Check out my new fanfic. A cote x hikigaya crossover.
Please give it a go 😊
***
For the 2000-2001 season, the salary cap reached $35.5 million, and the mid-level exception was $2.25 million.
The Knicks had paid a price for two consecutive years to retain Ben Wallace, Rashard Lewis, and Kurt Thomas.
After signing Luc Longley, their hard salary cap made it impossible to sign any more players.
The Knicks' total salary reached $71.23 million.
Before the preseason began, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Heat, these three teams with total salaries exceeding $70 million became a hot topic among fans again.
Paul Allen seemed to not care how many dollars he spent.
The Portland Trail Blazers' salary had already reached $87 million.
With money comes willfulness, and every player had a big contract.
Compared to the stingy Clippers, the Portland Trail Blazers' total salary was almost three times theirs!
Pat Riley persuaded the Heat owner overnight, and after a major overhaul of the team, their salary also exceeded $73 million.
"Money power" indeed allowed them to do whatever they wanted.
Sometimes, money also represented strength!
Paul Allen's act of "burning" for a championship made people envious.
The NBA had officially announced that a new luxury tax policy would be formally implemented in the 2002-2003 season.
However, the luxury tax was not an issue for truly large markets.
As long as they could burn money to win a championship, this deal was still worthwhile.
On October 10, the Knicks were scheduled to host the 76ers that evening, and New York fans would also get to see the new players make their debut.
At the Tarrytown Training Center, Jeff Van Gundy's brows were tightly furrowed as he watched the training session.
Chauncey Billups being abandoned by Head Coach Pitino at the Celtics naturally had a reason: as a point guard, he couldn't freely switch the pace of the game.
The bust of a third overall pick almost couldn't find a job in the offseason.
Team managers and coaching staffs weren't fools.
Chauncey Billups's salary for the new season was only $2.2 million, which was a decrease compared to his third year as a rookie.
Excellent point guards certainly don't lack a market, but unfortunately, Chauncey Billups did not meet Jeff Van Gundy's expectations.
Many times, he even seemed out of place with the Knicks.
Watching Chauncey Billups bring the ball across half-court, failing to seize the opportunity for a semi-transition, and instead falling back into a set offense, Jeff Van Gundy couldn't hold back and shouted a few words:
"Move! Even in transition offense, you still need to move!"
In the substitute lineup, the interior finishing ability was worrying.
After running the pre-planned tactics in a circle, Chauncey Billups eventually assisted Ben Wallace, who cut down the middle, for a missed layup.
Assistant Coach Thibodeau quickly called a timeout, then pulled Chauncey Billups aside to explain the issue with his offensive choices.
Jeff Van Gundy, who had been on autopilot for several years, felt that the current lineup was playing slower and slower.
To accommodate the big men, there was no hope of playing fast.
Ben Wallace also scratched his head as he listened to the assistant coach.
For finishing at the rim, he still preferred to dunk.
Approaching noon, the training session ended.
In the afternoon, everyone would need to arrive early at Madison Square Garden for warm-ups.
Therefore, the morning training session mainly focused on running tactical sets.
After nearly half a month of training, Lee still hadn't reached his expected goal, mainly because there was no pressure in the team's training sessions.
Chauncey Billups was just a rookie point guard at this time.
Perhaps due to his experience with several teams, he played hesitantly, and sometimes his offensive choices were terrible.
He also failed to demonstrate his value on the defensive end.
In the training sessions these past few days, in several matchups, Chauncey Billups was, just like in previous regular seasons, completely dominated by Clay Lee, utterly powerless to resist.
Different players have different pursuits. Kukoc and Luc Longley didn't care about their performance.
For them, winning a championship and playing in the Finals already made their careers very fulfilling.
However, for Chauncey Billups, the most urgent task was to survive in the NBA.
He needed more playing time and decent statistics.
"Sorry, I haven't found my rhythm yet. Coaches always had different demands in the past, and I had almost no autonomy in most games."
