"Tell me about the current situation, how are your negotiations going, what's the progress?" Gan Guoyang asked.
"Not so great. I made a request, hoping that as the general manager, I would only need to handle Wizards matters part-time. You know, I have a lot of other things to do, business activities, endorsements, shooting commercials, attending shows... No one understands better than you, brother."
"What's the Wizards' attitude?"
"They disagreed."
"Oh, it seems like Pollin is a normal person. Hell, who would agree to that? You want to be a part-time general manager for the team and not full-time? You think this is being a tutor for elementary students or an assistant coach at a youth basketball camp?"
"I know it's a bit excessive, but I'm Michael Jordan."
"If I were the boss, I definitely wouldn't agree, don't even think about it."
"That's because you're Sunny Gan, buddy."
Jordan complimented Gan Guoyang and then discussed his plans.
He wants to reuse old acquaintances and reorganize the Washington Wizards' management structure.
Jordan said Pollin is too sentimental; NBA teams should keep up with the times, constantly updating their management to attract new talents.
But over sixty percent of the positions in the Washington Wizards haven't changed in 30 years. Some people followed the young Pollin to the Bullets in the 70s, when they were bright and capable, helping the Bullets reach the finals four times and win a championship, experiencing the team's most glorious days together.
Pollin is very sentimental, he empathizes with these old colleagues who succeeded together. Later, when they grew old and their ideas couldn't keep up with the times, Pollin was unwilling to fire them, continuously employing them up till now.
Even if the team doesn't achieve anything, Pollin doesn't mind, especially with his father-and-son-like bond with Wes Unseld.
"The Washington Wizards is the team with the most old employees I've seen, without exception. I need updates, updating every aspect."
"Really? Well... who are you planning to appoint? Which people?"
"Uh... for example, Johnny Bach, I'm planning to bring him into the coaching staff."
"What? Johnny Bach! Bach is almost 80 years old, damn it!"
"What do you mean, almost 80, he's only 76, just the age for working hard."
Gan Guoyang shook his head repeatedly, commenting on Jordan's list: "Michael, how is this any different from Pollin? You're just replacing one group of zombies with another group of zombies, it's essentially the same, just different faces."
"Do you have any good recommendations for me? The Trail Blazers have always had the best talent pool, and your connections are stronger than mine."
Gan Guoyang shook his head and said, "It's not about the candidates, rather... rather... Michael, I advise you not to go to Washington; it's not good for you. Besides, Pollin, or rather, all capitalists are not to be trusted, including when you become a capitalist one day. It's an inherent trait of people; when you sit in that position, you think with the perspective of that position. NBA owners are far smarter than you imagine, don't play the capitalist game with them."
If someone else tried to advise him, Jordan wouldn't listen, but Gan Guoyang was different.
Gan Guoyang had helped Jordan solve problems many times in the past, his skills were undoubtedly top-notch.
Also, across the country, how many tycoons can withstand the FBI, CIA, and prosecutors watching their every move in such detail?
Anyway, Jordan knew that he couldn't last three rounds against the FBI; forget accusations of treason, he would admit to being an alien.
After all, the road to a financial empire is filled with bloody temptation, and it's hard not to get caught up in the allure of blood.
And the so-called psychological resilience often crumbles under the interrogation of FBI professionals, leaving you scared out of your wits.
But Ah Gan? He managed to deal with the FBI and senators for more than half a year. Not only did he withstand it, but his games weren't affected at all; he played and won as usual.
Now, as they struggle to find conclusive evidence, the investigation bureau is starting to falter; Gan Guoyang's psychological resilience is truly astonishing.
"Sunny, can I ask you, why is your inner strength so powerful? I consider myself to have good psychological resilience, but when I'm with you, I have no chance at all."
Gan Guoyang took a puff of his cigar, exhaled some smoke, and said, "Because I believe in God, it is God who gave me strength."
"Shit, don't joke around; since when did you convert to Christianity?"
"I'm serious, God doesn't necessarily mean the Christian faith, but... you wouldn't understand, Michael. I tell you this because you're my best friend; I'm different from you guys, completely different."
Jordan fell silent. After knowing Gan Guoyang for so many years, he could tell when this guy was joking and when he was serious.
He leaned closer and asked, "Are you really a bionic man? Are those things said in those street books true?"
Gan Guoyang waved his hand and said, "Stop talking nonsense, Michael. If I were a bionic man, how could I have declined like this?"
"Because the chemical supplies expired."
The two burst into laughter, and before parting ways, Gan Guoyang earnestly told Jordan, "Stay away from the murky waters of Washington, they are too deep, and you won't be able to handle them. Trust me, keep yourself in good shape, and if your hands get itchy before 40, you can still make a comeback."
Jordan said, "Comeback? Where do I go if I return? I won't go back to the Bulls. But Phil Jackson did invite me to the Los Angeles Lakers, though I'm not really interested; it's a place for young people, I don't want to hang around for a championship."