pjbooks Chapter 262 Earthquake-Style Reconstruction
Chapter 262 Earthquake-Style Reconstruction
Chapter 262 Earthquake-Style Reconstruction
In the general manager's office at the Knicks arena, Ernst sat calmly in the center of the sofa, like a captain, as if it were his throne.
Beside him was Leopold Brooks, the general manager of Madison Garden Company. At this moment, he was like a helpless first mate, worried but only able to stay by his side as the storm was about to break.
Poor Knicks general manager Ernie Grunfeld could only huddle miserably in the corner of the sofa. As for head coach Jeff Van Gundy, his situation was even worse; he was lucky he wasn't allowed to sit at the children's table.
Madison Square Garden and the Knicks were originally like two ships sailing in parallel, each with its own course.
The Knicks were focused on team operations, while Madison Gardens was busy managing real estate projects and various entertainment events.
Madison Square Garden is not only the home of the New York Knicks, but also the home of the NHL's New York Rangers and the WNBA's New York Liberty, as well as the venue for the NCAA Big East Men's Basketball Championship.
Moreover, this place has hosted countless exhilarating concerts. Many world-renowned singers, such as Elvis Presley, have performed here.
John Lennon, Michael Jackson, and others considered holding a solo concert at Madison Square Garden the highest honor.
In addition, this place has hosted political conferences, and many Democratic Party national conventions have been held here.
However, Ernst now waved his hand and merged the two originally separate entities into one.
But Leopold was unhappy; his face was as pale as a wilted eggplant, and he was feeling utterly miserable.
He knew very well that taking over the management of the Knicks was a thankless and arduous task.
Look at how Ernst acted as soon as he took over. He didn't even give a second glance to the more important Madison Garden Company. He plunged headfirst into the operation of the Knicks, as if the Knicks were his most beloved toy. Leopold not only had to help take care of this toy, but also had to be ready to take the blame at any time.
Ernie Grunfeld and Jeff Van Gundy were also feeling incredibly bitter at that moment.
The two of them understood the new boss's intentions; this wealthy tycoon clearly wanted to get involved in the team's operations.
Now, all they're thinking is, does he even know anything about football?
Meanwhile, Ernst was leisurely flipping through the Knicks' player information when his first words made the two of them realize that the Knicks were in grave danger.
"I don't want Ewing, Allan Houston, Larry Jensen. I want to trade them for young, promising players."
In short, Ernie Grunfeld and Jeff Van Gundy felt as if their hearts were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, almost stopping abruptly.
The two men stared wide-eyed, their expressions seeming to say: Boss, are you kidding me?
Even Leopold, who had been relatively calm, suddenly turned his head to look at Ernst as if he had been frozen in place, as if he had seen some incredible monster.
Although Leopold wasn't a professional basketball player, he knew what those names meant to the Knicks. He could even imagine the fury that would erupt from Knicks fans if those three players were actually traded.
If those fans can't find Ernst, can't they find Leopold?
He can't just not come to work because he's afraid of getting eggs thrown at him by fans, can he?
"Ernst, don't you need to think about this more carefully? These are all All-Star level players, the solid foundation for the team's championship aspirations!" Ernie clutched his head tightly, looking like he was about to collapse, finding it hard to accept Ernst's seemingly crazy idea.
"We are full of confidence this year and plan to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. This roster is a championship team."
Eastern Conference Finals? Ernst pursed his lips upon hearing this. What's the Eastern Conference Finals? I want the championship. I want to build a dynasty team that will leave an indelible mark on NBA history.
Although Ernst didn't have a particularly thorough understanding of the NBA at this time, he knew that this year would be a crucial turning point for Ewing's career.
After his wrist injury was assessed, Ewing's condition plummeted like a slide.
Larry Jensen, the All-Star power forward who recently joined the Knicks, doesn't have much of his time left either; he's like a lamp that's about to run out of oil.
As for Alan Houston, this mid-range shooting king is in his prime, but since the team is rebuilding, keeping him is a waste of resources.
Moreover, in Ernst's mind, the All-Stars were also divided into different tiers.
Why stick with these aging celebrities when there are better and younger options available?
Still dreaming of winning the championship? This year is destined to be Jordan's moment of legendary status, the glorious year for him to establish his second three-peat dynasty. No one can stop Jordan's progress.
"I understand what you mean, but it's undeniable that, apart from Allan Houston, the Knicks' roster is quite old, that's an indisputable fact," Ernst said calmly, his tone carrying an undeniable firmness.
The NBA in the 90s was an era that championed intense competition, like a series of wars without gunpowder.
This high-intensity competition is practically a deadly poison for an athlete's career.
Therefore, during this period, once NBA players are over thirty, their performance declines rapidly, like a rollercoaster ride.
But he knew that the NBA was about to usher in the era of shooting guards, which was like a golden opportunity given to him by God, a golden moment to build a legendary team.
There are so many good players available on the market right now, like stars in the sky, and next year is going to be a great draft year. The key thing is that all the NBA teams are collectively blind to their potential.
