completely unconcerned, and said, "Lin, just before we arrived, the league announced this year's salary cap, which is higher than the expected $2700 million! This year's salary cap has reached $2900 million!"

The salary cap has been raised? Lin Tian was stunned. If he remembered correctly, in 1998, the salary cap was $2690 million. This time, it has increased by more than $200 million.

Could it be that my arrival prompted the NBA to begin its global expansion ahead of schedule, leading to a surge in the salary cap?

However, for Lin Tian, ​​raising the salary cap is clearly only beneficial and has no drawbacks, so...

Who cares? Earning an extra million or so a year, isn't that great!

"Based on the latest salary cap, I've calculated it for Lin, and we can offer you a huge contract with a starting salary of around 1000 million, increasing by 20% annually, totaling 1.3 million over 7 years!"

Bird's eyes gleamed as he spoke, "This is absolutely the greatest contract in history! I believe only a contract like this is worthy of you! And I'm not one to beat around the bush in business; I'll give you my cards straight to the table! Because we're partners! Lin, we're partners!"

"Lin, if you're worried, you can take a look at our roster first! We have a preliminary plan to free up salary cap space, but if you really want a certain player to stay, we can change the plan. But for now, after freeing up salary cap space through trades, our roster will look something like this..."

Just as Miller was about to introduce the Pacers' roster, there was another knock on the door of Lin Tian's house.

"Who would come looking for me at this time?" Lin Tian scratched his head and stood up, saying, "Please wait a moment."

As Lin Tian walked to the door, he flung it open. Between a tall, imposing figure and an even taller, more imposing figure stood a middle-aged man of average build. The man smiled as soon as he saw Lin Tian: "Lin! Happy Qixi Festival! I heard it's Qixi Festival in your China! So I've come to give you my blessings!"

"Popovich?" Lin Tian was stunned. This situation was a bit awkward for him!

"Call me Greg! We're good buddies, aren't we?" Popovich laughed heartily. "David doesn't need an introduction, you've been good buddies for a long time. And this is Tim Duncan! This year's number one draft pick, he'll become the greatest power forward in NBA history!"

"Coach, I'm still just a rookie, not that good." Seemingly a little embarrassed by Popovich's praise, Duncan scratched his head, then looked at Lin Tian with a goofy smile and said, "Lin, I'm your fan!"

"Haha, that's Tim for you, always so humble! But isn't our presence here today a little suspicious of cheating?" Popovich laughed, looking at Lin Tian. "Anyway, Tim thinks it's cheating, but as everyone knows, I love cheating. Can we come in and have a seat?"

Alright! Same opening lines all the time, another shameless old man!

Lin Tian stepped aside and gestured, saying, "Please, you're not the only ones cheating today."

As Lin Tian spoke, he walked inside. Just as he entered the living room, Popovich and Bird's eyes met. The two highly intelligent old rogues' eyes were full of hostility.

If a match breaks out, the Indiana's roster is a bit weak!

Miller may be able to beat Kobe and dominate him on the scorer's table, but who in this league can't beat Kobe?

It's incredibly difficult to find someone who can't beat Kobe on the scorer's table. The better his basketball skills and the stronger his competitive spirit, the worse he is at fighting!

It's absolutely awful!

So even if Bird could beat Popovich, Miller would still be killed by Duncan and Robinson.

Just when Lin Tian thought the two groups were about to have a bit of an argument or some sarcastic remarks, Bird surprisingly stood up with great courtesy and said, "Lin, is the second floor a rest area? May we go and take a look?"

"Sure, apart from the innermost room which is mine, the other rooms are unoccupied, so you're welcome to look around."

After Lin Tian gestured for them to go ahead, Bird and Miller both stood up and walked upstairs.

Even the trash-talking king Miller simply said, "So even MVPs come knocking on your door to recruit players."

Of course, knowing he couldn't possibly out-argue Miller, Robinson completely ignored what Miller said, simply sat down, and looked at Lin Tian with a smile, saying, "Lin, this is my injury report! My injuries from last season have long since fully recovered, and I'm absolutely 100% fit now!"

"I have no problem. I'm still the super center who can contribute 20+10! If you don't believe me, we can go to the basketball court and play and talk about it. But honestly, I've never played with such an outstanding and excellent guard as you in my entire life."

Popovich followed up, "You have no idea, David was so excited on the way here he almost jumped for joy. He really couldn't believe he could acquire two historically great teammates in just one month! Tim will be the best power forward in the league, and you, Lin, you can definitely become the best point guard, no less than Magic Johnson!"

"I'm not very good at talking, but I studied psychology in college," Duncan said shyly. "I think we could have a really good time! Because besides basketball, I also like racing, comics, and punk music!"

