frightfiction Chapter 748 Finally, we can have the championship parade!
Chapter 748 Finally, we can have the championship parade!
Back in Los Angeles, Jia Fei celebrated for a few days before starting to rest; he was truly exhausted. For the past six months, he hadn't had a proper rest. He started the new season with little rest after the Olympics and played all the way to the finals. Even a robot gets tired, and he's only flesh and blood. Now he's 30 years old, his stamina isn't limitless, and he needs to start taking care of his body.
These past two days, the guy with the logo mentioned the championship parade to him, which made him somewhat realize something. It's been three years, since the start of that major cold, and in those three years they've been champions, yet they've never had a championship parade.
This isn't the Clippers' first championship parade, nor is it Jia Fei's first, but the past three years have truly been agonizing due to the virus. Hearing that they can finally have a championship parade feels like a huge relief. Finally, everything is going to get better…
The Clippers' championship parade is tentatively scheduled for June 21, and the entire team is making intensive preparations.
The Clippers have accumulated a wealth of experience in organizing such parades, and Los Angeles itself has an extensive history of championship parades. It's fair to say that among all the cities in the US with NBA teams, Los Angeles has the most experience in this area; the Lakers and Clippers combined have won over 20 championships.
"You've made all the arrangements, I have no objections!" Jia Fei was very easygoing; he didn't care much about these ritualistic formalities, so he was fine with whatever they were. Anyway, the championship was already in his grasp, so nothing else really mattered.
Before we knew it, it was June 21st, Beijing time.
In the early hours of the morning, the Clippers' championship parade, marking the 2021-22 NBA Finals, officially took place, with players and coaches making an appearance during the pre-parade preparation phase.
Before the championship parade, the players gave interviews and speeches. Jia Fei, as the main speaker, said that they had won the championship again and again, disappointing the haters. They had won five consecutive championships. He said, "I said don't let us win the championship again, but obviously no other team could do it. No one can stop us from winning the championship."
Clippers head coach Mike Budenholzer said it's a wonderful thing to be able to fight alongside Jia Fei. He added that his championship ring is now too big to fit on one hand, which is quite a headache...
Jia Fei's good friend Art Mayork, as the team's locker room leader, also gave a speech, revealing that he will marry his fiancée Rose this summer, fulfilling his promise as a man.
The game officially began, and Jia Fei, along with Lin Ning, boarded the champion's float. They stood at the front, basking in the cheers of the crowd. Jia Fei wore Doflamingo-style sunglasses, a champion's T-shirt, and Luffy's straw hat, looking every bit the anime character. He had a cigar in his mouth, making him look like Smoker. In front of him was a row of ten championship trophies and FMVP trophies!
This is truly astonishing; it's something most teams can't do, considering they've won 10 trophies all at once.
Lin Ning felt like she was in a dream. This was her first time participating in a championship parade, and as a participant. Before, she had only seen similar scenes in crowds on the street. Back then, she was almost squeezed into a compressed biscuit in the crowd. But now, she was standing on the championship float, with Jia Fei, the leader of the Clippers' five-time champions, standing next to her!
It feels like a dream, it just doesn't seem real!
On the champion's float, Jia Fei posed for photos holding a large number of championship trophies, waving to the audience. He looked extremely happy holding the trophies, and the fans waved back in response. Everyone was in high spirits.
Paul George, on another float, was equally excited. He shouted to stir up the fans' emotions and got off the float to be interviewed by former Clippers player Kelly Olynyk. He yelled at all the haters who didn't believe in the Clippers to shut up and showed off a T-shirt that said "Boston is rotten"!
The fans at the scene were exceptionally enthusiastic. After three years, everyone could finally come outside without worrying about the virus or anything. Everything had finally returned to normal!
The champions' parade concluded successfully!
This means that everything in the 2021-22 season has come to an end...
Everything needs to get back to preparations for the new season, because this year's draft is about to begin.
The Clippers have a lot to do this offseason, with many players' contracts expiring and needing to be renewed.
The Clippers' current roster is as follows:
Inside players: Art Mayork, Hartenstein, Aldama
Wings: Jia Fei, Paul George, Jeremy Grant, Kyle Anderson, Mikal Bridges, Grant Williams, Jaden McDaniels, Herbert Jones
Guards: Brunson, Hart, Bruce Brown, Terrence Mann
The players currently under contract are Art Mayok, Hartenstein, Aldama, Jia Fei, Paul George, Grant Williams, Jaden McDaniels, Herbert Jones, Bruce Brown, Terrence Mann, and Hart.
Players whose contracts expire this summer include Jeremy Grant, Kyle Anderson, Mikal Bridges, and Brunson.
This also puts considerable pressure on the Clippers regarding contract renewals. Clearly, it's unlikely they can retain all four players. Grant has made it clear he's seeking a multi-year, high-paying contract, if not a maximum, then close to it, meaning at least $30 million annually. The Clippers already have two maximum contracts, and they can't afford to add another one to their frontcourt, especially since they don't have Grant's Bird rights. If they're going to offer Grant such a large contract, they'll need to clear salary cap space.
In other words, if Grant doesn't budge, they will be almost unable to meet his demands, making Grant's departure a highly probable event.
The Clippers aren't incapable of losing Grant. In fact, Grant was just a role player for the Clippers, and giving a role player such a huge contract is unsustainable, at least not within their salary cap space. Furthermore, while Grant's two years with the Clippers were worth his contract ($2000 million/year), he has no further growth potential. And the team has no shortage of replacements, such as Grant Williams and Jaden McDaniels, both of whom are swingmen at the 3/4 positions and are on rookie contracts—good value for money.
Of Kyle Anderson, Mikal Bridges, and Andrew Brunson, the Clippers absolutely must keep the latter two, unless the price is outrageous. Bridges made the All-Defensive First Team last season and has become one of the league's best 3-and-D players, and he's incredibly durable with an outstanding attendance rate. The Clippers have no reason to let go of players like that.