On the afternoon of July 1st, US time, ESPN’s official website issued a timely report——
"The new FMVP has accepted the Magic's maximum salary offer, or will he leave Cleveland?"
The report was signed by Zach Lowe. As soon as the report was published, it immediately made headlines. Almost all media colleagues were asking where Zach Lowe got the information about Lin Yu.
Because after winning the championship, Lin Yu suddenly became very low-key. He hid in a mansion in Los Angeles and did not show his face at all. No one knew what Lin Yu did during this period.
Zach Lowe just smiled and didn't explain anything.
At this time, in Los Angeles, Lin Yu, who had just accepted the Magic's offer, was also discussing Zach Lowe's report with Amanda Gray.
"Zach is quite fast. As soon as I gave him the message, he sent it immediately."
Lin Yu smiled. The faster Zach Lowe is, the more important it is for Lin Yu.
After confirming to accept the Magic's offer, Lin Yu thought of finding a reporter to conduct a cooperation similar to his previous cooperation with Amanda Grey.
Amanda Gray, who is a journalist, has many old colleagues she is familiar with, and she directly recommended two to Lin Yu. One was ESPN's Zach Lowe, and the other was Yahoo Sports' Adrian Werneroffs.
base.
Lin Yu did not choose the well-known WoJ god in later generations, but chose another low-key but powerful Zach Lowe.
It’s not that he knew that Woj supported Daryl Morey. He didn’t have the memory of that stage. He just thought that the future Woj was already so amazing. If he helped Woj, the benefits would not be too high. If it were another future.
For Zach Lowe, who is said to be low-key but has actually done little, Lin Yu's role becomes very important.
As soon as Zach Lowe's report came out, the public opinion in North America was a bit explosive. Who would have thought that the Cavaliers had just won the O'Brien Cup, and the biggest contributor to the championship might leave.
Even if the Cavaliers have the right to match the offer, Lin Yu's behavior of accepting the Magic's offer is not a good signal.
The Reddit forum has been flooded with the news that "Lin Yu accepted the Magic's maximum salary offer", and everyone is discussing this matter.
"Lin Yu accepted the Magic's maximum salary offer. Is Lin Crazy + Warcraft's inside and outside combination coming?"
"Go fighting! ic!" (Go fight! Orlando Magic!)
"Stop wishful thinking. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the right to match any offer. They will not let Lin Yu leave."
"Back upstairs, if the Cavaliers won't let Lin Yu leave, then why don't they just give Lin Yu a maximum salary to keep him?"
"It's very simple. The Cavaliers' salary space is not very optimistic, so Danny Ferry has to use every method to save money."
"It's a maximum salary, how much money can I save?"
"Then let me calculate an account for you. The Cleveland Cavaliers have Lin Yu's early bird rights, so they can give Lin Yu a contract with a starting salary of US$13.75 million and an increase of 10.5%, which translates to US$64.28 million in four years.
, if other teams without early bird rights offer Lin Yu, what they can offer is a maximum salary contract with a starting salary of US$13.75 million and an increase of 8%, which translates to US$62 million in four years. Therefore, two
The difference in maximum salary is $2.28 million."
"Then the question is, the difference is only $2.28 million, why don't the Cavaliers directly make a maximum salary offer?"
"Is the difference only $2.28 million? That's because you didn't calculate the luxury tax. The Cavaliers in the new season are almost certain to pay the luxury tax. China Lin's $2.28 million, converted to $570,000 per year*2, is
That’s US$1.14 million, which is equivalent to a basic salary.”
"..."
Lin Yu browsed through it. First of all, he had to say that Danny Ferry did not want to save US$2.28 million over four years.
In fact, Danny Ferry was betting that no team would give Lin Yu the maximum salary. By then, he would be able to successfully lower the price and save him four to five million US dollars over four years.
It's a pity that Lin Yu played so well in the playoffs and finals, and at the age of 25, almost all teams with salary space took a fancy to Lin Yu, and countless maximum salary offers came to him...
Secondly, Lin Yu suddenly thought that he could attack the knight with public opinion.
"Amanda, do you have colleagues who are small regional reporters but can build public opinion?"