Honestly, if you hadn't seen Duncan's completely unrestrained hairstyle after his retirement and his actual work in car modification, would you really think he likes modified cars and punk music with his current outfit of a completely shapeless oversized plaid shirt paired with ripped jeans that cost no more than $9, sandals, and white socks?

Pooh!

Nobody would believe that.

But as it turns out, a person's hobbies and their fashion sense really don't have much to do with each other!

Popovich continued, "Lin, in San Antonio, you have MVP-caliber veterans guiding you, super rookies growing alongside you, and me! A general manager and head coach who's willing to be friends with players and treat them like family!"

"Although I'm just a rookie head coach, I'm confident I can grow into a top coach who's on par with Phil Jackson!"

"I believe you." Lin Tian nodded directly and said, "I believe everything you've said. I also have high hopes for Tim's potential and your coaching ability. I believe you can become a top-tier head coach!"

"Huh? Really?" This time, it was Popovich's turn to be a little taken aback.

He has no problem boasting, but when someone suddenly praises him, he feels a little unreal.

After all, he only coached the Spurs for most of the season, and as for their record... let's not even mention it!

"What kind of contract are you going to give me?" Lin Tian looked at Popovich and asked the most crucial question directly.

"As for contracts, we really can't offer as lucrative deals as Indiana or Los Angeles!" Popovich's expression darkened slightly upon hearing this, but he quickly perked up again, saying, "But I've already designed a lot of exclusive tactics for you! I guarantee you'll play like the league's best point guard next season!"

"For example, I'll have Tim and David screen for you so you can grab the rebound and drive the ball up the court yourself. I'll also have Tim practice his passing skills so he can help you with fast breaks after grabbing a rebound!"

"And I will give you a lot of tactical autonomy! You can completely trust Lin! This is your home!"

Upon hearing Popovich evade the question, Lin Tian knew that this guy was trying to make empty promises first before talking about something else.

Considering the Spurs' history of never giving any of the Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker trio even a single supermax contract... well, in the future! You'd know the Spurs are a truly stingy team!

"I think we should talk about salaries first, then tactics."

At that moment, at the corner on the second floor, Miller and Bird exchanged a glance and said simultaneously, "What a stingy miser!"

Popovich downstairs pursed his lips. He had considered that Lin Tian would be so direct, but he never expected the two Pacers players to be there!

His original plan was to persuade Lin Tian with his ingenious tactics, the promise of a position in the team, and the advantage of Texas's low state tax, since that was the Spurs' advantage.

But if Lin Tian only looks at the contract price now...

"A starting salary of around 800 million is absolutely no problem! We plan to offer you a contract of approximately 5 years and 6000 million US dollars! I know that this price may not be as high as other teams, but..."

Popovich was halfway through his sentence when Lin Tian's door was knocked on again.

"What's going on today? Wait a minute, Greg, I'll go see who's here." Lin Tian stood up. Although he hadn't opened the door yet, his sixth sense told him that the person outside was definitely a representative from New York, Los Angeles, or Boston!

None of these people follow the rules!

We agreed to visit them separately over the next week, but now they're all offering door-to-door service.

"Hahaha, Lin, isn't our coming here today a little suspicious of cheating?" Popovich clearly heard Magic Johnson's laughter coming from the doorway: "Although Jerry thinks it's cheating, as everyone knows, I love cheating. So, how about we come in and have a seat?"

If it weren't for the fact that the three waves of people arriving were completely different, Lin Tian would have thought he had entered some strange loop or was trapped in "Groundhog Day" because of the identical opening remarks.

They walked in the same way they always had, and their eyes met amidst the flickering firelight. This time, it was Popovich's turn to suggest going upstairs.

"So even the greatest point guard in history comes to recruit players," David Robinson said trash as he brushed past Magic Johnson.

"You eavesdropping thief!" Popovich muttered rudely as he saw Miller and Bird sitting at the top of the stairs.

"So, are you going to listen or not? If you are, sit down. If not, go tour the house!" Bird rolled his eyes. He couldn't be bothered to put up with this newcomer to management, even though he himself was a complete newbie.

Popovich glanced at Bird, then sat down very seriously.

"Which do you think he'll choose?" After sitting down, Duncan, completely oblivious to his competitors, asked Miller, who was sitting right next to him.

"I think it's definitely not San Antonio!" Miller gave a sobering answer.

"I think so too, but the coach thinks I should try, so he insists on letting me do it." Duncan shrugged very frankly.

"Tim! Can you shut up?" Popovich's face turned green. What was this big guy doing? Trying to undermine him right in front of everyone?

