Earn much less in a year, miss out on so many dividends, can you make up for it? If not, then shut up.
Additionally, the entire America is expecting the new team to join the NBA, which can boost the economy and national confidence in the new season, so some opposing voices in the media quickly vanished.
After receiving a string of complaints from Riley, Gan Guoyang called Bird, West, and many other managers he knew.
And everyone's attitude was very clear, "Your arrival is a nuisance to us, but there's nothing we can do, we have to welcome you. It's really impossible for me to come."
The new season is about to start, contracts are signed, preparations are being made, you better find someone else more suitable.
And Gan Guoyang wasn't actually planning to invite these famous managers to the team. One of his purposes was to put psychological pressure on various teams, a tactic he often used.
The season hasn't even started yet, but the scare tactics have, combined with the reasons for the expansion draft, making the whole league anxious.
As for the new team's general manager selection, Gan Guoyang actually had a favorite candidate in mind long ago. He was just waiting for this person to come forward and recommend himself. He believed that this person couldn't resist wanting to join.
Sure enough, three days after the Las Vegas Radiance announced their team name, logo, and mascot, a call came to Gan Guoyang's office at the MGM Hotel.
The call was from Eugene, Oregon, the very place where Gan Guoyang trained the Chinese Men's Basketball Team.
"Sonny, it's me, Danny."
"Oh, Danny! Long time no see, how have you been?"
"Cut the crap, Sonny, I heard your team is hiring a team manager, is that true?"
"Who told you that?"
"Stu-Inman, I saw him in Portland. Don't pretend, I want the job."
The caller was none other than Danny Ainge. This guy had resigned from his managerial position at the Suns for a while and was temporarily at home.
Although during his player days he was at odds with the Trail Blazers and Gan Guoyang, he is a genuine Oregonian, the sports star of Eugene, and has kept in touch with the people at the Trail Blazers post-retirement.
When Gan Guoyang established a training base in Eugene, he also received help from Danny Ainge, and their relationship was good.
Ainge has a strong personality, is adept at calculating, likes to stand out, but can be easily irritating in private.
But from a work perspective, he is indeed highly capable, very much like his teammate Larry Bird in this regard.
Gan Guoyang admired Ainge's tenacity. To be a general manager, lacking a ruthless drive while playing the nice guy certainly wouldn't work.
However, Gan Guoyang knew Ainge had an arrogant nature. If he went to invite Ainge personally, this rascal's ego would probably swell beyond control.
The new team structure was already mature. Once he came, if his personality was too overbearing, it could easily lead to internal conflicts.
Therefore, Gan Guoyang leaked the news to Danny Ainge through Inman, while continuously calling other acquaintances in the league and ignoring Ainge, making Ainge finally unable to hold back and recommend himself, dampening his sharpness.
Gan Guoyang thought, Ainge really lacks determination; he couldn't resist making the call in just three days. Clearly, Americans still don't fully grasp the meaning of patience.
Since Ainge had recommended himself, naturally Gan Guoyang wouldn't let him slip away and agreed for him to come to Las Vegas for an interview.
The next day, Ainge flew from Portland to Vegas, and Gan Guoyang drove to the airport personally to pick him up — to reduce the chance of being recognized, he wore a Western cowboy hat and oversized sunglasses, and drove a sunset gold Ford Mustang GT 2000 convertible, specially modified to accommodate Gan Guoyang's tall stature.
Ainge didn't expect Gan Guoyang to personally drive over to pick him up, feeling a bit flattered. As he got in the car, he asked, "Aren't you afraid of being recognized and then kidnapped?"
Gan Guoyang responded, "Vegas is a young city with few residents and many tourists. People are well exposed, and even seeing a celebrity wouldn't surprise them. It's no big deal."
One impression Gan Guoyang had from his year in Vegas was that the people here are relatively calm about celebrities. Indeed, nothing surprises them anymore.
"You're not just any celebrity, Sonny. Your fame now is probably second only to the President and Laden."
"Don't be weighed down by fame, in reality, everyone's pretty much the same. Welcome to Las Vegas, Danny."
They shook hands in the car, and on their way to headquarters, Danny Ainge complained again about the rigorous security checks at airports now, making people overly cautious, scared out of their wits.
"The good news is, airfares have become much cheaper, and the seats are quite empty."
"If you have money, consider buying some airline stocks. They've halved in value and will rebound soon."
"How much are you planning to pay me?"
"I'm not the boss; I'm just the driver picking you up for the interview. My boss is my wife."
"Oh, Xie Te, then I'm done for. My high-salary dream is shattered."
"Don't say that; at least you didn't let your wife become your boss."
Ainge had great confidence in himself. Seeing Gan Guoyang at the airport, he knew he had secured the general manager position; otherwise, Ah Gan wouldn't have come to pick him up.
Of course, the interview process still had to be followed, and Ainge performed quite impressively.
Having navigated the professional sports field for many years, he had both coaching experience and management experience.
He was exceptionally smart, had a tough personality, was full of energy, and most of his connections and network coincidently were in Nevada and Arizona, which would greatly benefit him in his work.