His health looked much worse than last year.
This year, there was even less suspense, as Hansen won the honor again.
When he took the trophy from Russell again, Hansen asked about Russell’s health.
"Kid, as long as you keep winning championships, I can keep standing here to present them to you." Legends like him never admit defeat.
That made Hansen laugh, and the two fist-bumped, as if they had really made so kind of agreent.
Hansen then gave his FMVP acceptance speech.
This ti, his speech was more formal, thanking his parents and everyone around him, saying he couldn’t have perford like that without them.
At the end of his speech, he also ntioned the goal he had previously talked about.
"We have completed two-thirds of the job, there’s just one third left."
His words got the crowd roaring.
Hansen’s seemingly incredible dynasty statent was now just one championship away.
Although it was foreseeable to be challenging, the Grizzlies really had a chance to beco the third team, apart from the Bulls and the Lakers, to truly achieve a three-peat dynasty.
After the award ceremony, Hansen imdiately went to the post-ga press conference.
The reporters had already packed the room full.
As soon as Hansen sat down, he was asked about tonight’s buzzer-beater.
"Why do you always manage to hit those ga-winning shots?"
The question made Hansen laugh.
Because the question itself was flawed.
He didn’t always make the buzzer-beaters, it was just that the dia selectively reported those gas where he was successful.
Like Kobe, who seed to always hit the ga-winners, but if you check the stats, you’d find that his success rate wasn’t that high.
If you shoot enough, naturally you’ll make plenty.
Moreover, this was his first-ever Finals ga-winner.
After laughing, he calmly looked at the reporters and said,
"That’s just my job."
The response caused a stir—it was just so typical Hansen.
"Wade’s injury changed the series completely; do you think the Grizzlies’ championship was sowhat lucky?" It was clear many didn’t fully respect the way Grizzlies secured the championship.
"Luck is part of strength," Hansen replied succinctly and unabashedly.
Could the Grizzlies have beaten the Heat if Wade hadn’t been injured?
Maybe they could have, maybe not.
If given another chance now, the Heat might withstand the public pressure and opt not to chase 70 wins; Wade would be healthier, and the Heat’s chances to win the championship would significantly increase.
But such hindsight and what-ifs are aningless.
Not to ntion that Wade’s injury was already predicted, and even Guy, Randolph, and himself, despite being "Steel Bones", had suffered injuries.
It’s all part of the ga.
"You ntioned ’one third of the job left’ in your FMVP speech, but we know you’ll face huge salary caps next season, and even your contract renewal issues, I an, will you stay?"
"Why not?" Hansen said with a smile.
After finishing the press conference and returning to the locker room, Hansen went back.
Most of the players were already reuniting with their families.
He walked in and saw Jamison and Carter, the two old guys, having a lively chat about life after retirent.
Hearing that, Hansen interrupted them.
"VC, you’re not thinking of retiring too, are you?"
"? No, I’ll play until I physically can’t," Carter’s thoughts were different from Jamison’s.
Hansen heard this and laughed, fist-bumping him again.
One of the key reasons for the Grizzlies’ success this season was their roster depth.
It wouldn’t be fun if all the old guys retired.
After all, with the current Grizzlies roster, you couldn’t find many veterans with a better cost-performance ratio than them.
Even if they could find a way, it wasn’t sothing the Grizzlies could achieve anymore.
After winning the championship last season, other teams might have thought it was just luck, simply having encountered a team whose style they could counter.
But having successfully defended their title this season, they had truly beco the public enemy of the whole nation.
So-called national public enemies an other teams would no longer give you much chance to strengthen your squad.
After wrapping up the discussion, Hansen took out his phone and began replying to ssages and calls.
Scarlett also sent him a congratulatory text, saying she would make ti to visit him soon.
It seed filming a movie could be quite lonely.
Thinking about this, Hansen rembered his own movie projects, for which he had asked Rondo to find resources, yet there was still no progress.
It seed like he needed to nudge him when he got back; if Hollywood wasn’t an option, the dostic market could work too.
While he was pondering, Wallace ca to the locker room looking for him.
Seeing this, Carter and Jamison tactfully greeted him and left.
"We just discussed this, and at the opening of the free agency, we’ll offer you a 5-year maximum super contract."
NBA regulations state that teams and players may not negotiate before the free market opens, but such rules are only on paper, after all. Otherwise, many contracts wouldn’t be announced on the very first day.
Especially between a player and their ho team, who knows whether you’re chatting or discussing contracts.
Hansen smiled.
This reminded him of Guy, who had also tossed and turned for a year before signing the maximum salary with the Grizzlies.
Since the result was the sa, why bother with all that fuss?
"I have one more requirent," Hansen ntioned proactively.
Wallace nodded with a smile, considering Hansen’s help in securing the Grizzlies back-to-back championships; not just one request, ten would be fine.
That’s what he thought, but when Hansen nad his request, his smile instantly froze.
"No matter whether we can achieve a Dynasty or not, I will leave after the end of next season."
Hansen said this quite naturally; it was clearly sothing he had long considered.
In fact, after the Grizzlies offered him an $85 million contract last sumr, he had already thought about leaving.
Small city teams paired with an unwilling-to-invest owner ant this team’s structure was destined not to last.
Especially if they really achieved a Dynasty, and if the managent lost interest in championships, then he would be the next Jokic.
Even disregarding the future, this sumr, managent would likely consider whether to let go of Randolph or Guy, or even both.
But letting them go, how could the Grizzlies complete a Dynasty then?
It was an irreconcilable contradiction.
The best solution was to make Heisley aware he only needed to pay a huge luxury tax for one season.
As for his willingness to sign this five-year super maximum contract, it was due to league rules.
The NBA has stipulations for restricted free agents: the ho team has the right to match any other team’s offer.
This is widely known, but the fact is it also has parts many people are unaware of.
Because if it were just that simple regulation, players would be completely locked by their ho team.
In reality, to beco a restricted free agent, the ho team must first issue a one-year qualifying offer contract.
Players can reject all other offers and sign this one-year qualifying offer.
The most typical example was Ben Gordon, who, after playing out his four-year rookie contract and dissatisfied with offers on the market, signed a qualifying offer and then a 5-year, $58 million hefty contract with the Pistons the following year.
Only, the salary for a qualifying offer contract is low, and considering the ho team might think you could leave, they would adjust your role on the team, so most people wouldn’t choose to do that.
But in any case, if Hansen was set on leaving, even as a restricted free agent, he still had options.
Only, choosing that would be a lose-lose situation for both him and the Grizzlies; he would lose money, and the Grizzlies could only watch him leave for nothing.
Even knowing he would leave for nothing, the level of investnt towards achieving a Dynasty would naturally be reduced, making it virtually impossible for the Grizzlies to beco a Dynasty.
Conversely, by signing this long-term contract, he could preserve both his inco and the team’s ability to pursue a Dynasty, and the Grizzlies could also get plenty in return by trading him after a year.
As for the question of where he would be traded, this ti Hansen didn’t need to consider a one-year agreent.
Unless Heisley didn’t want to stay in mphis anymore, the only way mphis fans would accept Hansen’s departure was if Hansen said it was his own decision to leave.
—Divider—
①: Players who receive an early Bird clause and sign a one-year contract will automatically receive a no-trade clause.
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