frightfiction Chapter 435 Firing Old Li
Chapter 435 Firing Old Li
"Jia, there's another target, what do you think?" The man with the logo proposed another target.
"Who?" Jia Fei asked curiously.
“Paul Millsap!” the man with the logo said.
Jia Fei laughed and said, "It's not over between us today, Paul!"
The man with the logo laughed, and after laughing, he said, "Paul Millsap's contract has expired, and according to reliable sources, there is a very high chance that he will leave the Atlanta Hawks."
Jia Fei nodded, agreeing with this point. Milwaukee wanted a big contract, but the Hawks were already planning a rebuild and wanted to maintain salary cap flexibility, so they weren't willing to offer a large contract to a star of his caliber and age. With the two sides unable to reach an agreement, Milwaukee's departure was highly probable. There was no shortage of teams with salary cap space on the market, and some were willing to offer Milwaukee a large contract, although the contract length might not be particularly long.
“Paul Millsap is my former teammate, and I know him very well. If he comes, I won’t have to worry about our chemistry, but to get him, his contract might be quite substantial. Also, his peak is probably over!” Jia Fei said bluntly. Compared to Paul George, Millsap is older and not as compatible.
If Harris were upgraded to the level of Milwaukee, Jia Fei felt the team's ceiling wouldn't increase much. Moreover, compared to Milwaukee, Harris is younger and has a better three-point shot, so it might not be an improvement, but rather a decrease.
"I mainly brought this up because he was my former teammate. If he becomes a free agent, theoretically we can get him without giving up any assets, except that we don't have salary cap space!" The man with the logo was telling the truth to Jia Fei. Since Jia Fei couldn't say for sure, he wouldn't say for sure either.
"Jia, I have something very important to talk to you about now. It concerns our team's coaching staff for next season, and I hope we can have a good discussion!" The man with the logo became somewhat serious, and the atmosphere changed.
Jia Fei knew that the man with the logo wanted to talk about Lao Li. This wasn't surprising; Lao Li's incompetence in the playoffs, especially in the two series against the Rockets and Warriors, was truly disappointing. Getting rid of him wasn't something that required much thought. The only reason they hadn't brought it up openly was because they hadn't found a suitable replacement yet.
"Okay, please go ahead!" Jia Fei also put away his relaxed expression and looked serious.
"The boss's intention is to replace Doug!" The man with the logo said it casually, but Jia Fei knew that this basically sealed Old Li's fate with the Clippers.
To be inclined to replace someone is basically equivalent to agreeing to replace them. However, Ballmer is the big boss and can't make such absolute statements. Many things need to be done by the management. He can't handle things like firing someone himself.
"Replacing him is one problem, but who to replace him with is another!" That's the crux of Jia Fei's question. Old Li could certainly pack his bags and leave, but who would replace him?
"Would you like to work with Coach Budenholzer again?" the man with the logo suddenly asked.
Jia Fei could hardly believe his ears. Coach Buden, is this real?
Seeing Jia Fei's surprise, the man with the logo smiled and said, "According to reliable sources, Coach Budenholzer isn't necessarily not going to leave the Hawks. He currently holds an important position on the team, but sometimes, given the right offer, it's not impossible to make a move. The Hawks don't trust him that much; their cooperation isn't seamless. I'd like to know your opinion!"
Without much hesitation, Jia Fei nodded and said, "I really want to work with him again!" This was no exaggeration. Coach Buden might have issues with slow on-the-spot adjustments and be stubborn, but he listens to advice, and his pre-match arrangements are really thorough. He is a master at developing the team's system.
If you could trade Doc Rivers for Mike Budenholzer, Jia Fei would be laughing in his sleep. But the question is, how do you do it? Of course, this isn't without precedent. While coaches can't be directly traded, there are similar precedents. When Doc Rivers went from the Celtics to the Clippers, the Clippers gave the Celtics some benefits, so it was essentially a trade.
Jia Fei felt that Budenholzer might be a viable candidate for trade. He remembered that in his previous life, Coach Budenholzer left the Hawks for the Bucks in 2018, but now they were simply bringing forward his departure.
The man with the logo smiled and said, "Give me a clear answer, and I will take care of the rest."
"I believe in your abilities, Jerry!" Jia Fei genuinely admired the man with the logo; this wasn't flattery, but the truth.
"I believe our cooperation will be very pleasant!" The man with the logo extended his hand.
"Of course!" Jia Fei smiled and shook hands with him.
In the days that followed, everything appeared calm on the surface, but many things were happening behind the scenes. The Finals finally ended, with the Warriors defeating the Cavaliers, led by the "Running Man," without any suspense, winning the championship after decades. Durant finally got the championship and the Finals MVP; although he had defected, he ultimately got what he wanted.
Jia Fei, who is also a member of Running Man, will not feel sorry for him. The team that banded together lost to the one who defected to the enemy. What epic battle? Bullshit!
I'll be back next season, and I'll take care of all of you, Du Xiaoshuai, Running Man, and the rest of you!
The Clippers have two draft picks in this year's draft: a first-round pick (28th overall) and a second-round pick (42nd overall).
The Clippers scouted several potential rookies, and Jia Fei also had his own preferences. Everything would be ready for the day of the draft.
On June 20, the Clippers officially announced the firing of head coach Doc Rivers, and the team's new head coach is yet to be determined...
The public was in an uproar...
After the Clippers were eliminated by the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, some experts and fans discussed firing Doc Rivers. However, he wasn't fired at the time, leading many to believe his position was secure, as the Clippers indeed lacked a replacement.
Although Lao Li is criticized as a "pighead", he is indeed a genuine championship coach. Even though he was riding on the coattails of the Big Three, he is still a championship coach!
The Clippers' firing of Doc Rivers without any warning caused a huge stir, disrupting the otherwise calm offseason.
There are people who agree with or oppose the Clippers' decision, but few would attribute it to Jia Fei. This is because there were no previous reports of any public unpleasantness between him and Li. It's true they weren't very close, but there were no reports of any arguments.
Many people believe that Doc Rivers' firing was the idea of the Clippers' new head of management, a man known for his intelligence and decisiveness. It's understandable that he might dislike Doc Rivers.