novelraw Chapter 228 - 178: The First Time Someone Haggled
Chapter 228 - 178: The First Time Someone Haggled
The game ended with a missed, rushed three-pointer from Hardaway. Standing on the sidelines, Popovich let out a long sigh of relief, the tension on his face finally easing.
This game, and the next one, were actually quite important and could directly impact the standings in the West.
Fortunately, the Spurs came out on top in the end.
94-92. A two-point victory.
In the final three minutes, Hardaway suddenly erupted. Driving and shooting, he scored seven unanswered points and was simply unstoppable. For a moment, Popovich feared they were about to lose their lead.
He turned to watch Hardaway walk off the court, an unmistakable look of envy in his eyes.
’What a great player.’
’And this Phoenix Suns roster... it’s beyond just good.’
They had Hardaway and J Kidd on the perimeter, and a super rookie in Marion at forward. That combination was top-tier, even across the entire league.
In today’s league, having two All-Stars on one team was already considered a top-tier roster.
Yet the Suns also had Ewing and Olajuwon in the paint.
If you ignored their ages and just looked at the names, the Suns had a roster of historic proportions.
They even had Gugliotta, with his ten-million-dollar annual salary, sitting on the bench.
Popovich’s gaze shifted back to Ewing and Olajuwon. He had a hunch what Skiles was trying to do—emulate the Spurs by running a twin-towers offense.
But Popovich felt Skiles was oversimplifying things.
’That’s Ewing and Olajuwon we’re talking about—lifelong rivals.’ It had been a big enough deal for Ewing to willingly come off the bench at the start of the season.
Now, asking Olajuwon to swallow his pride, play the four, and do all the dirty work for Ewing? It would be a miracle if they *didn’t* clash.
And sure enough, the two of them showed almost no chemistry the entire game.
It was a far cry from the Spurs of old, where Duncan and Robinson had worked together seamlessly.
However, recalling the second half, Popovich did notice they had managed to connect on a few plays.
For instance, there was a play where Olajuwon passed from the wing to Ewing under the basket. Ewing faked a shot, but at the last second, he stuffed the ball back to a cutting Olajuwon.
The old Spurs twin towers often made plays just like that.
But it was probably just a flash in the pan, nothing to read too much into.
Beside him, Popovich’s assistant coach, Mike Budenholzer, was also watching Ewing and Olajuwon walk off the court. He couldn’t help but comment, "Chen’s impact is immense. Hakeem and Patrick are at their age, yet they haven’t missed a single game all season. It’s unbelievable."
They might not have much chemistry, but in terms of their individual physical condition, they were perfectly fine.
Ewing’s lower body was solid, and he still played with plenty of force.
As for Olajuwon, he was still pulling out his Dream Shake on Duncan from time to time. His footwork was so fluid, he didn’t look like a 39-year-old veteran at all.
"Not to mention, it was because of Chen that they both took pay cuts to join the Suns this past Summer."
The media had long since reported why the two joined the Suns. Olajuwon himself had even personally admitted that it was because of Chen Yu, saying that under Chen Yu’s care, he could stay healthy enough to play.
"You think we could get Chen to come to San Antonio next season?" Budenholzer had read the reports; he knew Chen Yu’s contract with the Suns was a one-year deal. When the season ended, the Spurs would have a shot at him too.
Most importantly, the Spurs had their own injury problems. Tim Duncan, for example, should have had surgery with Chen Yu last Summer, but he refused because he was getting married.
Although Duncan’s attendance has been high this season, the decline in his athleticism is plain to see.
Popovich gave a bitter smile. How could he not miss the high-flying "White Demon" of the past?
"It’d be tough. He opened his clinic in Phoenix, so he’s unlikely to leave anytime soon. The best chance to hire him as our team doctor was the year before last, when he left Orlando." But regret was useless. Back then, Chen Yu had driven out a general manager and a head coach from the Magic. How many teams would have dared to hire him after that?
At this, Popovich turned to glance at Duncan, then said, "This offseason, Tim has to get the surgery."
Meanwhile, after the game, Chen Yu, Brian, and the others returned immediately to the locker room.
The atmosphere in the locker room was tense.
"I don’t want to see something like this happen again." Skiles stood with his arms crossed, his expression more serious than ever. In a low voice, he said, "Like Chen said, I want all of you to think about why you’re here and what you’re playing for. Our goal is a championship. If anyone’s actions go against that goal, I won’t hesitate to sit them on the bench."
With that, he beckoned to Hardaway and left for the post-game press conference.
Brian didn’t say a word, but as the team’s general manager, his very presence spoke volumes.
"Get to work," Brian said, giving everyone a final glance before turning to leave.
Only then did Chen Yu clap his hands, signaling for the medical team to begin their work.
Some players were iced down, others received massages.
To speed things up, Chen Yu personally pitched in, focusing on the starters. He had a Middle Level Massage Technique, which was nearly equivalent to applying a Bronze-level therapeutic effect.
This was the reason these veterans could stay healthy and play every single game.
Olajuwon lay on the massage table while Chen Yu worked on his knees. He kept glancing up at Chen Yu, looking like he wanted to say something.
But he could never bring himself to speak.
Chen Yu noticed but ignored him.
Just as the massage was ending, Olajuwon finally asked if they would be having a talk later.