Future Hall of Famers like Nowitzki, Carter, and Paul Pierce were drafted relatively low, with some even finding gems in the second round or undrafted picks.
So Ernst thought that while Ewing and others still had value, he should quickly trade them away to get a few promising young players back to develop properly, and then stockpile a few draft picks. Maybe he could create a Hall of Fame assembly and build a super invincible dream team.
"But this year's All-Star Game is being held in New York. We can't afford to have no stars selected, can we?" Ernie was still unwilling to give up and tried to persuade Ernst again.
Ernst, however, seemed unconcerned. "So what? Does being selected as an All-Star player add a win to the Knicks' record? Or does it automatically lead to a championship?"
"What about the fans? If the fans find out, they'll definitely riot," Ernie tried to bring up the fans to make Ernst hesitate.
Fans? Ernst's lips curled into a sarcastic smile when he heard those two words.
Of all the NBA fans, the Knicks fans are the most unpredictable; they're a truly bizarre bunch.
According to NBA players, all the players are looking forward to playing at Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks' own players are not so keen.
Because New York fans are typically both bad at the game and love to have fun; on the one hand, they won't be satisfied unless the team wins the championship.
On the other hand, when a player from the away team puts on a spectacular performance, they won't hold back their applause and cheers, and can instantly betray their team.
The criticism is harsh now, but as long as these new players perform well on the court, New York fans are the most forgetful.
However, Ernst obviously couldn't say that to Ernie. He just comforted Ernie with his eyes and said seriously, "America is a society governed by the rule of law, and the fans in New York are very well-mannered. I believe they won't do anything excessive."
"Won't that be too extreme?" Ernie gave Ernst a meaningful look. "Do you even believe what you're saying?"
New York is a place where rich people are as numerous as hairs on a cow, and there are even more rich second-generation heirs who have nothing better to do than a handful of them.
These people are used to being arrogant and fearless, and they are capable of doing anything.
"But pushing forward such a massive transfer plan now leaves no time for the new players to gel," Van Gundy, who had been sitting quietly to the side, finally couldn't help but speak up, his voice tinged with worry.
Ernie nodded quickly in agreement, "That's right, that's right. It's too rushed to make deals now, and we can't get good trading partners at all."
"How about we observe for another year and then make a more informed decision?"
Ernie thought to himself, "I'll just wait it out. Maybe the boss will change his mind later."
The NBA regular season starts on October 31st this year, which is indeed a very tight schedule.
Fortunately, the current trading period is still relatively broad. The trading dates that everyone is familiar with were only gradually standardized after 99.
This was undoubtedly good news for Ernst, so he remained unmoved and firmly stated, "Since it's a team rebuild, there's naturally no requirement for results. The new season is for these new players to hone their skills and grow through real matches."
He didn't want to waste any more time arguing with Ernie and Van Gundy; his mind was made up. "That's settled then."
Ernie, at a loss, his face contorted in a grimace, looked worse than if his mother had died. "Well, we need a plan, right? We need to know who we're replacing, right?"
Without saying a word, Ernst picked up the paper and pen on the table.
A moment later, he finished writing and handed the note to Ernie, looking like a tyrant issuing an order: "Do as instructed on this paper. As long as you complete it, no matter how the Knicks perform in the new season, you will have done a great service to me."
Ernie took the slip of paper and glanced at the names on it: Garnett, Finley, Nash, Ray Allen, McGrady, Billups, Ben Wallace, and so on—a long list of names.
These players are all rookies from the past two years. Some have yet to prove themselves, while others have already begun to show their talent and shine.
Especially Kevin Garnett of the Timberwolves, the first high school draft pick in the United States, went from being underestimated by everyone at the beginning to gradually showing his talent, like a rising star.
In addition to these players, the note also mentioned trading for the first-round draft picks of weaker teams next year.
After Ernie finished reading, he understood that the boss was really determined to rebuild, and this was entirely about creating a team composed of child soldiers.
However, at least it wasn't a reckless decision-making process. These players were all considered promising or had already begun to realize their potential, which slightly changed Ernie's opinion of the new boss.
Ernst actually preferred to trade for Duncan, Kobe, and Iverson, but that's basically impossible.
Even if we could get it, the price would be too high, it's not worth it at all.
Ernie was about to say something more when there was a knock on the door. A stunningly beautiful woman appeared, half her body visible. "Excuse me, did I disturb you?"
The moment Ernst saw the beautiful woman, his face instantly lit up with a smile, faster than turning the pages of a book. "How could that be? Welcome, welcome!"
He stood up, glanced at Ernie, and said, "That's settled then. I have an important appointment, so please excuse me."
Watching Ernst walk to the door, embrace the beautiful woman, and leave with an air of nonchalance, the slight change in his opinion vanished instantly.
The three people in the room looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, Ernie spoke first, saying with a look of despair, "Is this God's punishment for me? I feel like the sky is falling."
That voice was filled with helplessness and despair.
Leopold was in a much better mood because he felt that even if Ernie was pelted with rotten eggs, he would still be the Knicks fans' first choice.