One Year Left to Play-Chapter 101 - 32: Learning Mode

"Aix, welcome to the Brooklyn Nets. I think our collaboration will be very pleasant. If you want to visit the team before July 1st, give me a call. Here’s my business card. We have a flight at 10:30, so we have to leave first. See you next time."

"Bye-bye..."

After completing the contract signing and confirming everything was fine, the management from the Brooklyn Nets hurriedly left.

Just like that, Zhang Hao, in a confused state, signed the 2+1 rookie contract for three years and received a check of over 214,000 US Dollars, all done in less than half an hour!

Zhang Hao found his recent experiences quite strange and was once again baffled, looking cluelessly at the two members from the Players’ Union...

Seeing Zhang Hao’s confusion, the two were puzzled for a moment, not about today’s signing, but about why Zhang Hao was confused. Soon, they realized, and the lawyer said somewhat speechlessly, "Our negotiations with the league on June 18th didn’t succeed, and there will be a lockout on July 1st..."

Lockout on July 1st? What’s going on? Zhang Hao was full of question marks; isn’t this 1995?

...

...

In a business car, Brooklyn Nets General Manager Bobby Marx and Head Coach Butch Baird were seated.

They were really busy, next they had to return to the arena to prepare for the lockout; there’s plenty to do.

Butch Baird, a former NBA All-Star player, retired for many years; this head coach also serves as a consultant for the Brooklyn Nets... Really, Brooklyn Nets had no head coach and needed to tank, so they temporarily brought in the team consultant as head coach.

They just sent away their previous core and top pick, Derrick Coleman, with the new season’s goal to tank and aim for Bo Duncan.

After Duncan’s freshman season, many teams were waiting for him to finish his sophomore year and join the NBA, with Jerry West eagerly expressing his fondness for Duncan publicly, even at the risk of being fined, stating he would use the top pick on Duncan any year.

This year, Duncan didn’t enter the draft, so naturally, Brooklyn Nets’ goal for the next season was probably still to tank, and more thoroughly than ever, with Butch Baird continuing to take the blame for another year.

But Butch Baird enjoyed it; head coach salary is much higher than that of a consultant!

Moreover, his most notable skill as a team consultant is spotting a player’s talent and qualities; with observational ability, naturally wanting to work hands-on in developing players. As a consultant, he doesn’t have that right, but as a head coach, even during a tanking period, he can give it a try, right?

Though Bobby Marx was straightforward in giving out the contract and decisive in signing, after the signing was over, he again asked that question, "Are you sure picking him is okay?"

Butch Baird laughed, "If we don’t pick him, our choices would be Ed O’Bannon, Kurt Thomas, Brent Barry. They’re good immediate power, but how much better can they be than Aix? What if our gamble pays off? And if we choose wrong, just say it was my choice."

Butch Baird had a strong sense of responsibility, knowing that a good portion of his salary was for taking the blame.

"Alright, I understand. But why do you have your eyes on Aix? I saw his physical tests and training reports at the Phoenix Suns; though his athletic ability and mid-range shot are outstanding, I still feel it’s unreliable... God, how did I agree to you picking a high schooler?"

"It was when I went to observe Kevin Garnett that I noticed this high schooler," Butch Baird thought of Zhang Hao’s mid-range shot performance in actual combat, even if his opponents were all high school students, it amazed him. He continued, "You haven’t seen his performance in matches. It’s exceptional; he is the most unique among high school geniuses like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Lamar Odom."

Regardless, someone was there to take the blame, Bobby Marx also breathed a sigh of relief, chuckling, "If Garnett wasn’t picked upfront, who would you choose?"

"Then I would blame you for not trading a lottery pick when you sent off Coleman; he was a 20+10 superstar! We could have grabbed them both."

"Oh, he offended the boss, not related to me..."

"Bobby, do you think the boss’s upcoming negotiations with the Players’ Union will go smoothly?"

"Not likely. Earlier, we suppressed rookie contract salaries, and the Players’ Union was already very dissatisfied. Now trying to further reduce player salaries is tough, unless there’s a long lockout and players can’t hold out. But if that man returns, we are in a passive situation... we probably can only hold on during the offseason; we can’t afford the blow if that man retires again..."

...

With an explanation from the Players’ Union representative, Zhang Hao finally understood what happened.

The main issue was he hadn’t been paying attention to these matters, which was indeed weird for a draft candidate. But that’s just how it was; he only decided to participate a month before the draft.

Last summer, the NBA almost faced a lockout because of things stirred up by the top three picks from 1994, mainly the first and second picks demanding one billion outright. Eventually, the first pick received 68 million over 10 years, and the second pick 60 million over 9 years. This led the NBA to unilaterally set rookie player salary caps, sparking conflict between the league and the Players’ Union. However, that issue was resolved at the time.

But the Players’ Union also introduced a clause limiting the length of rookie contracts, which the owners weren’t pleased with. What if some genius rookie, like Pippen, lacked confidence and wanted to sign a 10-year deal for 30 million but couldn’t? Wouldn’t that be a loss for the owners?