The Best Point Guard

Chapter 417: Chapter 1: [Jack, You Can Leave]

New York had every reason to be in a frenzy. The city could be considered Su Xi’s second home—he graduated from Syracuse University, and the tales of his miracles in the NCAA were still legendary throughout New York State. When Isaiah Thomas confidently announced that Su Xi would be joining the Knicks, Syracuse alumni came out in droves to celebrate. They would finally get to see Su Xi play at Madison Square Garden Arena again.

When reporters went to interview the Syracuse University Orange Team, both the coaching staff and the players pledged to help New York with the recruitment. Su Xi’s status had skyrocketed. He was now one of the league’s hottest young superstars—a world away from the bench player he used to be.

However, everyone believed Su Xi was someone who cherished his old ties.

Every year, the media reported on Su Xi’s trips back to New Jersey to take care of Reggie Williams and the Scotts.

And the reason the New York media and fans were so frenzied was the close relationship between Isaiah Thomas and Su Xi. Just last summer, Thomas had joined the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team as a consultant, helping Su Xi win a championship.

With a connection like that, they believed Little Sheep Su Xi—the eighth pick of the New York Knicks back in 2003—would finally return to his garden: the Mecca of basketball, Madison Garden.

But just then, some good news broke out of Los Angeles.

In an exclusive interview with GQ, Scarlett Johansson stated with certainty, "Jack and I are going to put an end to our long-distance relationship and take things to the next level. I mean, we’re going to be living in the same city, and Jack has already started looking at houses in Los Angeles."

Scarlett Johansson’s words sent the entire Lakers fan base into a frenzy.

Su Xi was planning to buy a house in Los Angeles. What could that possibly mean?

That he was going to join a team in Los Angeles.

And since he was coming to Los Angeles, he wouldn’t possibly go to the Clippers, right?

As everyone knew, not even dogs in the City of Angels watched Clippers games. In the Los Angeles basketball hierarchy, the Los Angeles Clippers ranked far below the Lakers, below UCLA, below USC, and even below the WNBA’s Sparks.

Besides, with the Los Angeles Clippers owner’s notorious cheapness, would he really be willing to spend the money?

For Su Xi to go to the Clippers, he’d have to be out of his mind.

So when they heard Su Xi was buying a house in Los Angeles, they just assumed he was about to become a member of the Lakers.

However, Clippers General Manager Elgin Baylor and Mike Dunleavy both adamantly told their fans, "Anything is possible. We have our own advantages."

What advantages could the Clippers possibly have? Maybe just that they were bad enough.

Just then, the players’ union revealed something. The Indiana Pacers had proactively approached the union to negotiate with the league’s ownership representatives, requesting a special exception for a super-max contract for rookies with exceptionally outstanding performances.

In the NBA, max salaries are determined by years of service.

For players with six or fewer years of service, the first year of a max contract is 25% of the upcoming season’s salary cap.

For seven to nine years of service, it’s 30% of the salary cap.

And for ten or more years, it’s 35% of the salary cap.

These were the terms hammered out in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, a contract structure acceptable to all parties. If contracts were handed out haphazardly like in the old days—when a rookie could get a long-term deal worth tens of millions, or even over a hundred million, before playing a single game—it would create severe salary imbalances. The team’s competitiveness wouldn’t improve, and the locker room would be a complete mess.

Just like the massive contract the Minnesota Timberwolves gave Garnett, which directly led to a league-wide lockout.

Before the new collective bargaining agreement, a whole wave of super-rookies reaped the benefits of massive contracts: Garnett, O’Neal, Moning, Big Dog... the list goes on.

But now, the rookie contract had essentially turned players into cheap labor.

It was hard to believe that after winning Finals MVP for two consecutive years, Su Xi’s salary was only four or five million USD.

The Pacers’ proposal at this juncture was seen as a move to keep Su Xi and give their championship hero a well-deserved raise.

This news was quickly confirmed. The league office, led by David Stern, promptly announced the proposal and brought it to the owners for negotiation.

The new clause was very likely to pass.

After all, it wouldn’t apply to many players. Looking back at the entire history of the league, how many players had ever won two Finals MVPs while still on their rookie contract?

It was a great way to give rookies an aspirational, yet nearly unattainable, goal.

The meeting was held on Wednesday, and the owners showed overwhelming support. Aside from the Charlotte Bobcats and the San Antonio Spurs, every other team voted in favor—even the Detroit Pistons.

And with representatives from the New York Knicks and the Lakers pushing hard, the final "Su Xi Rule" was established: any player on a rookie contract who wins both a Finals MVP and a regular season MVP becomes eligible to sign an early super-max contract extension, with a starting salary of 35% of the following season’s salary cap.

The conditions were incredibly strict, practically tailor-made for Su Xi.

But Su Xi’s greatness was such that he met them. He had won back-to-back Finals MVPs and also secured a regular season MVP.

When the new rule was announced, virtually no one voiced any objections.

Because Su Xi was worth every penny.

Besides, any team that had a player like Su Xi would gladly give them a super-max contract.

A championship is priceless.

In the NBA, teams that have never won a championship far outnumber those that have.

Once the rule was passed, Indiana’s championship parade began.