Chauncey Billups, who performed poorly, sighed softly after returning to the locker room.
Lee could only smile and comfort him:
"Don't mind Head Coach Van Gundy's criticism. He's actually very easy to talk to and likes to give playersautonomy in games. You'll adapt to the Knicks' style of play."
Ewing also didn't pay attention to the rookie point guard.
In the few times they had played against each other over the years, Chauncey Billups was just a role player, neither good at scoring nor organizing.
"I've invited a lot of friends to tonight's game. Even though it's just a preseason game, everyone should take it seriously."
To ensure a dignified end to his career, Ewing did not indulge himself during the offseason.
Instead, he maintained good physical condition, even losing a tiny bit of weight.
Everyone readily agreed when Gorilla said this.
Beating up on weaker teams wasn't difficult!
Grant Hill flexed his ankle, feeling a bit regretful.
It was highly likely he would only be watching the game from the sidelines in a suit this year.
On the evening of the 10th, at Madison Square Garden, New York fans still arrived early.
Although it was just a preseason game, due to the "tour" bonus, many old fans also bought tickets to show their support.
Ewing's games were now a dwindling commodity.
Old fans who used to watch on TV were not stingy this time, spending money on tickets to support him in person and reminisce about their youth.
Having played in New York for half his life, Gorilla had accumulated many connections.
Not to mention other cities, at least in New York, the tour was reliable.
New York's first African-American mayor, David Dinkins, appeared courtside with a smile:
"Black people should help black people!"
Before the game, Ewing laughed and hugged the former mayor.
The rapping singer was also there.
This season, ticket revenue alone made James Dolan beam with joy.
Everyone knew that Ewing would find it difficult to deliver dominant performances again, but that didn't stop people from buying tickets to watch the game.
At this point, people were no longer watching for the game's outcome.
A spectacular play could make many people recall the Knicks' past glories.
At the MSG commentary booth, two people looked at the socialites in the front row and suddenly recalled the Knicks' past, when they always lost:
"It's unbelievable, we've actually achieved a three-peat. I can't wait to witness the fifth championship banner rise to the rafters of the Madison Square. That will definitely be a wonderful thing!"
Walt Frazier subconsciously looked up at the MSG, his mood instantly lifting.
Mike Breen, standing beside him, also seemed to recall the past, sighing softly:
"When I was a kid, my biggest dream was to broadcast a Knicks game."
"The existence of the Chicago Bulls made me once doubt that the Knicks would ever win a championship, but Pat's persistence paid off, and eventually, we waited for Lee."
"This was almost a miracle. You have to remember, in '98, we beat the Chicago Bulls to win the championship!"
"History is truly fascinating. Michael Jordan's first championship defeated Magic Johnson, and Clay Lee defeated Michael Jordan."
The two reminisced about the past at the commentary table, while Lee greeted Bloomberg and others on the sidelines.
If the Knicks were a weak team, no one would come to support them, after all, people buy tickets to watch games, not to get upset!
Years of continuous success laid a new fan base, and Lee also followed in Ewing's footsteps, the difference being that he started with a three-peat.
The atmosphere in the stadium was lively, but the 76ers, who were doing their final warm-ups, looked dispirited.
The team made no trades throughout the offseason, and how to build around Allen Iverson had become a problem for the management.
Using the same Four-Protect-One tactic, Clay Lee was more efficient and could easily carry the Knicks.
The shorter Allen Iverson could sustain offensive production but couldn't guarantee efficiency.
Larry Brown looked at Jeff Van Gundy, who was chatting and laughing on the other side, feeling envious.
He also wanted to coach a big-market team.
In the first preseason game, Allen Iverson sat on the bench, dressed in a black casual suit and wearing a gold chain.
Most players had minor injuries, and with the new season starting, it was time to enter the recovery phase.
Allen Iverson had no interest in being a background character in the preseason, so he simply rested well to avoid repeating last year's situation of getting injured at the start of the season.
