Chapter 50: Successors and successors

Just after Khomeinis’s family met her father Paliuka, Leon received a call from Michael Carl early the next morning, and asked him to meet him at Boston South Station, and asked Leon to take several items with him. Clothing, it looks like Leon is going to travel again.
When he arrived at South Station by taxi, Karl was already waiting for Leon in the waiting hall. He held a briefcase in his hand and a ticket, and handed it to Leon and said, "This is a bus to New York. Tickets, departure at ten o'clock, and twenty minutes to go. I will tell you about important things."
Speaking, Carl handed the briefcase in his hand to Leon again, did not give Leon time to ask questions, and then said: "Your destination is the Olympia Building in New York, the headquarters of the NBA, where there is a meeting to attend. I will drive directly to New York later, and I will be there waiting for you then, remember, Olympia Building."
"Why can't I go by car with you?" Leon asked after taking the briefcase. To be honest, he hadn't taken a long-distance bus since he came to the United States, and he rarely even took the subway, either by car or by plane. The team will be reimbursed.
"Don't be spoiled, this is Arnold's request. He wants you to experience the feeling of a former NBA player who took a four-hour bus and then participated in the game at night. Anyway, remember, arrive in New York and find the Olympic Building. Come to me. Well, I won’t say much. I’ll talk to you about specific issues when I arrive in New York. The problems you will face in the future will be much more difficult than taking a bus. You have just been on the road.
After speaking, Carl took a picture. Leon's arm turned and left.
But Carl immediately turned back, took out a map from his arms and handed it to Leon and said, "Yes, I forgot to give you the map. Arnold said I'm afraid you will get lost when you get to New York. Because this bus is to Manhattan. It’s not easy to take a taxi there. You’d better take the subway, otherwise you will be late. Goodbye and good luck."
　　 Carl really left this time. Leon looked at the map he handed him, crumpled it up and threw it in the trash can.
　　 "Damn old man, give me a map of America..."
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Michael Carr left and got into his car directly. He had a dedicated driver. He closed his eyes and started to rest in the back seat. The journey to New York took four hours. He needed to take a good rest and face the upcoming important issues. Agenda-Go to the headquarters of the NBA to discuss the formation of a development league with the development directors of other teams.
　　 The NBA originally had a minor league, the CBA, which was born earlier than the NBA-the Continental Basketball Association. This basketball league, two months earlier than the NBA, has been lingering in the shadow of the NBA for decades. Stern will allocate a sum of money to the CBA every year to keep the league running, as a blood-making machine to digest those who have lost the draft and provide bench talent for each team.
However, in 1999, taking advantage of the NBA’s labor-management negotiations and the suspension of the season, the former NBA superstar Isiah Thomas purchased the CBA for $10 million, and asked Stern to increase the commission in the investment negotiations with the NBA this year. cost.
　　 But Stern is by no means a person who will compromise easily. He rejected Thomas' request and decided to launch 29 teams in the league to form a new development league directly and squeeze the CBA out of the circle of the secondary basketball league. In this way, Stern can directly control the development leagues under the NBA, without having to pay every year to look at Thomas.
I have to admit that in terms of operations, the gap between Thomas and Stern is still far away. Now it seems that Thomas’ CBA is already somewhat unsustainable. There is no league sponsorship, no audience, no advertising, no commitment to players, and bankruptcy. It will only be a matter of time.
As the director of the team development department, Karl was asked by Auerbach to participate in this meeting and tried his best to help Boston gain some benefits in the formation, especially if he could find some treasures from the undrafted players. This is why Auerbach asked Karl to bring Leon.
　　Of course, this is not the main reason Leon went to New York. Carl knew that Auerbach’s real purpose in sending Leon to New York was to accumulate qualifications and experience for his heir. This kid has done a good job as a scout in Boston for the past two months, but he has done very well on the technical level, and basketball is not a purely technical job. This is also a career that requires extensive contacts and operational capabilities. .
When Auerbach first came to power in 1984, his personal resources, connections, and influence in the NBA reached its peak, and he was even able to directly resist Stern’s new salary cap policy, forcing the league to change the rules and introduce the "Byrd Clause". "And in 1985, he operated as the Eastern Conference champion to the No. 2 pick of the year. If it weren’t for the NBA draft rules changed from that year, Auerbach’s intention to get Patrick Ewing was disillusioned, as well as the accident of Ren Baias. Death, then the Celtics' rule will definitely continue for another ten years.
