Bishop of the Devil

"Lee, this contract is too crazy. I'm sorry, we can't agree to it!" Olshey, the president of basketball affairs, said to Richard seriously.

"Why are you crazy?! I don't see anything crazy at all!"

"Ben Wallace is worth the price!"

"This contract must be signed!"

Richard will not give in at all. In this matter, he must fight for the interests of his proud disciple!

"Li, don't get me wrong, we trust your vision!"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have given you the green light for all three of your previous transactions!"

"The problem now is, we don't need to waste so much money! Man, that's millions of dollars, not thousands of dollars!"

Christensen, the team's chief financial officer, may have seen that Richard was a little angry, so he quickly smoothed things over.

But his attempt to smooth things over didn't have any effect. On the contrary, it made Richard completely lose his patience!

"Waste?! Are you still doubting my vision!"

"I don't want to see my players holding a minimum-salary contract after becoming an All-Star in two years!"

"Ben Wallace must get a decent contract!"

Richard almost roared at the Blazers management.

Olshey and Christensen looked at each other and made the All-Stars two years later? ! Why are you talking about All-Stars?

Will Ben Wallace be an All-Star in two years? !

This is simply a big joke...

But even if they felt funny, the two people didn't dare to show it. They knew very well that Richard in front of them was in a rage. Who knows what kind of trouble they would cause if they continued to provoke him!

"Li, why don't we think about it..."

"You also know that this kind of thing is really difficult. After all, it's all the boss's money. We naturally have to ask the boss for his opinion..."

The two of them felt very aggrieved. They were the real executives of the team. Why did they have to pretend to be grandsons in front of Richard...

"Three days!"

"I'll give you three days!"

After that, Richard left the office, his anger still not dissipated.

Richard even considered using his own salary to subsidize Da Ben, but this operation is undoubtedly illegal and is considered a kind of shady operation. Once found out, both his and Da Ben's careers will probably be ruined. It’s cold…

…

Returning to his head coach's office, Carlisle saw an angry Richard and curiously asked what happened!

"Li, in fact, Orsi is not to blame for this..."

"The boss has been reducing expenses in the past two years. Just look at our Blazers' salaries in the past two years..."

Richard was startled, cutting back on expenses? !

"Isn't Paul a top rich man?!"

Carlisle smiled bitterly: "Yes, he is indeed a top rich man, but he is even more of a businessman..."

"Paul actually had the idea of ​​rebuilding the team last season..."

After that, Carlisle took a piece of paper and listed the team's salary in the past two years.

The total salary in the 1993 season was US$23.5 million, in the 1994 season it was close to US$27 million, and in the 1995 season, which was last season, it was reduced to US$23.2 million!

At first glance, it didn’t seem like much had changed, but Richard saw the mystery behind it!

In the 1993 and 1994 seasons, the NBA's salary cap was only a little over 15 million US dollars. Paul Allen really dared to spend money. Especially in the 1994 season, the Blazers' salary ranked second in the league!

But after the new CBA agreement was signed in 1995, the salary cap increased significantly. This was the largest increase in the salary cap in the entire NBA history, rising directly from the original 15 million to 23 million!

But the Blazers' total salary has been reduced!

Carlisle is right, Paul Allen is really cutting back...

The biggest reason is that they are completely disappointed with the Trail Blazers' record, especially in the 1994 season. The Trail Blazers spent the second-highest salary in the league, but only achieved a first-round trip...

I'm afraid any boss would be so angry that he would vomit blood!

Not to mention a businessman with a super high IQ like Paul Allen. Businessmen pursue profits. Only fools are willing to do this obviously loss-making business...

Just start cutting back on spending last season, and this season hire Richard with a lot of money, and start making massive trades to clear the team's salary space!

On the one hand, Richard's ability is indeed recognized by Paul Allen. He pins the team's future hopes on Richard...

On the other hand, Richard's arrival will definitely clean up the team's key players and bring in new players!

The biggest advantage of the newcomer is that he is cheap, which is equivalent to continuing to clear the team's salary space for Paul Allen!

…

Richard felt a little bit pained. It seemed that Paul Allen's IQ of 170 was really no joke...

If Carlisle hadn't reminded him today, Richard wouldn't have noticed all the details involved.

Since the boss wants to reduce expenses, he has to take it easy on some things...

Originally, Richard felt that Paul Allen was not short of money. When all the contracts of these rookies expired, they could all renew their contracts. Now it seems that this matter is a bit difficult...

Unless Richard can produce amazing results for the Blazers during this period of time.

…

Three days later, Ben appeared in Richard's office!

"Coach, Olshey and the others came to me yesterday and said that Paul Allen agreed and was willing to give me a three-year, three-million-dollar contract!" Ben said with surprise on his face...

Richard also breathed a sigh of relief. He was originally worried that Paul Allen would be unwilling to give Big Ben this contract when he was reducing expenses.

"Huh, so the contract was signed yesterday, right?"

"No..." Daben said with a smile.

"No? Then sign it today. I'll feel relieved if you sign it..." Richard relaxed. After the big contract is settled, the preparations for the new season are almost completed, and training can officially start!

"Coach, I rejected this contract..." Ben scratched his head and laughed...

Richard almost spit out a mouthful of old blood, refused? !

I almost flipped the table to help you get the contract, but you actually refused...

"Coach, don't worry, listen to me..."

"Ahem, actually I wanted to enter the league as a second-round pick from the beginning, because second-round picks don't have to sign a standard rookie contract, they can just sign a one-year guaranteed contract..."

"Do you think, under your control, I won't be able to earn my worth in a year?!"

"I'm older than Iverson and the others, so I have to find a way to get a big salary as soon as possible..."

"Hey, I might be the first person in our West Lafayette gang to get a high salary!"

Richard was dumbfounded. Is this really a big book? ! Has this brain been enlightened by God? Such a thief!

I ignored this problem, just thinking about getting a decent contract for Da Ben, but I didn't notice that Da Ben didn't need it at all!

In this era, there are actually many loopholes in the labor agreement. Most of the agreements on player salaries were negotiated during the labor negotiations in 1999.

Daben's idea simply shocked Richard!

After playing under Richard this season, even if Ben cannot reach All-Star status, it will be completely impossible for the Blazers to renew Ben's contract with an annual salary of one million. !

Use retreat to advance!

Bitter first and then sweet!

You have to suffer a lot to be able to sit in a Land Rover!

Da Ben is simply a talent...