LeBron Jas' decision shook the basketball world to its core.
During David Stern's era as NBA commissioner, the league tirelessly promoted the 23 vs. 24 rivalry—LeBron Jas versus Kobe Bryant. Unfortunately, those dreams never materialized.
But now? Stern had just retired, and instead of hyping battles, the narrative shifted to 23 24.
"Ga over. The Lakers won't win one, not two, not three..."
"This is the ultimate combo. They'll dominate the league until Kobe retires."
"What the hell? Han Sen just left mphis, and now this happens? Didn't Adam Silver try to stop it? Absolute madness!"
"This is free agency. Why would Silver stop it? A once-in-a-lifeti team-up!"
"So, who's the Lakers' leader now?"
"Fun fact: LeBron doesn't have a 'wife.' He's never been married. Instead of a letter, he should've just said, 'I'm teaming up with Kobe.'"
"Oh, soone's triggered. You must be KD's burner account."
"Interesting tidbit: Okafor and Pau Gasol's contracts are expiring this sumr. If the Lakers trade Lin, they'll have cap space for another max-contract player alongside Kobe and LeBron."
"True NBA endga. Let's build a dynasty before Kobe retires!"
anwhile, Knicks owner Jas Dolan reacted to The Decision 2.0 much like Dan Gilbert had years ago—by cursing LeBron.
As a proud New Yorker, Dolan had bent over backward to accommodate LeBron, only for him to leave after one year. He labeled the move outright betrayal.
The public, however, barely batted an eye. LeBron's repeated departures had desensitized fans. It was like infidelity—if it happened once, it would happen again.
The question was: Why trust soone who had already betrayed a team before?
LeBron's decision also cost him money. Dolan, unlike Gilbert, wasn't about to help with a sign-and-trade. If necessary, he'd let the Knicks tank—it's not like New Yorkers wouldn't still pay for tickets.
...
When Han Sen saw the news, he was stunned.
Not by the Lakers' potential dominance—team chemistry between LeBron and Kobe was already a massive question mark.
No, he was shocked that LeBron would team up with Kobe at all—and that Kobe would allow it.
But upon reflection, it made sense. This was LeBron's only shot to reclaim the spotlight. The narrative around 23 24 was even bigger than the Heat's Big Three era.
As for Kobe, Han couldn't wrap his head around it. Even though Kobe had once stated he'd sacrifice for the team, his disdain for superteam tactics made this decision baffling. Perhaps there were unseen factors at play.
What Han Sen did know, however, was this: Kobe fans (Kobestans) and LeBron fans (LeStans) were now united.
This was truly a "once-in-a-lifeti" mont.
...
Han quickly logged onto his social dia and posted:
"23 24 < 77."
For years, Han could only trash-talk one group at a ti. Kobe and LeBron fans were notoriously hostile toward one another.
But now? Han could roast both camps simultaneously.
...
Within minutes, Han's social dia turned into a battlefield.
"Last season, you claid you'd beco the GOAT. Now you're saying Kobe and LeBron combined don't match you? What's next? Solo-carrying to a championship?"
"Arrogant fool! You're nothing without the Grizzlies' system."
"I can't wait for the Lakers to destroy you next season. Just start the season already!"
"When it cos to drawing hate, you're the true GOAT."
...
Han's "Hater Points" surged at a breakneck pace.
In the past, his criticism of either Kobe or LeBron was limited to hardcore fans of one or the other. But this ti, even casual supporters of both players were incensed.
This single post guaranteed sky-high ratings for Cavs-Lakers gas next season.
...
While Han was busy amassing hate, the Cavaliers' front office was making moves.
They contacted the Knicks imdiately. With LeBron gone, New York was heading into a rebuild, which ant their roster was essentially up for grabs.
Cleveland traded Anderson Varejao and Jarrett Jack to the Knicks in exchange for Andrea Bargnani, J.R. Smith, and a second-round pick.
Han Sen's return to the Cavaliers ant Varejao's departure was inevitable.
Varejao was now injury-prone, but fortunately, the contract LeBron had gotten him only had one year left. Last season, he surprisingly played in 65 gas, with 8.4 points and 9.7 rebounds, making him a tradeable asset.
Bargnani wasn't much better, though.
Andrea Bargnani might not be the worst No. 1 overall pick in NBA history, but he's certainly one of the least morable. Many fans don't even realize he was a forr top pick.
In Toronto, it took him three seasons to deliver a sowhat respectable 21.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per ga. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career shortly thereafter.
Last season, his campaign with the Knicks ended prematurely due to a torn elbow ligant.
Cleveland hoped he could stay healthy as a backup center, especially since his three-point shooting (career 35% from deep) fit their system. Plus, his expiring contract was a low-risk gamble.
J.R. Smith, on the other hand, was more of a "throw-in" player.
Known for his erratic on-court decisions and off-court antics, J.R. had long been a headache for the Knicks. The Cavaliers figured his scoring ability off the bench was worth the gamble.
With these moves, Cleveland's roster was mostly set:
Point Guards: Kyrie Irving, Mo Williams, Matthew Dellavedova
Shooting Guards: Han Sen, J.R. Smith, Delonte West
Small Forwards: P.J. Tucker, Jas Johnson, Sergey Karasev (2013 19th overall pick)
Power Forwards: Tristan Thompson, Dante Cunningham
Centers: Spencer Hawes, Andrea Bargnani
While Cleveland solidified its roster, free agency chaos continued.
LeBron's move to the Lakers was just the beginning.
The next day, Pau Gasol signed a 3-year, $30 million deal (with a player option) with the Miami Heat.
Han was stunned.
How did LeBron's move to the Lakers result in Gasol leaving?
