Bab 22: Contract
The Hornets were the first team to officially announce on Twitter their intention to sign Carlos for $20 million over four years. This bold move was prompted by Carlos' positive inclination towards the Hornets, making them proactive in their approach. Despite "CP3" Paul's slight displeasure at the thought of teaming up with a rookie who might outshine him, deep down, he hoped to partner with a center possessing such phenomenal offensive skills.
On the other side, the Spurs, initially enthusiastic, abandoned their plans to recruit Carlos after receiving a direct rejection from Austin. With the "GDP" and the superb coach Popovich, the Spurs, leading the Western Conference, still had championship potential even without Carlos.
"20 million over four years? That's almost on par with the contract for the NBA Draft's first overall pick. Isn't the Hornets' offer a bit too high? Carlos has only had four standout games, and the future is uncertain."
"Yeah, true."
"Fool, we're gambling on the future, on Carlos's potential. If he succeeds, if he remains this strong, 20 million over four years is nothing."
"Exactly."
"Look, the Magic is also making an offer, 21 million over three years. My goodness, 7 million per year, that's higher than the first overall pick Wall's 24 million over four years. The Magic must be crazy."
"No, they're not. The Magic is going all-in for the championship. 'Superman' dominating the paint, Carlos dominating the perimeter, two dominant centers controlling the game. It's terrifying to think about. If this deal succeeds, the Magic could be the strongest dark horse this season, challenging the Heat's 'Big Three.'"
"Wow, another team is making an offer."
"The Nuggets are offering 28 million over four years, also 7 million per year, surpassing the contract of the NBA Draft's first overall pick. The combination of Carlos and Anthony is a force to be reckoned with."
"Even the Heat is participating in the bidding, 3 million for one year. Isn't this just letting Carlos join to grab a championship? The Heat is going too far."
"Wow, the Bulls are not backing down either, offering a big contract of 16 million over two years. Just after the 'Windy City Assassin' turned into a warrior and defeated the Heat's 'Big Three, if they team up with Carlos, the Bulls will be invincible this year."
"And there's more..."
"Haha, because as long as Carlos joins, teaming up with any star player will make the team unbeatable. Carlos is truly powerful!"
"Unbelievable, why are almost every team's offers surpassing the first overall pick? This puts Wall and Griffin in an awkward position."
"Strength is king, Carlos deserves such a high salary due to his strength, it's only natural."
"That's what they say, but don't forget, Carlos is just a tall shooter with accurate outside shots. Once targeted, he may not be that strong. Do these teams really need to offer him such a high salary?"
"My goodness, are there really people who believe Carlos can only shoot mid-range?"
"Isn't it true?"
"Idiot!"
As fans marveled at various teams competing for Carlos, offering higher and higher contracts, another round of debates emerged about whether Carlos was limited to mid-range shots.
Of course...
No one could outdo anyone.
However, in these rounds of debates, Carlos' popularity and buzz increased invisibly, becoming known to more and more fans, players, and others.
...
The next day...
Today is the deadline for Carlos' short-term contract. At the same time, the Suns have a game against the Knicks tonight. If Carlos doesn't sign a contract today, he won't need to play in this game for the Suns. So...
Today, major teams are still fiercely competing for Carlos. However...
The news media took advantage of the chaos to release several highly sensational news pieces.
"Major teams are going crazy for Mexican rookie center Carlos, with offers exceeding those of the NBA Draft's first overall pick. However, is Carlos, who only excels in mid-range shots, really worth these high offers?"
From "News Daily."
"Perhaps Carlos, who seems to be a fleeting phenomenon, is becoming too popular. Can he remain efficient when facing targeted defenses?"
From the "Houston Chronicle."
"Uh..." If yesterday's criticisms were mainly from some netizens interacting on the internet, today's releases from the news media allowed more fans to understand the comments of some detractors from yesterday. It wasn't absolute, but it made many fans start to reconsider, even willing to review previous footage, contemplating whether Carlos really only had mid-range abilities. Many fans thought otherwise. However, even with these media outlets trying to ride the hype, there were still many teams eager to sign Carlos.
At 3:00 PM...
In a high-end tea house near the Western Arena.
Austin handed three contracts to Carlos, saying, "Now... one is from the Magic, 21 million over three years, a 2+1 contract. Another is from the Bulls, 16 million over two years, and the last one is from the Hornets, 20 million over four years, a 2+2 contract. These are currently the best offers. However, according to your preferences, whether teaming up with Howard, Rose, or Paul, you may not be the core in your rookie season. The Hornets are actually a good choice; Paul is an All-Star level guard, and once you perform well, he'll gladly play the supporting role. But the Hornets' offer is too low, and the four-year commitment is too restrictive for you."
"What about the Suns?" Carlos asked.
Austin tapped the table lightly with his fingers, saying, "The Suns haven't made an offer yet, but Manager Lance said they would definitely give you an absolutely good offer if you don't choose for now. We can wait to hear his offer. But today is the deadline for short-term contracts, and it's best for us to sign a contract; otherwise, we'll incur significant losses."
"Uh..."
Carlos nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "Then let's hear what Manager Lance has to say."
"Okay..."
Austin drove Carlos to the Suns' management.
Carlos felt a slight unease within.
"As Austin said, teaming up with Paul is indeed good. His strong desire for victory, once he knows about my scoring ability, will continuously create opportunities for me. But at the same time... 20 million over four years, a contract lower than Wall's, is really unacceptable. Manager Lance promised to give me a satisfactory offer, as long as it surpasses those from the Magic and the Bulls. Teaming up with Nash is also a good choice. Besides..."
Thinking about this, Carlos asked, "Austin, how is the situation with convincing Curry to join the Suns?"
"It's going quite well," Austin said. "You've been performing so well, and I've been constantly reinforcing the idea that his position overlaps with Ellis on the Warriors. He's already wavering a bit. In addition, it seems that Nash is also communicating with Curry. I believe convincing Curry is only a matter of time. However... does Curry really have such a high ceiling that makes you so eager to get him? To be honest, I'm a bit uncertain."
"Hehe!"
Carlos smiled lightly. "The future will surprise you."
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