章 254: Welcome Back King.
"...Are you saying he only mentioned the Clippers?"
Haisley furrowed his brows after hearing Rush's report.
He really didn't want to trade Han Sen, or rather, he didn't understand why Han Sen would want to leave Memphis.
It was something that could have been resolved easily by getting rid of the overpriced contracts of Randolph and Gay. But now it was blown up to this point.
Was it because he had Wallace push down the price earlier?
It was a completely normal thing to do. After all, players only needed to focus on playing, while he, as the owner, had to consider a lot more.
If Han Sen had been willing to sacrifice a bit of salary back then, the Grizzlies wouldn't have had to make the difficult trade choices last season.
He had already invested so much in the team—didn't Han Sen consider his difficulties?
Moreover, didn't he end up giving Han Sen the super max contract he wanted?
What angered him most was that Han Sen only mentioned the Clippers.
What was that? That was specifying his next team!
Han Sen had no regard for him as the owner and clearly never considered whether it was the best choice for the Grizzlies.
Yes, Han Sen had led the Grizzlies to a dynasty.
But was that all done by him alone?
Without the players he handpicked, could Han Sen have done it?
In the end, Han Sen was just the one who played the game.
And the Grizzlies were his team.
"You contact the Clippers," Haisley gritted his teeth and said.
Although the rumors had already started, Han Sen hadn't openly said he was leaving yet.
"But you also need to listen to offers from other teams. We need to do what's best for the team."
Before Rush left, Haisley called him back and specifically reminded him.
...
When Han Sen saw Gilbert, he was indeed surprised.
If it had been David Griffin, he wouldn't have found it strange.
After all, rumors were already circulating, and to be honest, all 29 other teams would have some thoughts, including the Cavaliers.
No one likes to go back to old mistakes, but the story of a broken mirror being made whole again happens more often than you'd think.
Gilbert sat down and got straight to the point.
"I feel like I owe you an apology."
Even though he only traded Han Sen after receiving LeBron's verbal promise, no matter the reason, the person who made the choice was him.
"Mr. Gilbert, that's all in the past."
Han Sen replied lightly. When he was traded, he was indeed angry, especially since he didn't know the reason.
But after all this time, especially after learning the truth behind the trade, he had let it go.
Actually, if anyone else had been in that position back then, they would have chosen LeBron over him.
Of course, Han Sen didn't have any thoughts like "I forgive you" because, if he hadn't succeeded, would Gilbert have come to apologize to him?
That was why he remained polite; politeness, in many cases, represented distance, not respect.
"The people from Nike came to see me. They want me to work with LeBron, saying that it would be the best choice for both me and the Cavaliers," Gilbert, sensing Han Sen's attitude, went straight to the point.
"But why should I give a traitor a chance to redeem himself? If we could get you back, that would be the best choice for us," Gilbert said, looking at Han Sen with hope in his eyes.
The moment he heard the trade rumors about Han Sen, no one was more excited than him.
Because Han Sen was the one who had once given everything for the Cavaliers and had unparalleled popularity in Cleveland.
Over the years, Cleveland fans had constantly repeated how foolish it was to trade Han Sen, and the arguments with management could be written into a book.
Now, he was willing to admit his mistakes and correct them, even if it would bring mockery from the outside.
Because compared to bringing back LeBron, the traitor, this was the choice he was more willing to make.
Han Sen looked at Gilbert, and a myriad of thoughts crossed his mind.
Cleveland was not a big market team, but Gilbert was someone who was willing to make significant investments for the team.
Fans had once said that the reason for LeBron's Cavaliers 1.0 not succeeding was because the management wasn't willing to invest, but that was complete nonsense.
Whether it was 1.0 or 2.0, the Cavaliers' investment in LeBron had been among the highest in the league.
In fact, between 2003 and 2018, the Cavaliers' total luxury tax payments were second only to the Knicks in the league.
In 2016, despite winning the championship, the Cavaliers lost $40 million because of a $54 million luxury tax.
In short, the Cavaliers' rosters over the years were not bad; the problem was LeBron himself.
Could Cleveland not attract stars? Were other cities in the league attracting stars back then?
At that time, the common belief was that superstars didn't team up. This was a different era—one where it was unheard of for multiple top-tier players to join forces on a single team, as the idea of rivalries and personal pride prevailed.
It was why, in the summer of 2007, when the Boston Celtics formed their Big Three, it caused such an uproar in the league.
