Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 386 - 249: The Chain Reaction Brought by a Criminal

No one doubted Ray Allen’s loyalty to Milwaukee, so the Bucks quite straightforwardly offered him a max contract.

In mid-November, the Bucks offered Ray Allen a 5-year, 80 million US Dollar max contract extension.

Larry Harris thought the same as the outside world, believing that Ray Allen would gladly sign the extension contract.

The result was surprising, Ray Allen not only didn’t sign the contract but also put off the negotiations with the excuse, "I need more time to consider my future."

This easily reminded people of Yu Fei’s way of postponing negotiations.

Yu Fei’s requirement was simple, if Sprewell extended his contract, so would he.

But did anyone really worry that Yu Fei wouldn’t extend his contract with the Bucks?

Actually, Yu Fei didn’t have the initiative when it came to a contract extension. Because even if he didn’t complete an extension during the season, when summer came and he tested the free agency waters, he was still a restricted free agent. Even if other teams offered him contracts, the Bucks could still match unconditionally.

Yu Fei’s actions could be seen as a young leader testing how much influence he had within the team.

The Bucks management, wishing to fulfill Yu Fei’s wish and first negotiate with Sprewell, also considered this layer; they didn’t want to fall out with Yu Fei over this matter.

Yet Ray Allen’s sudden move was truly unexpected.

"Need more time to contemplate the future"? Could it be that his future isn’t in Milwaukee?

Before the external public opinion even started, the local Milwaukee media could not sit still.

Media outlets led by the Milwaukee Sentinel began publishing unfriendly evaluations of Ray Allen, recklessly speculating about his intentions.

In the end, they reached a conclusion.

Ray Allen was attempting to fight for leadership, he wanted to replicate the OK drama in Milwaukee.

That was unacceptable to them.

The development of the situation shocked the inside of the Bucks; they had never considered that Ray Allen had this intention, so how did the media come to think of it?

"This is what they give me in return!" Ray Allen said coldly in the locker room, holding the day’s newspaper as the Sentinel questioned his loyalty to Milwaukee in their front-page article.

"I’ve been here for eight years! And this is how they see me!" Ray Allen said emotionally, "Why? Why do they think I can’t consider things for myself? Why does everyone look at me like this?"

Yu Fei asked in jest, "How do they look at you, the way they look at me?"

Ray Allen saw nothing on Yu Fei’s face.

This was their third season together, but Ray Allen felt that he had no personal relationship with Yu Fei whatsoever.

They didn’t call each other to check in, nor did they exchange gifts during the holidays.

Their relationship was as purely professional as it could be, with Yu Fei acting as the leader of their group, quite authoritative, yet always very indifferent towards him, even when he was under such unbearable negative media scrutiny, he saw not a trace of concern on Yu Fei’s face.

Is this how the media sees me?

Ray Allen sneered inwardly; if they were really like Yu Fei, it would actually be better.

As long as he kept his mouth shut, Yu Fei wouldn’t care about him, but the media, on the other hand, would question his motives for just one temporary decision.

"If they really were like you, that would be good for me," Ray Allen said angrily, "But that’s not the case!"

Yu Fei didn’t know how he appeared in Ray Allen’s eyes, but if Ray Allen’s business affected the team, he needed to show some concern.

"As long as you sign the contract, they will shut up."

Ray Allen arrogantly said, "I haven’t decided yet."

"What, thinking of changing the scenery?"

Yu Fei’s counter-question sent the locker room atmosphere plummeting.

Is now really the time to ask such a sensitive question?

Ray Allen had never considered leaving; the reason he hadn’t signed the extension now was to see how the management would handle Sprewell’s renewal.

But he didn’t want the management to feel he wished to extend his influence to the point of affecting team signings like Yu Fei did.

So, he said he hadn’t decided yet.

In reality, he only ever had one choice.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

"No negotiations have started for your extension, Sprewell hasn’t been renewed, Dikembe hasn’t been renewed, Chris hasn’t been renewed either," Ray Allen listed as if counting treasures, "And then you want me to renew now? No way!"

Yu Fei laughed, "So that’s what you care about? Alright, I understand your thoughts now, see, isn’t it better to speak clearly?"

Then, suddenly, Sprewell chimed in, "What if they don’t finish renewing with me?"

I can’t help you then, I believe you’ll have a bright future, but I will spend my entire professional career in Milwaukee.

That was what Ray Allen was thinking.

When Ray Allen realized his thoughts were somewhat unfair to Sprewell, he felt a bit guilty.

Sometimes a fleeting thought determines one’s place among others.

One second ago, Yu Fei was laughing with Ray Allen; when he heard Sprewell’s words, the smile quickly disappeared from his face.

Replacing the smile was an unquestionable seriousness, and he looked at Sprewell and said clearly and unmistakably, "Sprewell, they will renew with you."

