"I can understand Ron's feelings, but I'll never forgive his actions."
Zack said this to Chris Mullin, the team's general manager, who had come to see him immediately after he lost his temper over Artest.
Even though Mullin had helped Zack generally understand Artest's mindset about not getting a commitment from the Warriors' management this summer, Zack still felt it wasn't an excuse for Artest to play around with an injury and use it to threaten the team.
And besides, was Artest really threatening the team?
He was clearly getting revenge on his teammates!
In the long history of the NBA, what kind of second-in-command would be such an idiot as to pull a stunt like this when the team was aiming for a three-peat?
Oh, actually, there might have been one.
But that's not the point. The important thing is...
Given the precedent of that idiot, Scottie Pippen, what Artest was doing was no different from intentionally trying to embarrass Zack.
Had Zack not given Artest a prior commitment? Had he not painstakingly advised him? Had he not repeatedly stressed that he absolutely had to get that damn surgery in the offseason? Since all of that was true, wasn't Artest, by being so stubborn, essentially telling his other teammates that he never trusted Zack?
Zack was deeply disappointed in Artest.
He had believed Artest could achieve great things with him.
But now, there was no longer a place for a first mate who didn't trust his captain on this Warriors ship.
Additionally, through Mullin's explanation, Zack also got a rough idea of why Lowell, the team president in charge of Warriors player renewals, had consistently been unwilling to push through the extensions for Davis and Artest.
It was because Lowell, who always sided with team owner Chris Cohan, never intended to keep Davis and Artest from the very beginning.
Even though Zack's appearance in this life had greatly influenced the course of history, similarly, team owner Cohan was already prepared to sell the Warriors.
The only difference was that Zack's presence had caused the Warriors' current market value to far exceed historical levels and it hadn't even peaked yet.
This put the current Warriors team in a very awkward position.
On one hand, the Warriors had to maintain roster strength as much as possible to keep Zack.
But on the other hand, the Warriors also needed to maintain good salary cap space before the team's market value reached its peak.
Zack had seen relevant news reports.
According to economic experts' predictions, the Warriors' market value would likely peak around 2009.
So, assuming Zack successfully renewed his contract and signed that super max deal, to avoid the team paying huge luxury taxes when its market value peaked, the Warriors would inevitably have to let go of Davis and Artest.
Why?
Because in the NBA, big events like selling a team usually take at least a year or two of negotiation, and no one can guarantee a smooth transaction.
And during this period, if they didn't clear salary cap space, Cohan would conservatively have to pay at least one hundred million dollars in luxury tax to maintain the Warriors' roster.
In the first decade of the 21st century, one hundred million dollars was a huge sum for anyone.
And typically, to give the future owner more operational flexibility, NBA team owners often try to keep the team's current salary situation in good shape before selling.
After all, if you immediately have to take over a team that pays tens of millions of dollars in luxury tax every year...
No matter who it was, they would definitely try to lower their offer in future negotiations with Cohan.
Even if this team had Zack.
When you have to pay an astronomical price to buy a team, and considering you'll need a long time to recoup your investment and pay huge luxury taxes for the team, how could you willingly accept the sky-high price Cohan offered instead of trying to reduce costs through negotiation?
Certainly, there are super-rich individuals in this world who wouldn't bat an eye at spending tens of billions of dollars.
But how could Cohan guarantee that the highest bidder in the future would definitely be the richest one?
And this back-and-forth would cause Cohan to lose far more than one hundred million dollars.
Therefore, from President Lowell's perspective, since keeping Artest and Davis was so costly, why keep them?
This was the dilemma the current Warriors faced.
However...
No matter how many reasons President Lowell had, in Zack's eyes, it wasn't an excuse for him to repeatedly show cold shoulder to Artest and Davis without his consent.
So...
Looking directly at Mullin, Zack said, "This is my team, and I must be in charge."
At that moment, Mullin gave Zack a meaningful look.
"The Drunken Master" knew very well that after being tempered by two championships, Zack was no longer the Zack he once was.
That afternoon, team owner Chris Cohan came to the training facility.
Although, after Mullin explained the full story, Cohan understood that Lowell's actions were entirely due to him having picked up on Cohan's earlier hints...
But now, he had to deal with the extremely angry Zack first.
"What are you going to do about this?" Cohan asked Mullin.
Mullin spoke bluntly, "The Messiah can't forgive Ron, so our only option now is to trade Ron."
Cohan shook his head and said, "Chris, that's not what I asked."
Seeing this, Mullin shrugged and said, "I'm just the team's general manager; I don't have the authority to deal with this team's president."
Cohan sighed and said, "What would the Chicago Bulls of back then do?"
