But the young man's sensitive self-esteem and pride prevented James from stating it directly.
He Xi Meng knew James's intention, of course. Fishing was just an excuse; playing basketball was the real reason.
However, the promise He Xi Meng made with Kobe had been set years ago and would not change simply because of James's invitation.
Even the position of leader of the Cavaliers, which James was unwilling to mention, could not tempt He Xi Meng to go to Cleveland.
He Xi Meng was destined not to be the basketball brother James wanted.
Beyond the Lakers, Magic, and Cavaliers, the Heat, Raptors, Warriors, Clippers… almost every team in the league had extended an invitation to He Xi Meng.
Of course, there was one exception: the Spurs!
From beginning to end, Popovich knew where He Xi Meng would go, so he didn't bother to send an invitation that was destined to fail.
To the invitations from numerous teams in the league, He Xi Meng replied one by one, politely declining, but he did not announce his decision on where he would go.
The Lakers, unable to bear it any longer, activated their B plan: inviting Garnett!
Garnett was originally supposed to go to the Celtics to form a Big Three with Pierce and Ray Allen.
But the current Celtics already had Yao Ming and Carter, and they couldn't afford Garnett's salary of $23 million for the next season!
Unless Jordan was willing to pay a hefty luxury tax. Of course, that was impossible.
Thus, going to the Lakers became Garnett's best option.
In the original history, Kobe was against Garnett joining the team. Therefore, the Lakers eventually gave up on signing Garnett and chose Pau Gasol, who had more of a second-in-command demeanor.
Now, Kobe had actually decided to leave Los Angeles. Therefore, regarding the team's invitation for Garnett to join, Kobe remained noncommittal and offered no comment. It was none of his business, so he stayed out of it.
Old Buss equated Kobe's silence with confirmation. Ultimately, the Lakers, using Odom + Bynum as the main assets, along with Radmanovic, Vujacic, and the first-round draft pick in 2009, traded for Garnett from the Timberwolves!
This trade had a greater impact than the previous one between Lewis and Pau Gasol!
Because immediately after, Pierce announced that he was rejecting the Nets' contract extension and joining the Lakers as a free agent!
Garnett + Pierce + Kobe!
My God! The Lakers fans were ecstatic!
With this offense, this defense, this Big Three, which team in the league could resist them?
The purple and gold Lakers were sure to sweep the league in the new season, right?
As a result, their joy lasted less than 24 hours.
The day after Pierce announced his move to the Lakers, another bombshell news rocked the entire league!
Kobe refused to form a new Lakers Big Three with Garnett and Pierce and chose to leave!
The Lakers fans were completely bewildered!
Didn't the management communicate with Kobe during the process of bringing in Garnett and Pierce? This didn't make sense!
He Xi Meng had anticipated Garnett's move to the Lakers, but he hadn't expected Pierce to defect from the Nets. It seemed the former Celtics Big Three were about to reunite on the Lakers!
In that case, let's do the Lakers a favor!
He Xi Meng immediately notified John, asking Presti to follow up. The SuperSonics offered Ray Allen + a first-round pick as the trading package to swap Kobe with the Lakers!
Old Buss didn't want Kobe to leave, but Kobe's determination to leave was set, and he was waiting for He Xi Meng to send out the signal for the SuperSonics.
Now, the signal had arrived, and Kobe chose to make his stance clear!
Kupchak then strongly advised Old Buss to accept the SuperSonics' offer. The Big Three combination of Ray Allen + Pierce + Garnett would not be inferior!
In terms of salary, Kobe's salary next season was $19 million, and Ray Allen's was $16 million, not a big difference.
In terms of trade assets, the SuperSonics included a first-round pick in 2010, which, while not incredibly valuable, was decent.
If Old Buss was truly reluctant, the Lakers could try asking the SuperSonics for another first-round pick…
All trades, in the end, were about whether the compensation met one's expectations.
Ultimately, Old Buss fulfilled Kobe's choice and accepted the SuperSonics' trade, sending Kobe + Sun Yue for Ray Allen + the SuperSonics' first-round picks in 2010 and 2012!
This time, to acquire Kobe and Pau Gasol, while keeping Marc Gasol, He Xi Meng sent out three first-round picks from the SuperSonics: 2008, 2010, and 2012!
The magnitude of this move left the newly appointed Presti somewhat astonished.
Presti tentatively reminded John, "Should we keep some first-round picks as a fallback if our championship run fails? I have some experience in drafting…"
John directly rejected Presti's kind offer: "No need! Success or failure! Our goal is only one: the championship!"
Who couldn't brag and shout slogans?
Anyway, all the decisions were made by He Xi Meng, and He Xi Meng would bear all the responsibility himself!
"Who am I? I'm just a poor hired hand…"
After relaying He Xi Meng's instructions, John immediately left, planning to go home and relax at a spa.
"The league's trades are really brain-frying, full of schemes and betrayals, everyone scheming against each other, not a single good person… it's not suitable for a kind soul like me…"
When all the big fish in the league had found their homes and everything had settled down, He Xi Meng, who had been observing from the sidelines on the surface but secretly stirring up the league's dynamics behind the scenes, finally announced his Version 3.0 decision:
Four years, $88 million, joining the SuperSonics!
Before He Xi Meng announced his signing, there were already rumors that He Xi Meng would team up with Kobe!
But when the news officially broke, it still caused a wave of discussion in the league!
Could the Big Three combination of He Xi Meng + Kobe + Pau Gasol defeat the Lakers' newly formed Big Three of Garnett + Pierce + Ray Allen?
Durant and Marc Gasol, who had just entered the league, were not included in the discussion.
He Xi Meng, of course, would not be foolish enough to remind them that they had more than just a Big Three.
Looking around the Western Conference, the Spurs had a Big Three, the Lakers had a Big Three, and now even the SuperSonics had a Big Three… It seemed that all the best players were heading to the West, how competitive was the West?
The Mavericks, who were the regular-season champions last season but were upset by the Warriors in the first round, were immediately in a panic!
Owner Cuban had been unhappy with last season's roster and immediately began communicating with the Nets, completing the trade for Jason Kidd in advance!
The Mavericks sent Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn, two future draft picks, and some cash to the Nets for Jason Kidd, Malik Allen, and Antoine Wright!
Kidd paired with Nowitzki, plus Josh Howard, Erick Dampier, and Antoine Wright, the Mavericks might not be a Big Three, but they were certainly on the verge of one.
The Western Conference had completely devolved into hell mode!