"Kevin is excellent, and he will be even more excellent in the future, but that’s a matter for the future. A contract that’s too massive is both a gain and a burden; one day he will regret it."
Eric Fleisher fell into deep thought as he gathered the files scattered on the floor, suddenly asking, "Sonny, do you know how large a contract I’m trying to secure for Kevin? What makes you think this contract is too big?"
Gan Guoyang paused for a moment and said, "Uh... I just know, don’t ask how I know, I just do."
Eric Fleisher realized that his bottom line had already been seen through by Gan Guoyang, although he didn’t know how.
Since he managed to obtain Andy Miller and Kevin Garnett’s secret agreement, it’s only natural he’d know about the bottom line too.
Now, Fleisher no longer has the mind to fight for a super large contract for Garnett this summer; he needs to go back to calm the company’s hidden unrest, remove the mole, and stabilize the team first.
As for the renewal amount with the Timberwolves, actually Kevin Garnett himself doesn’t care at all; this young man doesn’t care how much he earns in a season or ever checks how much balance he has in his bank account.
Fleisher is sure that, whether it’s a 5-year 100 million or 5-year 150 million contract, his expression wouldn’t change much.
What’s truly important is the agent’s honor, fighting for the client’s interest, and the inner satisfaction after the negotiation.
Of course, more commission fees are also very important.
Unfortunately, all these collapsed under Ah Gan’s unexpected offensive; fortresses are always breached from within.
Now Andy Miller is still waiting downstairs, ready to meet Garnett and the Timberwolves management tomorrow for initial contact, and then return to New York the day after.
Eric Fleisher thought about Andy Miller’s enthusiasm in pushing for Garnett’s super contract renewal, constantly offering strategies; in hindsight, everything had traces to follow.
Sitting on the bed for a long time, figuring out what to do next, Fleisher stood up and embraced Gan Guoyang.
"I know what to do, Sonny. I’ll fight for a reasonable contract for Kevin, ensuring he won’t suffer losses but without overly disrupting the market."
Gan Guoyang nodded, took out a card from his pocket, and handed it to Eric, saying, "This is the card of a famous New York cardiologist, my friend. If you need an examination or treatment, you can go to him; totally reliable."
Heart disease is hereditary, and as Eric Fleisher ages, he also faces the threat of heart disease.
He took the card and glanced at the title, knowing this is a top cardiologist in New York, not easy to see such a doctor.
"Thank you, thank you, Sonny."
"It’s nothing, just what I should do; the heart... needs to be well protected."
They bid farewell, and Gan Guoyang considered this a small task accomplished, fulfilling his duty and an agreement with David Stern.
Maintaining stability and prosperity, preventing too many destabilizing factors, in return, the Trail Blazers would receive some leniency in summer signings and transfers.
Months later, Kevin Garnett successfully signed a contract extension with the Timberwolves, securing a shocking 6-year 103 million US dollar contract, shaking the League.
Overall, it’s a fairly reasonable price, the Timberwolves’ first offer, and Garnett and his team accepted it straightforwardly.
The Timberwolves retained their rising star while leaving some room on the payroll to maintain the competitive edge of small-market teams.
This contract stirred some jealousy within the Timberwolves, but across the League, everything was calm, business as usual.