As soon as the Bulls were mentioned, Mullin, who was no longer sleepy, smiled and said, "You mean Jerry Krause? He would choose to trade away the teammate with the best relationship with the Messiah, then find a suitable time to sign him back, and then cut him." ①
Cohan was shocked and said, "Michael Jordan would allow the Bulls to treat him like that?"
Mullin said, "Jerry Krause did more than just that one outrageous thing to Michael."
Cohan looked puzzled and said, "Then why did the NBA develop to its current state?"
Mullin countered, "You mean the phenomenon of 'players overriding the team'?"
Cohan nodded.
Mullin said, "Because times have changed. We're now in the golden age of player empowerment."
Cohan frowned and said, "But Robert didn't do anything wrong."
Mullin was noncommittal and said, "That's true."
But after a pause, Mullin immediately added, "Then we can only trade the Messiah."
Cohan's eyes widened. "That's impossible. Trade the Messiah? Do you want me to be the most foolish owner in NBA history?"
Hearing this, Mullin spread his hands helplessly and said, "The Messiah said, 'This is my team, and I must be in charge.'"
Seeing this, Cohan originally wanted to bravely say that he was the owner of this team.
But after pondering for a while, Cohan said, "Robert has served this team for twelve years. Don't you think he might be tired?"
Mullin knew Cohan was waiting for him to speak, so he no longer hesitated and said, "You mean, Robert's physical condition prevents him from being able to handle his current job?"
Cohan said, "He's been telling me lately that he's physically and mentally exhausted, so... I want to give him a long vacation."
Mullin nodded and said, "Robert has been with the team through its toughest times. He's a well-deserved veteran of the team, but given his physical condition, he really needs a paid long vacation to recuperate."
As a businessman, Cohan was shrewd.
Team President Lowell temporarily leaving the public eye on a paid long vacation not only expressed the team's unwavering support for Zack but also appeased Zack's anger.
However, the Warriors were still unable to escape their current awkward situation.
Because during the period when the Warriors' market value was peaking...
Unless Cohan was willing to pay a huge luxury tax for the team and reduce the asking price in the future sale negotiations to get the buyer to agree to continue bearing this luxury tax for the next two or three years.
Otherwise, after this season, the Warriors would have to undergo a reshuffle and gradually reduce the number of high-salaried players on the team.
For this reason, after deciding to put Lowell on paid leave, Cohan spoke to Zack privately, saying, "We all know you've brought immeasurable value to this team. The team will always be with you, don't worry, I'm not the kind of owner who is unwilling to spend money."
To be honest, Zack was almost losing count...
How many times had he heard Cohan or others assure or promise him that the team owner was willing to spend money on this team?
Zack couldn't trust a capitalist's words, nor could he be fooled by their sweet talk.
He immediately retorted to Cohan, "The team will always be with me? Right now, I want Baron to stay, can the team immediately start contract negotiations with him?"
Hearing this, Cohan's long-worn mask of being willing to spend money on the team was instantly and mercilessly torn off by Zack.
"After next season, Baron will be nearly 30 years old, and he's a guard with a history of injuries. I think we should look further ahead."
See? That's a team owner who constantly talks about being willing to spend money on the team.
Zack didn't deny that Cohan had indeed invested a certain amount in the Warriors over the past two seasons.
But Cohan's small investment, compared to the money this team had earned him in the past two years...
Was it really worth mentioning?
Simply put, Cohan's generosity was also based on the fact that after drafting Zack, the Warriors became a money-making machine.
However, Mr. Chris Cohan, who wanted to maximize his personal gain during the team's sale, clearly forgot why these Warriors were so profitable.
So, Zack could only remind this forgetful team owner: "I know I'll be a restricted free agent in two years, but in the NBA, no team can force a league icon who's determined to leave to stay."
---
Zack's attitude finally made Cohan feel what it was like to be anxious and uneasy.
Because Cohan's premise for maximizing profit was for the Warriors to successfully sign Zack to that supermax contract.
If choosing to spend money on the Warriors during the sale process would only cost Cohan a visible one or two hundred million dollars, then failing to keep Zack would mean losing everything.
Without a doubt, it was Zack's tough stance that made Mr. Chris Cohan realize that in this league, not all star players would let themselves be manipulated.
If you want to keep me, you have to spend money on me.
If you want to make money off me, you have to spend more money on me.
With things having come to this, Cohan could only, with a pained expression, tell Mullin to negotiate with Davis's agent.
Only...
Before this negotiation could even begin, an unexpected incident brought it to a halt.
After the holiday, Baron Davis, who was as strong as a bull, collapsed during the first practice session after rejoining the team, due to a collision with teammate Jack.
It was a perfectly normal physical contact.
So much so that when Davis fell to the ground clutching his face, everyone thought he wasn't seriously hurt.
However...
After a preliminary examination, the Warriors' female team doctor, Chelsea Lane, quickly walked over to head coach Mike Malone, her face solemn, and said, "You need to be prepared to lose Baron entirely for the new season."