Could it be that Gasol was the real backbone of the Lakers, soone who disdains the notion of forming superteams?
Or was this part of a larger Heat strategy?
Wade's recent pay cut suddenly made sense. Miami was creating cap space to add Gasol, forming a potential Four Horsen lineup.
But Heat owner Micky Arison was notoriously frugal, so sothing didn't quite add up.
Then ca another bombshell:
Miami re-signed Chris Bosh to a 5-year, $118 million deal—only to trade him to the Rockets for Nikola Vucevic and a $20 million trade exception.
Pat Riley, a philanthropist? Hardly.
The only plausible explanation was that Bosh wanted to leave Miami for Houston.
But why?
With the Grizzlies weakened, the Heat were arguably the favorites for next season's title.
Han's brain felt like it was overheating trying to make sense of it all.
Of course, with these moves, the Rockets have beco strong contenders for the championship. A trio of Chris Paul, Jas Harden, and Chris Bosh isn't necessarily weaker than Kobe Bryant and LeBron Jas teaming up for the Lakers.
anwhile, the Miami Heat made waves by re-signing Dwyane Wade on a bargain contract, signing Pau Gasol, and acquiring Nikola Vučević for free. Amazingly, they still have $10 million in cap space left.
From a competitive standpoint, Pat Riley's moves are critical in breaking the Lakers' dominance after they united Kobe and LeBron.
Lakers uncontested in the West? Riley ensured that wouldn't be the case by creating another powerhouse.
If the Heat had retained Bosh, their roster would've been locked and largely unchanged from last season. By moving him, they gained flexibility and can now use the $10 million in cap space to shore up their periter defense.
After all, last season's Finals loss stemd from Wade being unable to contain Han Sen.
Though the Grizzlies have weakened, Han Sen hasn't retired like Jordan. Miami knows they must strengthen their wing defense to compete. Keeping Bosh would've made that impossible.
In fact, on the sa day they traded Bosh, Miami followed up with more moves. They offered Celtics' restricted free agent Avery Bradley a four-year, $40 million deal.
Bradley is a capable playmaker, strong defender, and reliable three-point shooter, far superior to Mario Chalrs.
Predictably, the Celtics matched the offer quickly, as Bradley is a cornerstone of their future.
Undeterred, the Heat kept working. They signed Luol Deng to a two-year, $19.68 million contract. Simultaneously, they sent Kendrick Perkins and two second-round picks to the Knicks.
These moves kept their salary under the luxury tax threshold, enabling them to use the full mid-level exception instead of the mini-mid-level exception.
They then used most of their mid-level exception to sign "Swiss Army Knife" Thabo Sefolosha on a three-year, $12 million deal.
The Thunder had marginalized Sefolosha after acquiring Arron Afflalo and drafting Andre Roberson, but his skillset remained solid.
The Heat's lineup now features Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Pau Gasol, Luol Deng, Nikola Vučević, Thabo Sefolosha, and Mario Chalrs.
While it's not a "Big Three" roster, it's undeniably deeper and more versatile than before. Erik Spoelstra now has more flexibility in his rotations.
Most importantly, Pau Gasol's arrival addresses the Heat's lack of playmaking.
Though Gasol's assist numbers aren't flashy, his court vision and passing easily surpass those of Wade and Durant, allowing the duo to focus on scoring.
Defensively and offensively, Gasol isn't far behind Bosh, but his playmaking adds a new dinsion.
This revamped Heat team is undoubtedly stronger and more balanced than last season.
The Lakers, anwhile, made their own roster moves. They signed Channing Frye to a four-year, $32 million deal, signaling that they're not rushing to form a Big Three just yet.
There aren't many suitable big n in this year's free agency. Players like LaMarcus Aldridge surprisingly opted into their contracts or haven't extended yet.
Additionally, Jeremy Lin's contract remains a challenge. The infamous "poison pill" deal rockets his salary to $14.89 million in its third year, making him difficult to trade despite decent performances.
The Lakers re-signed Jordan Hill to a one-year, $9 million deal and, along with a future first-round pick, traded him to the Knicks for Anderson Varejão.
Finally, they inked Chris Kaman to a two-year, $10 million deal with a team option for the second year.
"It won't be easy winning a championship in Cleveland," Chris Rondo remarked as he handed Han Sen a list of vetted property options, taking the opportunity to discuss the free agency frenzy.
Even though Han is back with the Cavaliers, the challenges he faces are far greater than those LeBron encountered during his ti there.
"That's unavoidable," Rondo continued. "If Nike doesn't counterattack now, UA might fully take over the market."
Han wasn't fazed by Rondo's first point but perked up at the ntion of Nike.
In that mont, everything seed to click.
This offseason had been chaotic, but the major moves centered around the Heat, Rockets, and Lakers.
The common thread? The stars—Kobe Bryant and LeBron Jas on the Lakers, Chris Paul, Jas Harden, and Chris Bosh on the Rockets, and Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, and Pau Gasol on the Heat—were all Nike athletes.
Nike had orchestrated a massive strategy this sumr, adhering to the principle of not putting all its eggs in one basket.
In the West, both the Rockets and Lakers are top-tier teams. No matter which one erges victorious, Nike wins.
In the East, the Heat act as the primary obstacle to Han Sen's Cavaliers. Even if Cleveland makes it out of the East, they'll face a battle-hardened team like the Lakers or Rockets in the Finals.
For Nike, Han Sen's UA-fueled dominance with the Grizzlies was the last straw.
"They forgot one thing," Han remarked cryptically.
Just then, their phones buzzed with breaking news from ESPN:
The Warriors had parted ways with Mark Jackson and hired TNT analyst Steve Kerr on a five-year, $25 million deal.
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