It looked like the Bucks’ higher-ups had made up their minds not to give Sprewell a lucrative contract to retire on, and even with Yu Fei’s support, the renewal still had many uncertainties.

For the management, signing a foreseeably bad overpriced contract would be a stain on their careers.

They would rather create internal conflict and have Sprewell take a hike than make concessions.

In order to accomplish this, they would stop at nothing.

How could Yu Fei ensure that Sprewell received a satisfactory contract extension?

Teammates looked at Yu Fei, the young superstar who had brought about tremendous changes for Milwaukee.

Whether it was external attention, the team’s market value, or the attractiveness to sponsors, with Frye, everything was possible.

Once a player’s influence reached such a level, what he could change was no longer limited to the team level.

This was how people looked up to Michael Jordan in the 90s.

Moreover, such things only happened when a small team like the Bucks was lucky enough to have a superstar who seemingly didn’t belong to them.

What Yu Fei wanted, he would get. Enjoy exclusive adventures from novelbuddy

This thrilled Sprewell beyond measure; he had never thought he would be so willingly deferential to a young man not even 22 years old, but in Milwaukee, it happened.

And he didn’t feel ashamed at all.

If Yu Fei really helped him sign a lucrative retirement contract, Sprewell thought, maybe he would have to devote his soul to defending the other’s honor in the last few years of his career.

Ray Allen had no idea how powerful the stance Yu Fei had just taken was.

He was somewhat indifferent because he knew the team’s owner, Senator Kohl, would not allow the team to spend tens of millions annually on a has-been.

Then, Yu Fei turned to Ray Allen, "We’re all set here, but with the media, you still need to do some work."

Ray Allen caught on, "Do you want me to hold a press conference?"

"Exactly," Yu Fei said, "Tell them your thoughts, or make up a reason if you have to, but take a firm stance."

The next day, Ray Allen did just that.

But Yu Fei hadn’t anticipated the boomerang effect.

Yu Fei says Sprewell gets a contract, he gets a contract.

That gave Ray Allen an idea.

At the press conference, Ray Allen stated, "If Frye extends, I’ll extend, that’s what I’ve been considering."

However, it didn’t bother Yu Fei for long.

Because he had made his stance clear from the start, so the focus was even more on Sprewell’s contract issue.

Ultimately, the pressure was back on the Bucks management.

A day later, the Bucks headed to Indiana.

The Pacers were the most underrated team in the Eastern Conference, and the only one that had a winning record against the Bucks.

This was because the Pacers’ roster somewhat neutralized the Bucks.

They had Jermaine O’Neal inside, Artest outside, one could blow up the Bucks’ inside game while the other could hound the perimeter’s Yu Fei with ferocious defense.

However, this year Yu Fei’s offensive skills had evolved, and Artest’s wild physical harassment was no longer effective against him.

That night, Yu Fei outwitted Artest several times, ultimately driving him to fury and causing him to commit a flagrant foul on Ray Allen.

Artest received a level two flagrant foul and was ejected on the spot.

Ray Allen lay innocently on the floor; all he did was set a screen for Yu Fei—why was he the one to suffer?

Artest, frustrated by Yu Fei, caused the Pacers’ balanced offensive and defensive rhythm to fall apart.

The Bucks’ perimeter unleashed a barrage of three-pointers, securing the win.

Since Artest had been given a level two flagrant foul, he would be automatically suspended for the next game.

Inadvertently, Yu Fei had brought a staggering butterfly effect to the Pacers.

Under normal circumstances, Artest would’ve followed the Pacers to Detroit to play an away game the next day and been involved in the infamous Palace of Auburn Hills brawl.

But now, Artest was suspended.

In the next game without Artest, there might be no brawl, no fan throwing soda at a player lying beside the scorer’s table, and no enraged Pacers players rushing into the stands taking on ten at a time.

Two days later, none of that happened.

The Pacers, riding their good start to the season, managed a hard-fought away victory against the Pistons without Artest.

However, just because chaos was averted before it could happen didn’t mean The Palace of Auburn Hills would truly be at peace with its guests.

The Palace’s security was still lousy, the obnoxious fans were still ready to cause trouble, and the team carrying the malice was no longer the Pacers, but the Bucks, who had thwarted Detroit’s dreams of reclaiming the championship in the Eastern finals.

On November 27th, the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks visited Detroit.

Their view of the Pistons was not special because they had crushed many teams’ dreams over the past two years.

The Pistons were just one of them.

But Detroit people always remembered how Yu Fei humiliated them in the Eastern finals.

Not just the Detroit people, but the Wallace Brothers, Hamilton, and Billups remembered too. They all felt they needed to make the Bucks pay for their shame.

Now, the Bucks were here.

A regular-season game might not mean much, but they could collect a bit of interest first.