Vol 3 Chapter 544: Presti's troubles

?　　The championship parade is the last thing that Oklahoma City Thunder will do this season. After the parade is over, this season will officially come to an end. Next is the long-awaited offseason. After struggling for nine months, I can finally rest and enjoy life.
　　 Westbrook schedules his offseason training time in September. In the earlier time, he will participate in some shows, but more often he is with his family. Paul George once again picked up the fishing rod. Every summer, he would go fishing with his friends in various seas. It's just that these two years are slightly later than the previous years. An Luo bid farewell to the two in Los Angeles, and then took Tang Xiaoru to Irvine, stayed with his mother Fu Yao for a few days, then got up and returned to China.
　　 With the end of the parade, the atmosphere in Oklahoma City gradually returned to normal. When there is no competition, there is naturally less fun. However, everyone is used to it. What's more, the joy of two consecutive championships is enough for them to enjoy the end of the three-month offseason.
　　 Players and fans can rest, but the Thunder management has no way to rest. The establishment of a team does not happen overnight. After setting the tone, it needs to be updated frequently. Regardless of which team, it is impossible to stay competitive. Teams such as the Celtics, Lakers, Bulls, etc., which are extremely strong for a time, will also experience a cold wave. Especially the Celtics, the original eight consecutive championships, unparalleled in the world, but since 1986 has undergone a long reconstruction. It was not until 2008 that he finally returned to the finals and won the championship again.
　　 The most glorious time is often when it starts to fall to the bottom.
　　 The Thunder in these two seasons are definitely the most successful team in the league. When the team's star and inside pillar left the team successively, they not only did not fall to the bottom, but rose rapidly. In just one season, they completed the rule of the league. In the second year Durant left, they basically built a good offensive and defensive lineup with just one trade, and won the championship for two consecutive years. I am afraid, Bennett has already become the most envied boss of this league. Presti also justified himself in one fell swoop.
　　 But now, Presti is quite distressed. Just like last year, he must solve the problem of the team lineup. Of course, judging from their current situation, reinforcement is basically impossible. After all, after successively giving Westbrook and Paul George large contracts, the Thunder's salary space is no longer available. Now it can still be controlled at the tipping point of the luxury tax, thanks to An Luo's blessing. You know, this season Anluo only has less than 3 million wages, but he has played 30 million results. In terms of cost performance, Anluo recognizes the second, and no one in this league dares to recognize the first.
　　 Now all the main players of the Thunder have contracts, but An Luo's contract is only one year left. Although it is a team option, it is simply a fantasy to maintain the current situation. You can have an All-Star guard for four years with only 10 million. The Thunder don't know how much virtue it has accumulated!
　　 Among the rookies who entered the league at the same time as An Luo, many people have already received large contracts and renewed their contracts with the team in advance. The most contrasting one is the 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons. It is said that the No. 1 pick who was selected as the All-Star this season has reached a five-year, 170 million early renewal contract with the 76ers. Simmons's first-year salary of this billion-dollar contract is about 29.25 million U.S. dollars, and the final year and season will reach 38.61 million U.S. dollars. An Luo's performance, no matter from which point of view, is not worse than Simmons. In other words, the Thunder wants to complete the contract extension with An Luo ahead of time, and a 5-year $170 million maximum salary contract is indispensable.
　　 This is the biggest problem facing Presti. Time seems to have returned to the summer seven years ago. The Thunder offered Harden a four-year, 52 million contract renewal with a firm attitude. In the end, Harden left Houston. The Thunder’s offer is only 6 million behind Harden’s expectations.
　　 No matter how you look at it, An Luo is worth a maximum salary. This is the difference between An Luo and Harden. Even the Thunder themselves are embarrassed to use a renewal contract lower than this number to discuss the renewal with An Luo. But the Thunder really can't afford it. The contracts of Westbrook, Paul George and Adams have already taken up the Thunder's cap space, and they are unable to afford a contract worth more than 30 million.
　　By the way, even if Thunder pays An Luo the top salary, the latter will not necessarily stay. After all, Oklahoma is just a small market, not very attractive to stars. Moreover, when An Luo participated in the draft, he stated that he wanted to stay in Los Angeles. No matter how you look at it, Oklahoma is not competitive~EbookFREE.me~ Apart from these external factors, as far as the Thunder’s current lineup is concerned, it is unlikely that Anlo will stay in Oklahoma .
　　 Simply a top three-point shooter, or a top 3D player, can get a place in any system. But wanting to have a core tactical position is still more difficult, especially when a team has multiple All-Star players. Donovan handled the relationship between Westbrook, Paul George, and Anlow better. But in this season, all three of them have been criticized more or less by fans, basketball commentators, and people in the media. Although the Thunder Big Three won two championships together, they inevitably limited their development. Of course, in such a team, everyone has to make some sacrifices. In this era, championships and individual performance are like fish and bear paws.
　　 If the Thunder did not win the championship, these stars may be able to make even greater sacrifices. Now that the Thunder is done, the players will naturally pursue more things. Especially young players are full of vigor and always feel that they can do everything well. An Luo is 22 years old this year. He has a championship and FMVP. The rest, the Thunder's current situation, is difficult to help him achieve.
　　 Presti is very troubled now, he is also a clever woman who can hardly cook without rice. He may be able to persuade Anlo to stay in Oklahoma by all means, but in the next three years, the Thunder will pay a huge luxury tax to the league. There is no doubt that Bennett will not pay for such a result. Thirty million is worthy for An Luo, but not 60 million.