　　 Afterwards, the new rules constructed by Stern, the mischief of other mortal enemies of the Alliance, and a series of coincidences that made Auerbach desperate, all the bishop's nearly perfect plans were shattered, and the old man was finally discouraged.
Carl knows that this will be Auerbach’s last fight. Before, he placed his bet on Pitino, Duncan and Nowitzki, and now he wants to give everything he has in the basketball world. The kid who didn't know where he came from, let him participate in the team's draft. After the development of the development league team, he will pass the test to push him to a higher place in the future.
　　 Thinking of this, Carl frowned, and he couldn't help feeling jealous. You must know that Auerbach’s proud protégé, Boston hero, and superstar Larry Bird were not treated like this. The Tianzong Wizards retired as the Celtics as the player director, but his main job for five years was to play golf in the warm Florida.
Carl knew that he did not have the talent to become the team's coach or even the president. He had been the head coach of the Celtics for several seasons, facing the team's bad lineup, bad boss-Paul Gaston back then Mainly focusing on issuing bonds and a poor draft pick, he was helpless. The Celtic relationship network that once spread the alliance has been shattered under the pressure of Stern. There are also some "anti-bones" who have determined to serve other teams wholeheartedly, stabbing the Celtics in the back many times. Thinking of this, Carl will feel that Pitino's failure is also reasonable. A coach who succeeded in college will not face the problems of the Celtics at all.
Thinking about it this way, the jealousy in Carl's heart has disappeared. It is not easy to become Auerbach’s successor. I don’t know if there is anything special about that kid that Auerbach is so fond of. He has a better memory, I hope that American map will help him find the Olympia Building...
I was thinking about Carl falling asleep in the car. I dreamed that he became the owner of a certain NBA team. He always wanted to own his own NBA team. With the help of Auerbach, he There is a chance to enter the circle of NBA capital games with others, so he will spare no effort to help Leon. Now he can finally enter the game............
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When Karl arrived at the Olympic Building on Fifth Avenue in New York, where the NBA headquarters is located, it was already 2:30 in the afternoon. The poor road traffic in New York and the traffic jam on the highway made him half an hour later than expected, but the meeting It will start at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Today is just a two-hour meeting to discuss some basic issues. Negotiations on specific details will be fully launched in the next week.
Carl trotted up the elevator and went directly to the meeting room on the 15th floor. This was not the first time he had been here. He looked at his watch and thought that Leon would take about 15 minutes to arrive. The traffic in New York is a bit bad today. Although Leon has been to many places, he will be received by Celtic outposts every time he goes there, so he doesn't have to worry about transportation and accommodation.
When the elevator opened and walked into the small meeting room on the 15th floor, Karl discovered that Leon was already sitting on the small sofa closest to the door waiting for him, holding a copy of Time magazine in his hand, reading With relish.
　　 "Hello Carl~EbookFREE.me~ I am glad to see you again, the map you gave is really useful, I found it here as soon as I looked for it." Leon looked at Carl with a surprised look and said hello with a smile.
　　 Carl sat down beside Leon and asked angrily, "You kid is very fast, how did you find this place? Did you change to a plane and then a taxi?"
Leon shook his fingers and replied: "I took the bus to the Manhattan Bridge. The road was very congested today, so I didn't take a taxi. I rented a bicycle with my $15 and rode to the nearest subway station. I took the subway to the Olympic Building on Fifth Avenue. In fact, I just arrived, only one elevator earlier than you."
　　 "Buddy..." Carl also wanted to ask how Leon knew the specific route, and wanted to talk to Leon about the main content of today's meeting and ask him to make preparations. But then the door of the conference room opened again, and a thin, bald man with eyes came in, and he interrupted everyone's conversation.
"Hello everyone, I am Adam Silva. I will preside over the first meeting on the formation of the Development Alliance today. I hope everyone can speak freely." With that said, this Adam Silva is sitting in the most innermost position. , With a smile on his face.
　　 "Who is this guy? Is he sick?" Leon asked softly next to Karl, because this Silva looked too skinny.
　　 "No, he is a good assistant to David Stern, and he is also considered the most likely successor to Stern after he resigns." Karl said to Leon.
The successors of the two old rivals met for the first time in the Olympic Building, one at the center and the other at the edge~EbookFREE.me~ Welcome to visit and read, the latest, fastest and hottest The serialized works are all at ~EbookFREE.me~ mobile users, please go to read.