But as times changed and the norm became star players forming super teams, the perception grew that no stars were willing to go to Cleveland.
However, this brought Han Sen to his second problem. Returning to Cleveland would mean no other stars would come to join him.
His only helper would be Kyrie, and that would be a huge challenge for winning a championship.
Of course, the benefits of returning to the Cavaliers were still apparent.
Gilbert was a person who could bend and stretch. In the 'history,' he listened to LeBron, and Han Sen would receive the same or even better treatment upon returning.
And from UA's strategic standpoint, returning to the Cavaliers could disrupt Nike's plans.
Then there were Cleveland fans—those who chanted 'MVP' behind LeBron, gathered to bid him farewell when he left, and cheered wildly when Han Sen played in Cleveland as a Grizzlies player.
"We were so close to the championship back then, but that traitor ruined it. Now we have the chance to restart," Gilbert said, referring to LeBron as a traitor, his hatred for LeBron evident.
In the 'history,' he didn't have a choice, but now, he had one.
"My choice right now is the Clippers," Han Sen replied.
Although returning to the Cavaliers didn't sound too bad, he now had a better option.
Gilbert, hearing Han Sen's answer, was left despondent, but he quickly collected himself. "I respect your choice, but we won't give up. Even if we can't succeed in the end, I'll wish you a wonderful new journey in Los Angeles."
Gilbert's words made Han Sen look at him in a new light.
As an NBA owner, his primary consideration was certainly profit; after all, businessmen who don't talk money are bound to go bankrupt.
Han Sen stood up to see Gilbert out.
At the door, Gilbert turned back to look at Han Sen. "Regardless, thank you for agreeing to meet me today."
He had expected to be turned away.
"I told you, that's all in the past, Daniel."
Han Sen remained as calm as ever.
...
The draft is approaching, and more rumors are starting to surface.
With the rumors of Han Sen leaving the Grizzlies, the Miami Heat, who were on the brink of falling apart, regained their confidence.
The team's management is actively working on extending Wade and Bosh's contracts, attempting to make another push for a championship.
However, some sources indicate that the Heat may be looking to move Wade and Bosh, aiming to build a new super team around Durant.
Meanwhile, ESPN started reporting that the Cleveland Cavaliers had placed this year's number-one overall pick on the trading block.
In the lottery held in late May, the Cavaliers had an unbelievable 1.7% chance and managed to land the first pick.
This year's number-one pick, Andrew Wiggins, is being hailed by the media as the most promising talent since LeBron James.
This pick is valuable.
Los Angeles media is also reporting that Kobe is recruiting stars to join the Lakers, aiming to make a final championship push before the end of his career, willing to make any sacrifices for that goal.
The day before the draft, Rush arrived at Han Sen's residence.
After entering, Rush hesitated for a moment, sat down, and then spoke after a long pause.
"The Clippers can't provide the assets we need. We're sending you to Cleveland."
As he said this, he cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably on the couch, clearly lacking confidence.
He didn't have much confidence, because this decision would upset Han Sen and likely anger the Memphis fanbase.
But this was the decision Heisley had made.
"Is this how you treat the guy who brought a dynasty to the team?" Rondo, hearing this, slammed his fist on the table and stood up, enraged.
"They didn't want me to tell you now," Rush continued.
"The trade will go through tomorrow night, and… I shouldn't have taken this GM position!" He said, his face full of shame. As Wallace's assistant, Rush was essentially the next in line to take over.
He couldn't help but reflect that Wallace was a smart man, skillfully avoiding the responsibility of taking the blame.
Rush's reaction was unexpected, and Rondo didn't know how to respond at first.
"Tell Michael Heisley that if he makes this choice, he will regret it," Han Sen said at last.
Rush felt relieved. After giving Han Sen an apologetic glance, he left.
"How dare Heisley do this?" Rondo muttered angrily after Rush left.
Han Sen didn't reply.
From a trade perspective, this choice made sense.
The Clippers didn't have any standout young talent, with their most valuable asset being Griffin.
However, the Grizzlies already had their twin towers, and trading for Griffin would just be a lateral move, offering little improvement at the power forward position. In fact, it would be a waste to send him away.
As for draft picks, just like LeBron's decision to trade away the Heat's picks to the Cavaliers, teams that remain competitive see those picks lose their value over time.
By comparison, the Cavaliers had far more valuable assets to offer.