Amanda Gray understood Lin Yu's question for a while, then nodded: "Yes, Kevin Ding from the Los Angeles Times, or Mark Medina from the San Francisco Chronicle."
"Then contact them and ask them to help publish a report, saying that they have inside information. Lin Yu believes that the Cavaliers are not sincere enough in renewing the contract, and now he wants to leave Cleveland."
Amanda Gray reacted immediately and said with a smile that could only be understood: "So, you have found a reason to leave?"
Lin Yu shook his head. This reason was far from enough for him to leave the Cavaliers, because the Cavaliers could completely make amends and directly give Lin Yu a real maximum salary. The problem would become very small and could be ignored directly.
Therefore, Lin Yu could only tell Amanda Gray that this was just the beginning.
"too difficult!"
Lin Yu knew why it was difficult for him, because he relied on the stalking system to rise, and the most important thing about the stalking system is to maintain his personality.
Therefore, in order to maintain his character, he cannot leave the Knights in a broken way.
Looking for reasons... He can only try to find various reasons...
If he can't find a reason that can directly help him leave the Cavaliers, he can only find one small reason after another until he can tell everyone that he is not happy in Cleveland and that the time will come for him to leave Cleveland.
.
#
Before Kevin Ding and Mark Medina could send out the report that Lin Yu wanted to send out, the Cavaliers had already reacted.
On the evening of July 1, Danny Ferry's call came.
"Hey Lin, I'm Danny, are you in Los Angeles now?"
"..."
"That's right, we have received notice from the league that the Orlando Magic has given you a maximum salary offer. Now, we choose to match this offer."
They chatted for a while first, and then got down to business. There was no suspense. The Cavaliers chose to match the Magic's offer.
Then, the two made an appointment and prepared to sign the contract.
Lin Yu's request is: "The signing should be signed as soon as possible. I hope it will be within the next day or two, because I will be very busy next time."
Danny Ferry naturally agreed in various ways. The two confirmed the signing time and then hung up the phone.
Amanda Gray stared at Lin Yu with wide eyes, and Lin Yu smiled: "Sure, they will come to Los Angeles to sign the contract the day after tomorrow, and then we can leave for China."
Amanda Gray nodded, and Lin Yu then told Amanda Gray some details of the signing: "Four-year contract, fourth-year player option, don't remember it wrong."
"Are you doubting my professionalism?"
Amanda Gray rolled her eyes, Lin Yu ignored her and continued: "Also, Under Armor's trip to China can be moved forward. Just in time, we can avoid the peak period of other players' trips to China, which is our advantage.
."
After the trip to China, Lin Yu only needs to devote some more time to complete the training of the national team, and the rest of the time can be arranged as he pleases.
This summer, he finally has his own free time.
#
The signing date was July 3, but on July 2, reports from the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle were released.
The Los Angeles Times' headline read: "Cavaliers lack sincerity, China's Lin already intends to leave."
The San Francisco Chronicle's headline read: "Without a real maximum salary, Lin Yu is dissatisfied with the Cavaliers!"
It seemed to be just some baseless reports by two tabloids, but once the public opinion fermented, it once again detonated North America. Almost everyone believed that the Cavaliers' sincerity was indeed insufficient.
"China Lin led the team to win the entire playoffs, but the Cleveland Cavaliers were not even willing to give him a maximum salary. It is really so insincere."
"Look at LeBron, there are still two years before the end of his rookie contract, and the Cavaliers have already confirmed a maximum-salary contract extension with him. This is called sincerity. If it is Lin Yu, the sincerity is gone?"
"Compare and compare the treatment of the two after winning the championship. Lin is obviously the Finals MVP, and Lin is obviously the biggest contributor to the Cavaliers' championship. But in the end, it was LeBron who stole the show?"
"One sentence can illustrate the current problem of the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers are LeBron's Cavaliers. LeBron is the son of Akron and the son of Ohio. However, China's Lin stole LeBron's limelight in the past playoffs. This is not
Not what a lot of Clevelanders want to see."
"..."
Public opinion quickly arose, and Danny Ferry, who had just arrived in Los Angeles, was a little anxious.
After getting off the plane, he asked Rize Valus, the head of the team's news management department: "Rize, tell me that the reports in the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle were not obtained from China Lin!"
