Chapter 1 Butler

Butler was greeting Tang Tian.

The related rumors broke out the day after their exchange.

The instant they broke out, more than a dozen teams swarmed in.

That was Butler of the All-Defensive Second Team, and he had just finished his rookie contract.

The Bulls' management had lost their minds, but they still had some intelligence!

After Tang Tian's conversation with Dell Demps, the Pelicans were one of the teams interested in Butler.

But soon, many teams backed out.

Because the Bulls' asking price was too high!

The return they wanted was either an equivalent star or a super rookie!

According to the feedback the Pelicans received, the Bulls wanted either Jokic or Davis.

That was highway robbery!

Seeing this, Tang Tian understood that the Bulls' management hadn't lost their minds.

Because Butler was a restricted free agent, the Bulls could match any offer from other teams.

In other words, although Butler was a free agent, it was the same as having a contract, which was why the Bulls were asking for such a high price.

After several rounds of negotiations, many teams withdrew one after another.

The Pelicans also withdrew.

Davis and Jokic were untouchable, and the team wouldn't trade them to get Butler.

While the trade negotiations for Butler were still ongoing, several signings were completed in the free agent market.

Hassan Whiteside reached a two-year, $20 million extension with the Heat, with a player option in the second year.

Whiteside had recorded two triple-doubles last season, the first of which was against the Heat, which left a deep impression on Pat Riley.

The Heat re-signed Goran Dragic to a five-year, $90 million contract.

Dragic, Wade, and Whiteside's mini Big Three, Riley's moves this offseason showed the name of a mastermind.

The Grizzlies acquired Lance Stephenson from the Hornets.

The Mavericks signed Tobias Harris to a four-year, $64 million contract, which was close to a max deal.

…

After these signings, the Heat and Mavericks were clearly strengthened.

At this time, there was new development with Butler's situation.

After raising the trade chips, according to all the adjectives in Woj's report, the Mavericks and Bulls were very close to reaching a deal, and it seemed to be only a matter of time before Butler joined Dallas.

This news worried other players in the West.

The Mavericks already had a lineup of Embiid, Nowitzki, and Harris, and if they got Butler, the rebuild would be completed in an instant.

Counting the Rockets who had just acquired Cousins, the West was directly entering a military arms race!

One wave subsides only for another to rise.

Just when most people's focus was on Butler, the Clippers side successively broke out explosive news.

Griffin and team equipment manager Mathias Testi got into a fight in a coffee shop. The latter suffered facial injuries, while the former suffered a fractured hand, which was expected to keep him out for two to three months!

This news was simply unbelievable.

The equipment manager is a staff member of a team who manages equipment. They are responsible for managing players' shoes and jerseys, and some even take care of part of the players' diets.

Because they spend a lot of time with players, they have very good relationships with them.

But Griffin got into a fight with the equipment manager, and even put himself out of action for two to three months.

This operation was suffocating.

Although it was the offseason, if Griffin didn't recover well, he wouldn't be back until mid-October, when the preseason would have already started.

This would definitely have a significant impact on the Clippers' prospects for the new season.

However, that wasn't the most explosive point.

Griffin's matter was at most a topic of conversation for fans during their leisure time.

What really caused a new wave of shock in the league was that, not two days after this incident, Paul requested a trade from the Clippers!

First Bosh for Cousins, then the Bulls wanting to trade Butler, and now Paul wants to request a trade.

Tang Tian realized that history was about to undergo a huge change this summer.

He knew that in the history he knew, Paul didn't leave until the summer of 2017, but now it was directly two years earlier!

And the first person in history to take the initiative to request a trade from the team during the contract period was Paul George.

Although they were both called Paul, the difference was huge!

Paul was the league's number one point guard in active service, and his trade request was even more shocking than the Bulls' previous trade of Butler.

And this time, more than half of the league's teams contacted the Clippers at the first time.

But the Clippers had not responded.

This was the first time that a superstar had asked the team to trade him, and the Clippers' management was certainly caught off guard.

Dell Demps also approached Tang Tian.

"Should we try to offer?"

Dell Demps' question was much more active than before, after all, it was Paul!

Paul + Tang Tian + Davis, even if Jokic was taken out, it would be a sure thing to be the hottest team to win the championship!

"I don't recommend doing that."

Tang Tian said his thoughts.

Putting aside whether the Pelicans could trade for Paul, bringing Paul wouldn't benefit the Pelicans.

With the Pelicans' current lineup, he controlled the ball, and Jokic assisted in organizing, so the ball distribution was reasonable.

Paul was the kind of guard who needed to hold the ball for a long time to organize. If he came, Tang Tian would definitely have to switch to playing off the ball, which would be more harmful than beneficial to the current Pelicans.

Not to mention the salary issues the team would face next season if they traded for Paul.

Three max salaries plus two ten million contracts, and they would have to consider Jokic's renewal, the Pelicans would have to disband in less than two years.

"... We don't need to form a Big Three, our players will grow strong enough next season."

Tang Tian said his final thoughts, from the Celtics' Big Three to the Heat's brotherhood basketball, the league's tendency to form groups had a very bad impact.

This was also one of the reasons why he had a good impression of Curry and Thompson. They relied on their own growth to lead the team to win the championship.

The current Pelicans, when he came, were role players, Davis and Jokic were both chosen by the Pelicans themselves, which was completely different from the Big Three teaming up.

Dell Demps agreed.

Jokic was only a rookie last season, but he had already established a good understanding with the team. This season, with Stevens joining, the Pelicans really had a chance to be as amazing as the Warriors last season.

Or, to a higher level.

Rumors related to Paul continued to flood, it seemed that the team was going to watch a whole summer of good shows this summer.

At this moment, Tang Tian received a call from Butler again.

"I'm going to the Mavericks, I'm going to be in the same division as you!"

The outside world didn't have the news yet, and Butler told Tang Tian the news as soon as possible.

Although he already knew from the previous rumors that the Bulls and Mavericks were very close to reaching a deal, he was still a little shocked to hear the news.

After several consecutive air cuts in the offseason, the Mavericks directly played a wave of flow this year.

Butler + Harris + Nowitzki + Embiid, with a suitable point guard, this lineup was really going to take off.