This made Brown’s mood on the court not very positive. Although Gan Guoyang had a good relationship with PJ, when it came to contract issues, he respected the management’s decision and also understood PJ’s emotions.
No player should be expected to make financial sacrifices for the team’s championship honor, and the team leader shouldn’t use the team to coerce teammates into giving up lucrative contracts to stay with the team and maintain competitiveness.
For superstars, losing a million in a contract isn’t a big deal. The off-court income and the bonuses brought by winning a championship can make up for it multiple times over.
Role players are different. Every penny counts, especially with America’s high taxes. Many seemingly huge contracts, after taxes, agents, and pensions take their share, basically leave only half.
If your contract is lacking by hundreds of thousands to a million, after all the deductions, you get even less.
Therefore, Gan Guoyang always encouraged his teammates to strive for big contracts. If other teams wanted to poach them, he always supported them with the idea of "go where the money is."
Anthony Mason and Cliff-Robinson both got big contracts in Miami. Although they missed out on a few championships, they also got valuable rings and even more valuable US Dollars with the Heat.
Even now, Mason and Robinson maintain close contact with Ah Gan, treating him as their boss. After all, they gained everything following Ah Gan.
PJ’s situation is the same. He’s got the championship, and now he needs a long enough, big enough contract.
Bird’s concern was justified. Three days after Kobe’s game-winner against the Jazz, the Trail Blazers faced the Jazz at home again.
This was the last regular season matchup between the two teams this season, and the Jazz made more aggressive preparations.
Stockton, Malone, and Hornersek fought like three heroes against Lü Bu, using smooth team offense to firmly suppress the Trail Blazers.
Gan Guoyang couldn’t score 60 points every game against the Jazz, and Kobe showed the instability of a young player: 6-for-1 for the entire game.
The last time when Guoyang hit the game-winner, he lifted Kobe up to celebrate. In this game, he wanted to strangle the guy for his reckless shots.
105:101, the Trail Blazers lost to the Jazz at home by 3 points, with a 1-3 deficit in the regular season series against the Jazz, definitely at a disadvantage.
After this press conference, Bird and Gan Guoyang chatted in the tactical office after returning to the locker room.
"This is the NBA, like an emotionally unstable bitch. Yesterday she was flirting with you, saying she would love you forever, and the next day she’s got a cold face saying to make your ghostly dreams, ’I’m leaving you!’ A few days later, she’ll be back with a smirk, saying a few nice words to get you hooked again. Damn, I’ve come back to this place to live with this bitch again, I must be out of my mind."
Bird complained while gulping down coffee.
Every time Bird lost or felt displeased, he would complain about why he came back to work in the NBA.
Gan Guoyang was slightly better. He said, "I shouldn’t have played basketball."
Bird almost spat out his coffee and said, "Fack, what are you talking about."
"If I didn’t play basketball, I wouldn’t have died. If I didn’t die, I wouldn’t have come to this place, if I didn’t come to this place..."
"Stop, alright, alright, I won’t complain about being a coach anymore. Let’s talk about Kobe, what do you think of him?"
"A talent with potential, just too young. Larry, you’re really not considering a comeback? Why don’t you come back, we’ll give you a short contract, just get on the court and play."
"Come on, stop joking, I can’t handle it. I actually think you should talk to PJ, or let the management renew his contract to stabilize the team’s morale. This isn’t a solution."
Gan Guoyang shook his head and said, "PJ deserves a big contract. I can’t hinder his financial path. If possible, I’d even hope he goes to get a big contract. I guess Riley, that bitch, has set his eyes on him already. That guy loves collecting former Trail Blazers players."
"Portland is indeed the NBA’s West Point Military Academy. You’re a good principal, you take good care of your students, developing them well and thinking about their futures."
"Those who betray me can get championships and big contracts, let alone those who are loyal to me. When problems arise, you have to find your own ways to solve them; you can’t always let others sacrifice. Besides, I have the largest contract in the history of the league. I can’t let my teammates not get paid while working hard, right? Forget it, Larry, increase my playing time. I still have some energy left."
After saying that, Gan Guoyang left the office and went to the ice water bath for therapy.
Bird finished his coffee, thought about it, and made himself another cup.
-----------------
On February 18, 1997, America time, February 19, Beijing time, the chief designer passed away.
At that time, Gan Guoyang was on his way to Miami, and his bodyguard Quentin learned the news through the radio and came to inform Gan Guoyang.
"You’re really the messenger of death, Quentin. After you quit being a bodyguard, go work at a funeral home and answer calls every day."
Afterward, Gan Guoyang called the Chinese Overseas Chinese Struggle Foundation to arrange a memorial service, represented by Gan Guohui on behalf of Gan Guoyang.
Another era in China has ended. With the change of leaders, a new era is about to begin.
On the evening of the 18th, the Trail Blazers played an away game against the Miami Heat, a much-anticipated battle before the game.
Miami’s Big Four vs. Ah Gan, the grudges and feuds between both sides could fill three seasons of a TV series.
Starting from the NCAA, with the intense battles against the University of Houston and Oral Noon in the finals.