The finals ended on June 11, 2009, with a sweep that left the East again in failure.

Since the Flying landed in 1998, the Eastern Conference team has only won one championship in 11 years. If it weren't for the Lakers F4 in 2004, it would be hard to say who the only crown fell to.

Now, the embarrassing situation continues.

For some people, the end of the season is the real beginning.

Two days after the finals, Wei Xia first participated in the team's celebration party. Although he didn't play for a second, he was still a member of the Lakers and had two championships, but he would not take his second championship seriously.

After attending the celebration, Wei Xia went to the hospital for examination for the last time.

The test results showed that the muscles in his left knee had recovered by 90%.

This means that he has recovered completely.

The remaining 10% needs to be recovered through diligent training.

Wei Xia was not excited when he learned the result, which was the result he had already expected.

Since he was injured last year, he has been careful every day. He has not relaxed his rehabilitation exercise for a moment and his knees can recover smoothly on time, which is the result of his efforts.

Now that he still has a lot of energy left on his knees, he can't say that the impact of his explosive power, speed, and athletic ability is also unknown.

He suddenly understood the Lakers' doubts. After experiencing the ACL tear, his athletic ability cannot be unaffected.

But he still couldn't accept the way the Lakers treated him. His enthusiasm was thrown into the wind by the Bass family. Now, he wants a contract worthy of his value.

The Lakers' season is over, and the "season" belonging to is about to begin.

On June 30, he will be in the free market as a restricted free agent. Since the Lakers did not renew his contract with him in advance, he will naturally trigger a scramble for each team if he falls into the free market.

The ACL tear is indeed a fatal factor, but the level and progress he has shown in the past are coveted, and there are many teams willing to take risks.

What's more, if you can disgust the Lakers, there are also many teams that are willing to do.

There are still 17 days left before that day arrives, and it is very long, and Wei Xia can wait.

Before that day comes, the first thing each team has to do is prepare for the draft, while the Lakers are trying to catch both the draft and the championship celebration.

On June 20, Kobe invited Wei Xia to play golf.

Wei Xia is here, the problem is that he doesn't know how to play, so Kobe just joins in the fun, his level is average.

When the two get together and talk about everything, they will naturally talk about renewal.

"I probably shouldn't have asked, but I want to know how big the team has signed you," Kobe said.

"It started out as 50 million in 4 years."

Hearing this number, Kobe swung the empty pole.

"No?" Kobe couldn't imagine that Wei Xia's contract extension was only 4 years and 50 million US dollars.

Wei Xia asked with a smile: "Do you think I should refuse?"

"It should be an insult to you," Kobe said.

"Yes," Weisha said, "and then they raised the offer to 60 million in four years and told me that this is Dr. Bath's bottom line and will not increase any more."

As he said that, Wei Xia swung a shot, which was outrageous.

60 million in four years is a quasi-maximum salary for Wei Xia.

He has been with the Lakers for four years and is qualified to activate the Bird clause. As long as the Bird clause is activated, he can sign a contract with the Lakers for nearly 4 years and 70 million (if it is 5 years and 90 million).

The Lakers have no intention of moving birds. It seems that for them, 60 million in four years is already taking huge risks.

"You still refuse?" Kobe asked.

"I can ask for higher things," said Wei Xia.

Kobe knew that Wei Xia wanted not more money, but respect. Professional sports are all business, but if the players and the team were suitable for each other and were willing to cooperate for a long time, they could express their difficulties. Kobe believed that with Wei Xia's temperament, it was not impossible to give in.

He knew the team was screwed up.

"Do you want to leave?" Kobe was entrusted today, and he didn't want to see Wei Xia join other teams.

Wei Xia's answer was relatively straightforward: "Los Angeles is very suitable for me."

"But no matter where it is, no matter how good the place is, it will be useless." Wei Xia said bluntly, "I didn't feel respect in the Bath family at all."

Kobe asked: "Does Jim disrespect you?"

"He asked you to come to me, right?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't he come by himself?"

Kobe smiled and said, "He can't do anything about this, maybe because he feels sorry for you. I just realized recently that his skin is not as thick as he imagined."