Rize Valus has not learned the real situation yet. He can only tell Danny Ferry: "Danny, I can only say that whether the news about Kevin Ding or Mark Medina is from
We must make amends for what Lin got from us, and give Lin the remaining $2.28 million."
The busy tone on the phone beeped and he quickly remembered that Danny Ferry hung up the phone directly. At this moment, his face was full of anger.
Just like Rize Valus said, public opinion has completely exploded. Everyone is saying that the Cavaliers are not sincere enough towards Lin Yu, and some radical fans have even asked Lin Yu to leave the Cavaliers.
A Lakers fan who did not take it too seriously was interviewed: "Come on, Lin, we all know that you have settled in Los Angeles. Join the Lakers. Come to a team full of sincerity and humanity. Don't stay in that complete place anymore."
No more sincere hillbilly Cleveland!”
Lin Yu still kept a low profile and refused all interviews, including a phone interview from Zach Lowe, to which Lin Yu did not respond.
#
On the evening of July 2, Danny Ferry broke his original plan and contacted Lin Yu directly, requesting an advance meeting.
Lin Yu did not refuse and agreed to meet with Danny Ferry in advance.
Then, the two parties met at a coffee shop on Sunset Boulevard.
One side is led by Danny Ferry, and the other side includes Lin Yu, his new agent Amanda Gray, Lin Yushen, who is now Lin Yu's Chinese agent, and lawyer Jimmy McGill.
As soon as they met, the two sides sat down and the atmosphere was a bit awkward.
Lin Yu didn't think it was anything. Anyway, Danny Ferry couldn't figure out where the sources of the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle came from.
And, as many fans, sports critics, reporters, and experts have said, the Cavaliers are indeed lacking in sincerity.
There is only an additional US$2.28 million in four years. In this case, any other team will only directly give Lin Yu a maximum salary and end the summer contract extension.
"Lin, first of all, I want to apologize, because our affairs are too complicated in the summer. We have to renew Anderson, we have to renew Rashad, and we have to negotiate some transactions, so we have treated you slowly. Now
Think about it, we should just give you a maximum salary, a maximum salary under the early bird rights provisions."
Danny Ferry apologized, but Lin Yu's face turned a little gloomy. If Danny Ferry hadn't mentioned renewing Anderson Varejao or Rashard Lewis, Lin Yu would have done nothing else.
idea.
But now, he really wants to tell Danny Ferry to find a qualified management team and renew Lin Yu's contract. Compared with renewing Varejao or Lewis, who is more important can be seen at a glance.
However, Danny Ferry used this as a reason to prevaricate Lin Yu, and Lin Yu became a little unhappy.
"Okay, Danny, now, what do you mean?"
Danny Ferry showed an apologetic smile: "After discussion with the management, we have decided to directly give you a maximum salary under the early bird right provisions, which is a starting salary of 13.75 million US dollars, an increase of 10.5%, and 64.28 million US dollars in four years."
Biggest contract in U.S. dollars.”
Lin Yu nodded, but then shook his head: "What if I say, I want to reject this offer?"
Danny Ferry was stunned for a moment. If Lin Yu refused, he could still keep Lin Yu and directly match the Magic's offer.
But then, the reports from the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle were confirmed. Lin Yu was obviously dissatisfied with the work of the Cavaliers management.
Helpless, Danny Ferry could only continue to accompany Smiley. If he really angered Lin Yu in order to save 2.28 million US dollars, Dan Gilbert would definitely fire him immediately.
Although, Danny Ferry's original intention was also to save Dan Gilbert money...
"Lin, stop joking. You know, I have some heart problems. We agreed on $64.28 million in four years, reached an agreement, and then signed the contract."
Lin Yu smiled, a bit forced, but he still shook his head: "I have decided, Danny, I choose to join the Orlando Magic. If you want to keep me, just match the offer."
Now that it has been decided to let Kevin Ding and Mark Medina report, Lin Yu has already thought about it. Even if the Cavaliers want to make amends and decide to give Lin Yu an extra $2.28 million, Lin Yu will choose to refuse.
He will make the fact that the Cavaliers are insincere a real thing and tell everyone that he is already a little unhappy in Cleveland!