359: 145: Sometimes, we really can’t afford to make Roger upset (please vote for the monthly ticket!)_5 359: 145: Sometimes, we really can’t afford to make Roger upset (please vote for the monthly ticket!)_5 He wished the boss would say, “Fuck Roger and Shaq, this is our team!”
But Rich DeVos didn’t speak.
Yes, Roger was a player for the Magic Team.
And he couldn’t opt out of his contract until ’98 at the earliest, so technically, whether to trade or not was up to the team.
But if a player had given up on the team, would he play hard for them?
If the star player didn’t want to play hard, could the team perform well?
As a result, DeVos wouldn’t make any money.
Because in Orlando, no one wanted to watch a team embroiled in palace intrigue lose game after game.
If the Magic Team were in New York or Los Angeles, perhaps they could still make money without good results.
But in Orlando, without Roger, without victories, who would care about the Magic?
Who would spend money to watch the games?
Who would give the Magic national broadcasts?
Rich DeVos could choose to hurt both parties, refusing to renew Shaq’s contract or trade Roger, letting Roger slack off, and the team as well, not indulging either.
But capital chases profits, and there was no benefit or point to a lose-lose situation for Rich DeVos; throwing a tantrum was something children did.
To continue being the highest-earning team in the league, they needed good results, and they needed a superstar to boost exposure.
And DeVos knew all too well that all of this depended on Roger!
Moreover, the team was on the brink of a three-peat championship, and DeVos was very aware of the immense commercial value it entailed.
DeVos wasn’t a fool; he tried to lowball Shaq only to reduce costs and increase profits.
But if that really messed things up, all the profits would vanish, a loss beyond recovering.
Roger was indeed a player, but he had led the Magic Team to defeat the Bulls Dynasty, twice crushing the former basketball deity.
Joining the team for two years, he had won two championships and made DeVos earn a lot of money from the Magic Team each year.
If they could achieve a three-peat, such influence could make the Magic earn money for many more years.
So, although he was loath to admit it, sometimes, they really had to listen to this player!
Rich DeVos sighed, realizing that Roger really wasn’t one of his own people.
He clearly understood that Roger wanted to challenge just how much say he had in the team.
Fine, that damn bastard had won.
But after this affair, Rich DeVos would no longer have any personal relationship with Roger.
They would never again be friends.
He truly didn’t want to spend 20 million US Dollars annually on Shaq, a player who had only played 50 games last season and was just a sidekick.
But at least, secure the three-peat first.
As for all these headaches, they could deal with them slowly after the three-peat.
Rich DeVos’s face was ashen as he waved his hand, “Enough, John, settle this.
There can’t be any mishaps in tomorrow’s championship parade.
If both Roger and Shaq don’t attend, we will become a laughingstock to the whole world.
Also, don’t let anything go wrong with the three-peat.
Offer Shaq a high-paying short-term contract, and make that bastard sign it quick.”
Why should we compromise!?
Rich DeVos patted John Gabriel on the shoulder, cutting him off:
“Sometimes, we really can’t afford to upset Roger.”
After hearing this, John Gabriel froze in place with his mouth agape.
He couldn’t believe his ears, as if he had been solidly punched in the chest.
Today, for the first time, he realized that not even the team owner dared to claim they were the absolute authority.
This was the seed of a change in the NBA food chain, the beginning of players gaining all the initiative.
Roger’s impact wasn’t just on the championship destiny but the entire league’s ecosystem.
John Gabriel sighed and made a call to Shaq’s agent.
Now he knew just how insignificant he was within the team.
He could only bully the secretary and chase after Michelle with her high heels.
In front of Roger, he was nothing!