"Which part of his body is injured? Is it that serious?"
"Left ACL... suspected tear."
Hearing this, Malone immediately gasped.
According to Lane's analysis, Davis's left ACL tear was likely related to the Warriors having played too many games over the past two years.
Malone said, frustrated, "But for the past two seasons, Baron has missed at least two months due to injury. Logically, he should be the fittest player on our team."
Lane shook her head and said, "Not exactly, Mike. Have you considered that before joining the Warriors, Baron had never participated in such high-intensity playoffs for two consecutive years?"
Malone was speechless. "So, according to you, shouldn't the Messiah be lying in a hospital bed right now?"
Lane, who had already examined Zack, blushed and said, "Mike, you can't compare everyone's physique.
However, the Messiah is indeed the player on the Warriors roster with the highest injury risk. You know, for the past two years, he's played from start to finish, and even participated in the World Championship in the summer of '06."
---
The next day, Davis's MRI results were officially released.
The beautiful team doctor, Lane,'s judgment was accurate.
Due to a torn left ACL, Davis would miss the next six to ten months of games due to the injury.
This sudden injury not only halted Davis's good momentum but also cast a shadow over the Warriors' upcoming three-peat journey.
Furthermore...
For Davis himself, whether he could still sign that respectable retirement contract with the Warriors also became an unknown.
On the day Davis's examination results were released, Zack and his teammates went to the hospital together to visit the original "Big Beard" himself.
After sending everyone else away, Davis suddenly grabbed Zack's hand and said, "Brother, don't try to get that retirement contract for me anymore. I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me.
My agent told me everything, and you know what? When I found out you were willing to challenge the team owner for me, I felt that all my efforts for this team were worth it.
You might not believe it, but I'm a very proud person. I don't know if I can return to my previous state after this ligament tear, so...
If you truly consider me a brother, then don't try to fight for anything more for me. I'm a champion player. I love Oakland, and I love these Warriors and all of you. So, I'll only take the salary I deserve."
"Baron, no matter how long it takes, there will always be a place for you on this team," Zack said, his eyes glistening with tears as he looked at Davis. "No matter how long, your locker will be saved for you."
Hearing this, and recalling Zack's fierce expression the first time they met during his rookie season, Davis, unable to hold back anymore, pushed Zack away and said, "Get out, let me cry my damn self for a bit."
---
Although he had thought that a three-peat wouldn't come easily, the Warriors' disastrous start to the 2007-08 season still exceeded Zack's expectations.
Zack found that the Warriors had basically stepped on every mine a quasi-dynasty team could step on.
And, on the same day he visited Davis in the hospital, Zack also received another piece of bad news.
That was, Artest, who would have recovered in just a month or two if he had surgery during the offseason, due to intentionally delaying treatment...
Now, he wouldn't recover until at least February of next year.
This forced the Warriors, who had originally planned to trade him, to wait a while longer.
Because, after learning that Artest was injured due to his own recklessness, the teams that were originally willing to trade with the Warriors all ran away, stating:
"Unless Ron can prove his health, we won't risk completing a trade with the Warriors."
Before Artest's surgery, Zack, along with Brown, visited him one last time at the hospital.
And even then...
The stubborn Artest still hadn't realized where he had gone wrong.
So, before leaving, Brown said to Artest, "Ron, you know what? Your biggest mistake was not trusting the Messiah enough.
For you and Baron, the Messiah was even willing to directly challenge the team owner. But you? You chose a ridiculously idiotic way to solve the problem."
After a pause, Brown added, "Ron, in this world, loyalty that's not absolute is absolutely disloyal!"
---
A few days later, the Warriors held their annual media day at Oracle Arena.
During the core photoshoot, Zack, without Artest and Davis standing beside him, felt somewhat unaccustomed.
Head coach Malone was bombarded with questions from reporters during the interview session.
Whether it was why Artest had messed up this summer, or why Warriors President Lowell had suddenly been put on paid long leave, these reporters, who smelled a big story, were eager to get firsthand information.
Online, at least twenty-four versions of why Artest messed up this summer were already circulating.
And among them, the most outrageous reason for Artest's blunder was...
He got into an argument with Biedrins because he wanted to "pick up the soap" with him but failed, and after accidentally slipping and injuring himself, he felt embarrassed and refused treatment.
Zack knew that these rumors were bound to get more and more absurd.
However, out of a final shred of respect for Artest...
Zack still left the opportunity to explain the truth to the public to his former teammate who had fought alongside him.
Perhaps Artest would explain it from a perspective more favorable to him.
But in Zack's opinion, that was better than him being universally condemned like Pippen was back in the day.
This was Zack's last act of kindness towards his former teammate, Artest.
And now...
He would officially embark on the new season's journey with this incomplete Warriors roster.