From head coach Harris, team ace O'Neal, down to this year's rookie Tyronn Lue, no one could tolerate Rodman's temper, and they kept their distance.
Even He Xi Meng, as head coach, had admired Rodman, such a rebounding powerhouse. But after Rodman actually became his teammate, He Xi Meng realized just how much Rodman's mouth could get him into trouble.
But Rodman didn't care at all. Instead, he incited Glen Rice, who was traded in later, to join him in "rebellion"... In short, he spared no effort in stirring up trouble.
Fortunately, Glen Rice had a clear head. He knew he was only 33 years old and couldn't mess around with an old player who was about to retire. Therefore, the Lakers' overall rhythm didn't get disrupted. After Rodman and Rice joined, they even went on a 10-game winning streak.
However, the main contribution to this 10-game winning streak didn't come from Rodman. It was after the internal conflict between Kobe and Eddie Jones ended, Kobe successfully ascended to the position of the team's second-in-command, and the Lakers' tactical execution became smoother, leading to a renewed upward trend in their performance.
But Rodman didn't see it that way. He believed that the Lakers' resurgence was due to a resurgent Rodman!
As a result, after his attempt to rebel failed, Rodman began to absent himself from team practices without reason. However, considering that he could still contribute an average of 10 rebounds per game when he did play, the Lakers' management turned a blind eye and advised the coaching staff not to bother too much with Rodman. After all, whether Rodman trained or not, he could still grab 10 rebounds. And for $600,000 to secure 10 rebounds, it was a stable, no-lose situation...
Despite this, Rodman's behavior further angered his Lakers teammates. But the players' opinions didn't matter as much as the "logo man's." The "logo man" said Rodman was good, and he was good even if he wasn't!
If Rodman had known when to stop and exercise restraint, perhaps he could have won a few more championship rings with the Lakers. But the problem was that understanding "when to stop" was not in Rodman's nature. 138 Reading Network.
Rodman had no respect for the Lakers, nor for O'Neal. In his mind, there was only one person who could be his big brother: Michael Jordan!
O'Neal wasn't worthy, and Kobe and He Xi Meng were even less so.
Therefore, Rodman, escalating his behavior, not only missed practices without reason but also started feigning illness to avoid playing, while being more active in nightclubs than anyone else...
The "logo man" eventually admitted that he had misjudged this time. Rodman was a player even he couldn't control or subdue!
On April 15th, 51 days after Rodman signed with the Lakers, Jerry West announced the termination of his contract with Rodman, granting him freedom. The Lakers could no longer afford to keep such a troublesome "great Bodhisattva"...
As soon as Rodman left, everyone in the Lakers team held a celebratory feast.
In fact, Rodman wasn't without his benefits for the Lakers. At least, while he was with the team, the other Lakers players were united, for fear of being accidentally injured by Rodman at any moment...
Rodman's arrival and departure added a small splash of flavor to the tough and tight schedule of the season. It prevented the Lakers players from focusing all their attention solely on the games themselves. Compared to Rodman, what were back-to-back games?
And before the end of the regular season, a minor incident occurred!
When the Lakers visited the Rockets' home court, just three minutes into the second quarter, O'Neal and Barkley had their famous clash!
The situation on the court was as follows: Barkley received the ball in the low post, used his large backside to push O'Neal away, and then went up for a layup. O'Neal, naturally, wouldn't allow it and lunged forward, committing a foul on both player and ball!
After the referee blew his whistle, Barkley waved his hand, trying to shake off O'Neal's hand. However, because their hands were already entangled, as O'Neal pulled his hand back, it "accidentally" hit Barkley on the jaw!
Everyone knew O'Neal's strength! Even if it was "accidental," it shouldn't be underestimated! It was someone like Barkley, tough and resilient, who could take it. If it had been someone frail, O'Neal's blow would have been enough to knock them over!
Barkley was stunned for a moment, then furious!
Remember, Barkley dared to lock throats with "The Bird" Larry Bird in his rookie season. Facing O'Neal's provocation, how could he tolerate it?
Yes, Barkley believed O'Neal had intentionally provoked him! He immediately threw the ball in his hand at O'Neal's forehead!
However, judging by O'Neal's reaction afterward, Barkley was probably mistaken about O'Neal! Because after being hit in the head with the ball by Barkley, O'Neal's first reaction was stunned silence!
It wasn't a reaction of "I can't believe you're fighting back," but rather, "Who am I? Where am I? What did I do? Why is this damn Barkley hitting me with a ball?"
After a brief moment of disorientation, O'Neal obviously didn't ask Barkley, "Why did you do that?" Instead, he instinctively threw a punch, preparing to fight Barkley!
At this moment, Barkley's blood was also boiling. Since he had already thrown the ball, what else could he do? If O'Neal wanted to fight, Barkley would naturally see it through!
So, the moment O'Neal lunged, Barkley cleverly dodged it, causing O'Neal's powerful swing to miss empty air! Then, Barkley stepped forward, grabbed O'Neal's leg, and fiercely slammed him onto the floor of the Compaq Center...
This was one of the most famous fights in league history: Barkley's leg trip slam on O'Neal!
At this point, Rockets' Hakeem Olajuwon had come over to break up the fight, naturally to calm O'Neal.
On the Lakers' side, He Xi Meng also quickly instructed Horry to intervene and restrain Barkley...
Why did He Xi Meng send Horry instead of going himself? Because he couldn't possibly restrain them!
Both O'Neal and Barkley could be considered the pinnacle of strength players in the league. He Xi Meng, with his slight build, couldn't possibly hold back these two enraged beasts!
If he accidentally got hit by their swinging, sandbag-sized fists, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The most likely outcome would be that the two main combatants would be unharmed, while the peacemaker would be incapacitated...
In fact, it turned out just as He Xi Meng predicted. Even with Hakeem Olajuwon and Horry's help, the three referees couldn't separate the two giants.
It wasn't until the big men from both teams' benches rushed over, with Nate joining the Lakers and Antoine Carr joining the Rockets, that the referees finally managed to separate the two intertwined giants!
Subsequently, both Barkley and O'Neal were ejected from the game by the referees. O'Neal, for being the first to throw a punch, was fined $10,000 by the league and suspended for one game.
Although Barkley first threw the ball at O'Neal and then slammed him to the ground, he only received a $5,000 fine and a one-game suspension.
The league essentially handed out punishments to both, but overall, it seemed Barkley bore slightly less responsibility... After all, he paid $5,000 less in fines than O'Neal...