"Let’s skip it today. I have surgery at the clinic tomorrow and need to get home and rest," Chen Yu said with a smile, shaking his head. ’I know you want to vent, but I’m not giving you the chance.’
Olajuwon’s face fell. He opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words.
Compared to the reserved Olajuwon, Ewing was less hesitant. During his massage, he spoke up, "Chen, you were right. I came to the Suns for a championship. To achieve that goal, I’m willing to do whatever it takes."
’The media calls me an uncrowned king, but a king without a crown is still uncrowned. It’s just a pathetic loser’s way of consoling himself.’
’I’m already 40 this year. This has to be my last chance. Grudges, my position on the team... I don’t care about any of it. All that matters is winning a championship.’
Chen Yu patted Ewing’s shoulder. "Just think before you speak next time."
He had a short fuse, no filter, and a slightly low EQ.
If his EQ were higher, he never would have made that infamous comment during the labor negotiations back in the day.
Ewing nodded. It seemed the advice had sunk in.
When Wenger had come to inspect the clinic and said he’d be willing to send his players to the United States for treatment, it hadn’t just been polite talk.
The next day, Chen Yu received an unexpected call from Wenger. He said two of his players were injured and he wanted to send them to the United States.
One was Giovanni Van Bronckhorst. He had injured his knee in Arsenal’s match against Fulham the day before, and a post-game exam revealed a torn ACL in his right knee.
That’s right, a complete tear. Another unlucky fellow.
An injury like that was definitely season-ending.
The one silver lining was that he didn’t have to worry about missing the World Cup, because the Netherlands hadn’t even qualified.
The other player was Matthew Upson. He also had a knee injury: a torn meniscus accompanied by iliotibial band syndrome.
"Not a big problem. I can handle that over here."
Never mind the torn ACL and meniscus—Chen Yu had lost count of how many of those he’d treated.
As for the iliotibial band syndrome, it was a common chronic issue, often seen in avid runners.
It was caused by running too much with improper form, leading to frequent friction between the IT band and the outer part of the lower femur, which resulted in inflammation and pain.
It was a repetitive strain injury, so not a huge deal.
But like any repetitive strain injury, it was difficult to fully recover from, incredibly aggravating, and had a significant impact on athletic performance.
For Chen Yu, however, it wasn’t a major issue and was quite easy to treat.
Over the phone, Wenger expressed his thanks. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, "Chen, about the treatment costs... is there any way to reduce them a little? As you know, our insurance isn’t valid in the United States, and since they were injured mid-season, the team has to cover the expenses."
In Pires’s case, the French Football Federation had covered a portion of the cost.
Most importantly, Chen Yu’s treatments were expensive.
For something like a torn ACL, the cost from surgery through rehabilitation started at five hundred thousand US dollars. The entire process could end up costing as much as a million US dollars.
That was no small sum.
Chen Yu pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at the number, almost thinking it was a prank call.
This was the first time anyone had ever tried to haggle with him.
’Someone like Old Haaland paying out of his own pocket is one thing,’ he thought. ’But this is the club paying—and it’s Arsenal, a major club, isn’t it? How can they be quibbling over a few pennies?’
"I’m sorry, Mr. Wenger, but I have no precedent for reducing my fees," Chen Yu replied without a second thought, rejecting the request.
’If I charged less, it would be a disservice to all the hard work I put into grinding for these various treatment effects.’
’Even at this price, I feel like it’s too much work. I’m actually considering raising my prices.’
"Alright," Wenger sighed, likely too embarrassed to haggle any further. He paused for a moment, then said, "In that case, I’ll arrange for Giovanni to travel to the United States tomorrow."
Chen Yu nodded, then it suddenly dawned on him. "What about the other player?"
"What about Matthew Upson?"
Wenger replied, "After thinking it over, I’ve decided his issue isn’t as severe. Our own team doctors should be able to handle it, so he won’t be coming to the United States for treatment."
Van Bronckhorst had a torn ACL, a major injury that could be career-threatening.
Upson’s injury, while also problematic, was comparatively less of a threat to his career.
"Alright, that’s your decision. I respect it," Chen Yu said before hanging up, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
’To put it bluntly, he just didn’t want to spend the money. Unbelievably cheap.’
’It’s for the best, though. With the World Cup approaching, more and more patients are seeking treatment. I still have to manage the Suns, and my ’treatment effects’ are already stretched thin. One less patient means I can conserve some.’
「A day later」
The Suns departed for San Antonio for an away game against the Spurs.
As it was an away game, Chen Yu naturally didn’t travel with the team.
However, Chen Yu was very interested in the outcome of this game.
He wasn’t concerned about the win or loss, but about Olajuwon and Ewing. This was their first game since their conflict had become public.
After a day of reflection, Chen Yu had no idea what choice the two would make. Would they compromise and actively resolve their issues, or would they continue to clash, escalating the conflict to the point where one of them had to go?
So, keeping track of the time, Chen Yu contacted Nelson the moment the game ended to ask what had happened.
"We won! A 19-point blowout against the Spurs! It’s incredible!" Nelson was practically bursting with excitement on the other end of the line.
Chen Yu was stunned.
’The Spurs? They’re currently third in the West, and they were playing at home. Losing to the Suns by 19 points... that’s a bit much, isn’t it?’