"David, I like your new little brother! I like him! Hahaha!" Miller patted Robinson on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

Downstairs, Magic Johnson spread his hands and said, "Great news, Lin! We've found a team willing to take the Knicks, and we've freed up some salary cap space. Now we can offer you a contract totaling 7 years and $1.35 million!"

"As for the rest," West shrugged. "I think we've said enough in London. Now it's just a matter of your decision."

Lin Tian was certain that West's words were directed at the stairs, and meant for the San Antonio trio!

As for the Indiana duo, well, West doesn't know they exist yet, otherwise he would definitely have raised the volume even higher.

Before Lin Tian could even speak to the Lakers' star duo, there was another knock on his door.

"This is really never going to end," Lin Tian said, standing up. "I bet the people from New York have arrived. They're really not sincere, are they? They're the closest, but they're the last to arrive!"

Lin Tian walked all the way to the door and opened it with a bang.

Then he saw a combination of beauty, beast, and passerby.

Patrick Ewing grinned widely and said, "Good afternoon, Lin! But isn't it a bit like we've cheated to come here today?" Ewing laughed heartily, "Hilton certainly doesn't think it's cheating; she even wished she'd come last night!"

"Alright, Patrick, and Donnie, you two can go now." The alluring Hilton pouted at Lin Tian, ​​her eyes practically drooling. Looking at her obviously surgically enhanced lips and seductive manner, Lin Tian suddenly remembered that this famous woman who collects women's lipstick had been plotting against him for the past two years!

Good heavens, she finally found an opportunity.

Well, it's worth mentioning that the person Lin Tian mistook for a stranger was probably Donnie Walsh, the Knicks' newly appointed general manager.

"It wouldn't be appropriate for us to leave...we still have things to discuss with Lin." Walsh scratched his balding forehead and said, "How about...we talk about business first, and then Hilton, you and Lin can have dinner together?"

"All I want to do right now is eat him!" Hilton licked her lips exaggeratedly, exuding an irresistible allure.

To be honest, Lin Tian has seen countless women, but he has really never seen anyone as bold, direct, and unabashed as Hilton, who seems to want to indulge in debauchery in broad daylight.

But Lin Tian didn't find it interesting at all. As for this girl who could meet nine like-minded people just by going downstairs to buy cigarettes, Lin Tian thought: I don't need that many brothers-in-law for the time being, so it's better to keep my distance.

"Come in together." In the end, Lin Tian couldn't just lock Hilton out, since there were still 1, 2, 3... 7 people inside!

Don't be afraid!

It's perfectly safe.

Upon entering, Walsh and West's eyes met, flames blazing everywhere...

Forget it, Lin Tian is already exhausted. Anyway, it's all the same!

But then, instead of standing up immediately, West and the Magician sat down facing each other.

Hey!

That's interesting!

They're really going all out!

Upon seeing this, Lin Tian immediately declared that he was no longer sleepy, chose a seat furthest from Hilton, and sat down, waiting for the two groups to begin their performance.

"A 7-year, $1.35 million contract! Can you New York nouveau riche afford that? If I were you, I'd just leave to avoid embarrassment." The Magician struck first, his tone devoid of its previous smile, now brimming with aggression!

"Is 1.35 million a lot?" Walsh, who seemed utterly insignificant, sneered. "It's not like we can't afford it! We have things you don't, you Los Angeles bumpkins!"

"A business partnership with Hilton Group, worth $12 million per year!"

"15 million a year." Hilton's eyes had lost their previous flirtatiousness. She stood up straight, exuding the elegance of a top socialite, and said calmly, "I suddenly feel that Lin deserves more! And I promise that as long as Lin doesn't leave the Knicks, this contract will remain in effect."

"So having a little money makes you all that? But all you nouveau riche have is money," West sneered. "We've secured a major role for Lin in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and we'll be creating a brand new Star Wars spin-off series for him within five years! Another trilogy! Do you New York have anything like that?"

"You bunch of Los Angeles country bumpkins are all talk and no action. How many of those promises actually come true? Has Shaq's movie been made? Has his album been released? Huh?" Ewing chimed in sarcastically, "Besides, anyone can make promises. We'll make Lin the mayor of New York City within five years!"

Lin Tian said the rivalry between the Knicks and the Lakers, or rather, between New York and Los Angeles, was really exciting!

Who said the Lakers and Celtics are mortal enemies? These two are the ones who truly despise each other to the core!

Exciting! Awesome! Let's go! Let's fuck their asses! Let's splatter their brains out! Let's crush their balls! Let's go! Let's fuck them to death!

Just as the two groups were getting heated up arguing, Lin Tian heard... the doorbell ring!

(End of this chapter)