Wei Xia never blamed Buss Jr. Although he has never participated in the management, as long as he plays with the Lakers, no one does not know the influence of Buss. Even if Buss Jr. is the future boss, as long as his father does not die, the Lakers can only have a voice.

From the previous negotiations, Kupchek mentioned that 60 million in four years was Dr. Bath's bottom line, Wei Xia knew who was the one who was silently trading.

No matter how you look at it, this is something that Bass can't reach.

When he was tired of playing golf, Wei Xia and Kobe went to drink water.

"You just said that the Lakers are very suitable for you, right?" Kobe asked suddenly.

Wei Xia nodded.

Kobe continued: "Wish, I know you have a lot of dissatisfaction, but what is in front of you is an opportunity to create history. We have won two consecutive championships and will sprint towards three consecutive championships next year. I think this is a rare opportunity. As long as you stay and we have the opportunity to create history, it will never be just three consecutive championships in the end!"

Kobe and Wei Xia rarely have serious communication, and they always mock each other and use it as a pleasure.

Now that it is related to Wei Xia's stay or not, Kobe is extremely serious. What he said happened to hit Wei Xia's most interested in.

In the old days, Wei Xia won seven consecutive championships with the Celtics. He knew that the modern NBA would not have such a dynasty, as strong as Jordan, who only won six championships in eight years. If he stayed, with the Lakers' current personnel reserves, he would still be a championship team in the next three or four years.

They have a great chance to complete three consecutive championships, a considerable chance to pursue four consecutive championships, and a certain chance to strive for five consecutive championships.

If he went to other teams for millions, would he still get such an opportunity for the rest of his career?

Wei Xia is not sure.

"I don't know, Kobe." Wei Xia shook her head, "I don't know."

Kobe said: "You know, Wish."

The more commercial the league is, the thinner the players' sense of honor is.

"It's just business", everyone will say it. If you say too much, you will not care about your own belongings and your pursuit of honor will gradually be lost.

For Wei Xia, it is completely worthwhile to reduce his income by several million to win the chance to chase the championship, but the attitude of the Bass family made him feel heartbroken.

The 2009 draft began before Wei Xia became a restricted free agent.

This draft is considered to be the weakest overall talented draft after 2000.

The No. 1 pick is a sports forward with outstanding athletic ability but average wingspan conditions.

A strong man with a limit but no combat power.

The black version of Ginobili, a big point guard with roughness in all aspects, a European genius point guard who has no idea what shooting is like, a double-powered guard with weak physical fitness but great shooting ability - to put it bluntly, this draft is a year for guards, but the talent of these defenders is not extremely outstanding.

Judging from the upper limit of paper, it is very low.

After all, scouts are just mortals with naked eyes. They can only judge the quality of these people based on dynamic conditions, static conditions, technical reserves and the age of players.

The result of their judgment was that this group of people was the worst in nine years.

On June 30, Wei Xia entered the free market as a restricted free agent.

According to the original plan, the Lakers gave Wei Xia a quotation contract, but there was no change, and it was still 60 million in four years.

Then, a contract higher than this offer came from all directions.

Nets, 76ers, Spurs, Mavericks, Trail Blazers, Bulls... all of them gave Wei Xia a theoretical maximum salary of 67 million in four years.

The Lakers could theoretically sign a four-year, 69 million contract with Wei Xia, but they do not intend to do so, and only provide a four-year, 60 million contract.

Wei Xia can definitely choose a competitive team among those eight teams.

The strength of the Spurs and the Mavericks is in line with his pursuit, but if you can't go to a team that can make him the first core, then it doesn't make much sense to go.

If you go to a weak team, it will not be in line with his attempt to pursue honor.

Wei Xia thought for three days.

On the fourth day, Kobe called five consecutive calls to ask about his thoughts.

On the fifth call, Kobe said before hanging up: "No matter what your choice is, I will support you."

Perhaps it was Kobe who broke Wei Xia's inner balance. For a moment, he irrationally turned to his team. It was not the Lakers, but his teammates. He wanted to continue with this team, which had nothing to do with the management.

He had made a decision, and he was going to announce it, and just before he acted, Jim Bass called.

"Is there anything wrong, Mr. Bath?"

Just in time, Wei Xia could be the first to notify him.

"Wish, I'll inform you about something on behalf of the team."
To be continued...