The Godfather of Basketball

Blake proved himself to be a very important part of this Rockets team last season.

He averaged 10.3 points and 3.6 assists in the regular season. In the playoffs, he increased to 12.6 points and 4.3 assists, and his three-point shooting percentage was 46%.

With such a performance, the Rockets will definitely sign a contract of around 4 million, and 6 million can also be considered, but if it is 8 million a year, the premium is a bit much.

The salary cap announced by the NBA this year is 55.63 million US dollars. Because of the three big contracts of Yao Mai and Huo Ershu, if they are forced to sign, the Rockets will have very little room for maneuver in the rest of this offseason. up.

Negotiations between the two sides continue, but not very good progress.

If Blake is lost, the Rockets' starting point guard for the new season can only be Alston, and it will return to the old way at the beginning of last season.

This was obviously not what Tang Tian wanted to see, and he also turned his attention to the free market.

At this moment, a name that made his heart skip a beat appeared.

Chauncey Billups.

Billups announced during the offseason that he chose to jump out of the contract to test the free market this year.

Originally, the hero of the team's championship has played for the team for five consecutive years. The contract extension should be finalized at the end of the freeze period, but now the two sides have fallen into a stalemate.

Billups was looking forward to a 5-year 75 million contract, but the Pistons refused to even give a 5-year 60 million contract.

It should be said that although the owner of the Pistons, Bill Davidson, is a billionaire and is willing to do charity, he is not so generous to the players of his team. Last year, Ben Wallace finally left because of the large difference in salary for contract renewal. Detroit.

Although Billups finally renewed his contract with the Pistons in the previous life, it was Billups himself who finally chose to compromise.

When Tang Tian thought of this, he couldn't stop excitedly looking for Morey.

Morey is also very interested in recruiting Billups, but he is not very optimistic. First, it is difficult for the Pistons to release him. Second, it really takes 75 million in five years, and the Rockets can't afford such a big contract.

Tang Tian didn't give up. He worked hard on this thing. If Billups really wanted to come, he would just find a way to clear the space.

In the end, the two reached an agreement.

As long as Billups is willing to come and is willing to sign the five-year, $60 million contract that exploded before, the Rockets will try to clear the space.

With this agreement in mind, Tang Tian got on the plane to Detroit.

On the plane, he was so excited that he couldn't sit still for the first time after crossing.

The most suitable point guard for Yao Ming is one of the most discussed issues among fans in previous lives. In every survey result, Billups' name will inevitably appear and be among the top names.

Can shoot the 3, can organize, can defend, has experience, can handle the floor...

Although Billups is a grassroots FMVP, he is a late bloomer, but he is one of the strongest guards in the league.

Back then, Billups at the end of his career brought Anthony to the Western Conference Finals, which shows his strength.

The age of 30 is the pinnacle of a point guard. If he can be found, then the Rockets are also a real Big Three, and they are really not afraid of the Lakers or Celtics.

After getting off the plane, after Tang Tian checked into the hotel, he asked his assistant to make an appointment with Billups, and then visited him directly.

Billups played for the Pistons for 5 years and has already settled in Detroit. He lives in a luxurious villa in a wealthy area. When Tang Tian entered, he was playing with his daughter on the lawn.

Seeing Tang Tian coming, Billups asked his wife to look at her daughter, and walked towards him quickly.

"Hey, Coach Tang, welcome~" Billups smiled and stretched out his hand to Tang Tian with a very respectful expression.

Tang Tian is now the head coach of the Rockets, and the head coach's visit to free agents is a great importance.

"Hey, Chauncey, your daughter is very cute." Tang Tian said with a smile when shaking hands.

"Thank you, let's go in, let's go in and talk, Pibe, and get us some coffee." Billups said hello to his wife.

Entering the living room, the two of them sat down and chatted politely about some household matters.

After chatting for a while, Billups' wife served coffee for the two, then backed away.

After drinking some coffee, he felt that the two of them were almost matched, so Tang Tian then cut to the chase.

"Chauncey, you should be able to guess what the purpose of my coming to you is, how is it, are you interested in playing for the Rockets?"

Billups froze for a moment, then laughed loudly: "Coach, you speak more directly than Joe."

(Note: Joe refers to Joe Dumars, then general manager of the Pistons.)

"If you don't order it directly, the coffee will get cold soon." Tang Tian said jokingly, and took a sip of the coffee after speaking.

Billups was amused by Tang Tian's humor again, and after a while, he put away his smile.

"To be honest, I'm used to staying in Detroit, and my teammates, so I still want to stay with the Pistons." Billups said sincerely, feeling that this is his nature. Heart.

Sure enough, it was not that easy. Billups is still quite affectionate in my memory, and this time out of the contract is also a routine operation. After all, for the 30-year-old him, this is basically the last big contract of his career.

"The Pistons need to change, either this year or next year. You are so smart, you should be aware of this, right?" Tang Tian did not give up and continued.

Billups didn't speak, he was acquiescing.

The salary space of the Pistons exploded after winning the championship. At that time, Ben Wallace had to renew his contract, but followed by Rasheed Wallace, Hamilton also had to renew his contract, and then Billup this season Adams, and finally Prince.

In order for an NBA team to remain competitive, it needs to have outstanding rookies and low-salary high-powered players. It is simply unrealistic for five players to have big contracts. This is why the Pistons did not renew Ben Wallace with a big contract. Reason, they also have choices.

"You've been in the league longer than I have. You should be very aware of the cruelty of the NBA. Once you renew your contract, the team's space will be locked. It's not realistic for you old guys to win the championship again. At most next year, you will go to the championship. If you fail again, disbandment will be inevitable at that time, and you, the one with the highest transaction value, will probably be the first to be kicked out, right?"

"Would you rather be a free agent and choose a more promising team? Or would you rather stay on a hopeless team and get kicked out?"

Tang Tian's words are not alarmist. In fact, Billups was the first to be traded in his previous life, and Billups later admitted to the media more than once that he should not renew his contract with the Pistons in 2007.

Billups looked up at Tang Tian at this moment, hesitant to speak.

Obviously, Tang Tian said all these words to his heart, which is why he insisted on forcing the team to give him 75 million for five years. He wanted to see how much the team valued him.

If even Shexurui is unwilling to pay, then I'm afraid it will be like what Tang Tian said, it will only be a matter of time before he is traded.