Chapter 31 The Final Revelry
For several consecutive days, the New York Knicks players began to adapt to the new tactics, practicing screening, cutting, and catching for shots, with significant improvement.
As one side of the players did not move, this was just a simplified version of the Princeton offense, which the old players could pick up effortlessly.
Jerry's main headache was that this team could not play fast breaks. Last season's players were accustomed to set plays, preferring a slower pace. Especially Patrick, Charles, and Johnson, who resembled the 2008 Boston Celtics' "Big Three," relying on reducing the number of plays to ensure efficient wins, a style hard to get excited about.
To quicken the pace, Jerry suggested Charles come off the bench and have Johnson fill the power forward position, which was unanimously rejected by the coaching staff. Not just Jeff, but the other assistant coaches also didn't support this.
In 1997, all strong teams were built on defense and slow pacing, adhering to the belief that defense wins championships. Jerry's desire to experiment with a run-and-gun tactic akin to the future Phoenix Suns would have garnered criticism.
People with advanced ideas were difficult to understand. For example, if someone were to propose creating a thin and beautiful smartphone capable of internet access right now, they wouldn't be called a genius but rather a madman.
In the end, Jeff's tactical decision was to use Patrick and Allan as the main inside and outside attacking points; the point guard was responsible for organizing and passing, waiting for shooting opportunities, with Johnson and Charles cutting in at any time, and John continued leading the bench to ensure offensive firepower in the second quarter.
Alright, that was just a little more than adding a side screen to last season.
The good news was that Jerry got in shape by training with the players and quickly fit in because of his age. Lacking the authority seen in other coaches, young players saw him as a peer, while the veterans treated him like a little brother, speaking freely around him, just not asking him to carry bags or run errands.
At noon, Jerry typically ate at the team facility, where the working meals were more sumptuous than he'd imagined.
The New York Knicks, as the NBA's current top team, didn't spare expenses and had already employed a professional nutritionist. Austin Perkins was responsible for the diet in the training facility, preparing a decent breakfast and lunch for the players every day. The team's meat was always acid-free beef, strictly avoiding feedlot meat. As for oils, they definitely steered clear of vegetable oils.
The cooking was simple; it was the ingredients that were given more thought, ensuring the taste was delicious and the portions were generous enough to ensure satiety.
Jerry's life off the court was equally fulfilling. He took up reading and studying and even recruited an admirer.
When Jerry handed the signed jersey to Hunter Johnson, the young man immediately declared that from now on, Jerry was his leader. It was a shrewd move for Hunter, recognizing Jerry as his leader was all gain and no loss, with someone always treating when dining out.
Moreover, Jerry developed a habit of writing, recording some significant past events in his own unique undecipherable script, ensuring Thomas Bentley couldn't understand it.
It wasn't just Thomas who'd struggle with reading it, but even a Mexican would find Jerry's distinctive sloppy handwriting difficult to decipher. As long as he could remember what those writings were related to, that was enough.
This was necessary; without superior memory, he might not recall many major events in 20 years.
Additionally, Jerry read the newspapers daily, keeping up with current events, preparing and planning for the future.
What excited him was that history had inertia; major events were the same as his previous life, and his memory could definitely be helpful.
For example, on July 15th, the famed fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered in Miami.
Another example was the untimely death of Princess Diana in a car accident on August 31st.
As long as Jerry didn't interfere with the events, he wouldn't trigger significant butterfly effects, the same applied to the NBA.
This season hadn't started, and the Chicago Bulls were already hit with a series of blows: internal strife and injuries among their stars, casting a gloomy outlook for their championship defense. This unfortunate root began at this year's draft.
Considering Pippen's age and hidden injury risks, the Chicago Bulls tried to trade him for the Toronto Raptors' rookie Tracy McGrady, but the deal was ultimately vetoed by Jordan.
If the trade had gone through, although the Chicago Bulls would have received a potential future superstar, achieving a three-peat would've been impossible. McGrady was only 18 years old, just out of high school and joining the NBA; regardless of his talent, he couldn't provide substantial help for Jordan.
The Bulls' management didn't send Pippen away, and very reluctantly retained "Zen Master" Phil Stephen with a league coach's highest salary of $6 million, and renewed Jordan's contract for a total of $33 million, fully preserving the core team.
In addition, Rodman signed a contract with various incentive clauses, averaging close to $10 million. Just these three people summed up to $49 million.
Ron Harper was $5 million; Kukoc was $4 million, and Pippen was $3 million, not counting the substitutes. The Chicago Bulls' coach and core team's yearly salary exceeded $60 million.
The new season's average player salary was $2.45 million, with a salary cap of $26.9 million. Jordan's salary alone was higher than twenty teams' entire squad and his regular-season game salary was higher than some players' yearly earnings.
As a reborn man, Jerry found Jordan's salary terrifying. At this time, when the dollar had not yet depreciated, in terms of the salary cap, it was equivalent to $73.7 - $80.4 million twenty years later, an absolutely astronomical figure unimaginable to many, and how the Chicago Bulls could afford it was unclear.
Watching others sign large contracts, Pippen was furious that he was almost traded away. It wasn't just about the money; it was a matter of the team's respect for the player. He was a star even among the Dream Team, also one of NBA's official selection of the 50 Greatest Players.
Pippen decided to make a statement to express his dissatisfaction and rage.
He had been playing hurt since the 1997 finals, yet after the season, he didn't undergo surgery. Not only did he not undergo surgery, but Pippen also went ahead and played two charity matches, prompting General Manager Krause to repeatedly fax warnings, telling him to stop such behavior immediately.
As the new season approached, Pippen still hadn't treated his foot injury, intending to make owner Reinsdorf and General Manager Krause see that in retaliation, he was willing to risk his and his teammates' chances.
Now, because of the foot injury, Pippen couldn't play at the start of the 1997-1998 season, and the team doctor said he might be absent for as long as half a season.
Such unprofessional behavior completely broke Pippen's ties with the management. His departure next season was a certainty.
Phil Jackson was sure that the 1997-1998 season, whether they win or lose, would be the last year this group would work together. On the first day of the pre-season training camp, the first team meeting, he handed everyone a playbook with the cover reading: [The Last Dance.]
It seemed that the Chicago Bulls were an old and weak team. Jordan was nearing 35 years old, Pippen was already 32 years old, Rodman was 36 years old, and Harper was 34 years old. Kukoc was younger but had yet to prove he could perform consistently at a high level. As for those on the bench, they were smart but lacked talent.
Jerry knew that if the Knicks wanted to win the championship, this season was their best chance. He thanked the heavens for sending him to this wonderful era, vowing to take fate into his hands.
He thought, 'Chicago Bulls, let's shine together.'