For instance, this night...
Scott’s original ga plan was to let Rondo use his individual skills to overpower Nash, dominate Curry, and then drive other teammates.
But during the actual ga...
With Qin Yue and Brown always standing under the Warriors’ basket, Rondo, lacking outside shooting ability, couldn’t score even though he could easily get past Nash and Curry.
This made Rondo extrely dissatisfied with Scott’s tactical arrangent, believing that Scott had no understanding of his characteristics and couldn’t adapt strategies based on the actual ga situation.
Only...
Scott, whose tactical board was frequently snatched by Rondo, was firmly convinced that it was Rondo’s failure to execute his pre-ga plan that led to the team’s devastating loss at Oracle Arena.
"I’ve coached in the league for many years, but I’ve never seen a player as arrogant as Rajon Rondo."
Scott targeted Rondo in the press conference, "If he thinks he can handle being an NBA head coach, then let’s see how far this Hornets team can go under his leadership!"
Scott had publicly laid bare his conflict with Rondo.
After the ga, Qin Yue initially wanted to stay out of it.
But the Hornets’ newly signed player union president, Derek Fisher, forcibly took Qin Yue away, saying there was an urgent matter to discuss.
Just like Qin Yue rembered, the new round of NBA labor negotiations seed anything but optimistic.
"They want us to reduce the revenue share from 57% to 45%," Fisher said, "and they also want to introduce a hard salary cap to cut expenditures."
Qin Yue knew clearly that neither of these points could be accepted by the players’ union.
Because the forr would reduce the current average player salary by about 21%, and the latter would further decrease player inco.
After all, if the NBA enforced a hard salary cap like the NFL...
Teams prioritizing their star players would inevitably lower their contract offers to other players.
In short, the rift between the two sides seed irreconcilable for the mont.
However, this ti, the harshly obstinate employers directly pulled out their trump card.
"If they don’t want to play, then there will be a lockout! NBA players are already earning enough; why can’t they consider the feelings of us investors?"
The main reason Fisher found Qin Yue at this point was because of Qin Yue’s status as a league icon.
The players’ union planned to reignite negotiations with employers during the February All-Star Weekend in Dallas next year.
"You are the NBA’s top star; the Warriors have been profiting off you for years," Fisher said, "As a role model for all superstars, only you can unite everyone now."
Qin Yue was surprised Fisher would heap such praise on him.
But Qin Yue knew that at next year’s All-Star Weekend, whether he liked it or not, he would have to attend the negotiations on behalf of the players’ union.
Because first and foremost, Qin Yue was a player.
He couldn’t choose to side with the capitalists.
Currently, the employers refused to concede in this labor negotiation mainly because most teams in the league were suffering losses.
Yet, the players saw that not all teams weren’t making money.
For instance, the Warriors with Qin Yue, the Supersonic with Yao Ming, the Lakers with Kobe, and even the Knicks.
"Those owners can’t bla their business failures on us!" Fisher added, "We’ve already made significant concessions in previous negotiations; they can’t ask us to keep stepping back."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yue imdiately fell into deep thought.
As soone who’d been through it, Qin Yue knew better than anyone that these labor negotiations would inevitably end with players’ union compromise.
Even Fisher, with his current tough stance, would eventually be branded as a ’traitor.’
Because if an NBA lockout occurred, it would be unbearable for players needing to support their families.
Historically, the more united employers consistently triumphed over the players with differing interests during labor negotiations.
However...
From any angle, the lockout, stemming from the unresolved stalemate between the labor and employers, was a total lose-lose situation.
Teams across the league would not only lose hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars due to the lockout, but the positive growth montum of the NBA’s first decade in the 21st century would also be cut short.
Until the future, when the NBA signed that massive broadcasting deal...
Team values soared, player salaries increased, and this labor storm that shook the entire NBA for years finally ca to an end.
"I will attend the negotiations in February next year." Looking at Fisher, Qin Yue said, "But you can’t expect to unite everyone."
Qin Yue knew he was already in the midst of this storm.
He wouldn’t avoid it, nor could he possibly evade it.
But with so many superstars earning maximum salaries in the league, why should Fisher place all the pressure on him alone?
So, this is basically saying, "You all benefited, but now you want to take the fall for you?"
Moreover, since Fisher is the president of the players’ union, naturally, the responsibility should lie with him.
"Derek, uniting the players is sothing only you, as the players’ union president, can do." Qin Yue said to Fisher, "You’ve always been in charge of the negotiations; every one of us believes you can lead us to win this crucial battle."
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