Although Larry Johnson and Oakley were gone, New York fans felt the game seemed to flow more smoothly from a viewing perspective.
In the first possession, a simple high pick-and-roll at the top of the arc, and as Lee drove and changed direction directly into the paint, cheers immediately erupted.
Erik Snow's Defense was just for show.
The 76ers instantly collapsed, and Lewis, in the right corner, received the ball with no one in front of him, calmly sinking an open three-pointer.
The 76ers' frontcourt combination was still George Lynch, Corie Blount, and Theo Ratliff.
The three of them had lost so much.
Starting Aaron McKie wanted to perform well, but in the first possession, he drove with the ball from the left wing into the paint and was directly blocked by Ewing!
Watching the Gorilla control the ball, Madison Square Garden immediately erupted!
When Lee assisted Ewing on a cut for an alley-oop dunk in the next offensive possession, the cheers grew even louder.
After the Knicks easily went on an 8-0 run, Larry Brown on the sidelines did not call a timeout.
This was already the team's best lineup.
At the commentary table, Walt Frazier no longer focused on the score and began to talk about the future:
"Grant Hill is currently unable to play, Ron is starting at small forward, and Rashad also got a starting spot tonight. For now, our Defense might have some issues."
"But looking at the current roster, General Manager Grunfeld has done an excellent job of the team's generational transition."
Mike Breen was still thinking about the Chicago Bulls' first-round pick, and noticing that the 76ers' score was still zero, he chuckled and gossiped:
"Actually, this season I'm more focused on the Chicago Bulls' performance. 2001 is considered a big draft year, and if we can sign a young big man, he could perfectly replace the retired Pat."
"What kind of interior player is most suitable for Lee?"
Noticing Rashard Lewis making another three-pointer from the left corner after receiving a pass from Lee's middle drive, Walt Frazier subconsciously said:
"Like Pat, a big man who can shoot and protect the rim well is more suitable for Lee."
After playing for 8 minutes and 56 seconds, Lee came off to rest, and soon Ewing was also substituted out, as the Knicks began to rotate players.
Jeff Van Gundy had a smile on his face, but inwardly he was complaining about the intensity of the game.
The 76ers seemed disheartened, and Larry Hughes, who came off the bench, was just throwing up wild shots.
Ultimately, this game became Ewing's showcase, as he played 32 minutes, shooting 6 for 8, scoring 12 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 turnover.
He didn't take many shots, and most of his scores were dunks from easy passes. Ewing was very satisfied with his performance, and the New York fans in the Madison Square Garden were pleased.
When it comes to crushing weak teams, the Knicks are truly professional!
86:106, the Knicks won big against the 76ers.
Everyone was happy, only Chauncey Billups felt uncomfortable.
Among the bench players, his performance was even worse than Kukoc, becoming a complete tool player.
After the game, Ewing chatted with the socialites present on the sidelines, while Lee, who hadn't even broken a sweat, smiled as he accepted an interview from MSG.
In Madison Square Garden, old fans were still chanting Ewing's name. Walt Frazier, seeing this, also felt relieved:
"Lee, the team has completed its generational transition. Let's talk about our goals for this season!"
Realizing that this legendary veteran seemed to have no ambition for achievements, Lee didn't mind and confidently replied:
"We still aim to contend for the championship! In this process, I believe the young players will also grow."
Mike Breen didn't take Lee's words to heart.
He could tell from one game that many players on the Knicks had lost their motivation.
In the subsequent polite exchanges, the two no longer brought up the topic of the championship.
As Lee walked towards the player tunnel, he smiled and waved to the fans on both sides again.
A low-intensity preseason game, yet it brought him some small gains:
"Shaquille O'Neal's Extraordinary Strength" just reached bronze.
James Dolan high-fived the players one by one at the locker room door.
Seeing Clay Lee, he immediately stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and encouraged him:
"Lee, this season, we just need to play beautiful offense!"
"..."
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