This year's number-one pick, last year's top pick Nerlens Noel, the fourth pick Dion Waiters from last year, and the fourth pick from the same draft class as Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson.
If the Grizzlies were interested, the Cavaliers would likely be willing to include Kyrie Irving in the trade.
These were all potential players the Grizzlies could use and that would also allow them to avoid paying heavy taxes.
No other team could offer a better or more suitable package.
This was likely the confidence Gilbert had when he previously approached Han Sen.
But this was never about trade value.
He had built a dynasty for Memphis, bringing the Grizzlies to heights they never would have reached without him.
But Heisley, just as Rondo had said, actually dared to ignore his wishes.
"Chris, go get Jamal," Han Sen said after a moment of silence.
He had initially wanted to leave peacefully, as after building a dynasty, Memphis and the Grizzlies had become an important part of his journey.
But if Heisley really didn't send him to the Clippers in the end, then let this miserly owner pay the price for his decision.
...
The 2014 NBA Draft was scheduled to take place at 8:00 PM on June 26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
But before the draft began, a news announcement from the league shocked everyone.
The Cavaliers traded the 2014 number-one overall pick, 2013 number-one pick Nerlens Noel, 2012 fourth pick Dion Waiters, 2015 and 2017 unprotected first-round picks, and a $5 million trade exception to acquire Han Sen and James Johnson from the Grizzlies!
While rumors had been circulating, when the trade actually happened, it still caused an uproar.
To say this trade was shocking would be an understatement—its impact was comparable to when Michael Jordan announced his retirement after completing his first dynasty.
The media also speculated that Han Sen, much like Jordan years before, had lost interest in continuing to compete for championships with the Grizzlies.
After all, with everything Han Sen had done for the team, if he hadn't wanted to leave, no one would have traded him.
However, these speculations didn't last long. Shortly after the trade broke, Jamal Khalil published a more explosive news article on TNT.
"Han Sen is preparing to lead the Grizzlies for a four-peat, but Grizzlies owner Heisley chose to trade him for tax reasons."
In the article, he revealed that the trade was the result of Han Sen's opposition to the trades of Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph, which created a rift between him and Heisley. That was the real reason behind the trade.
As many knew, Khalil had a close relationship with Han Sen, and this explosive story directly caused Memphis fans to explode in anger.
Fans were convinced, as Wallace's resignation now made sense—he had been fired because he refused to trade Han Sen!
Not only was Heisley being roasted by Memphis fans, but the new GM, Rush, also became the target of their ire.
Heisley quickly denied the rumors on social media, claiming that Han Sen had wanted to leave, citing the conditions of his supermax contract.
He even tagged Wallace and Han Sen's agent, Thomas.
However, both Wallace and Thomas chose to remain silent at this time.
Not only them, but the Grizzlies' players also went into hiding that day.
And then the exciting part came.
When Adam Silver smiled and walked on stage to host his first-ever NBA Draft as commissioner, the Memphis police reported that Heisley's mansion had been attacked and set on fire.
Even his luxury cars parked in the driveway were vandalized.
At the same time, a large crowd of Grizzlies fans gathered outside FedExForum, holding signs and chanting, "Get Heisley out of Memphis!"
It was reported that Heisley had flown out of Memphis that night.
It seemed he had anticipated this and taken precautions, but he never expected Han Sen to retaliate in such a ruthless way.
Even worse, now Memphis fans only believed what Han Sen had said.
Whether Memphis was in chaos or not, the fans decided that night.
This scene resembled the reaction of Cleveland fans back when LeBron made his decision, except this time the protagonist was Heisley.
Meanwhile, Cleveland fans, upon hearing the news, spontaneously flooded the streets.
They hadn't been called to action by anyone, yet the turnout was massive.
Journalists from major media outlets rushed to the streets to capture the scene.
What they saw were many unbelievable sights.
For example, many fans quickly made signs reading, "Welcome home, Han," and "We missed you, Han."
Even more surprising, many fans wore Han Sen's 77 jersey from his rookie season with the Cavaliers.
It was at this moment that it became clear—Han Sen's popularity in Cleveland wasn't just because of his success with the Grizzlies. It was something he had already established during his rookie season with the Cavaliers.
Even though some fans had gained weight over the years, their jerseys were now tighter than ever, it didn't dampen their excitement.
They shouted Han Sen's name and gathered outside the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Cleveland's king was coming back!
TL/n: Sorry for the poor quality of this chapter. Tried translating on the phone for the first time..
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