793: 267: My True Love, My Blood (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)_3 793: 267: My True Love, My Blood (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)_3 He told Levenson that after Juwan Howard plays the four position, Marion can go to the three position.
This way, it’s a comprehensive reinforcement for the Hawks.
Yes, at least from the stats it does look like that.
Whether it’s Juwan Howard or Marion, the stats are much better than Pippen.
Levenson thinks this move can help the team, increase his own prestige, and also suppress Roger’s arrogance, telling Roger: there’s nothing the owner can’t decide on this team.
So he bypassed Pete Babcock directly and started the trade.
Look now, Pippen trusts Roger, and the fans trust Roger.
It seems like without him speaking, no one can move anyone from this team.
So as long as this trade goes through, Roger’s so-called control over the Hawks will completely collapse!
That’s the scene Levenson is happy to see.
The voting begins, and the first few votes are unsurprising.
Both sides vote for their own followers, 5 to 5.
When it was neutral shareholder Bronson’s turn, he decisively voted for trading Pippen.
This slightly surprised Belkin; Bronson knows basketball, he should know this trade is worthless, yet he still chose to make the trade.
This can only mean his neutral stance ends here, and he’s completely sided with Levenson.
6 to 5, considering Roger will definitely oppose trading Pippen, the decisive vote rests with Michael Gillen.
If the vote turns to 6 to 6 because of him, then Levenson loses.
Both Belkin and Levenson are confident in Gillen’s vote.
Gillen thought for a while, and finally raised his hand: “I don’t agree with the trade.”
“What!?” Levenson was very surprised; the old man had clearly promised him privately before!
Yes, he had promised Levenson privately.
But as Levenson said, Michael Gillen is a profit-driven fence-sitter.
He needs Roger to make money for the team, that’s the most important thing now.
At this stage, he doesn’t care how much authority Roger has, as long as money is made.
Roger likes Levenson’s current expression, from full of confidence to incredulity, and then to despair when looking at him.
The change is simply brilliant.
He has reason to despair, because now it’s 6 to 6, and Roger’s vote will be the inevitable winning shot.
“I don’t support trading Scott, 7 to 6, sorry Bruce, your clever plan has been stalled.” Roger coldly stated, declaring his victory.
Bruce Levenson was so angry he got up to leave, but was called back by Roger: “Wait a minute, boss, the meeting isn’t over.”
Roger didn’t rush to explain why, instead he pulled out a cigar box from his pocket, handed a cigar to the secretary in the conference room, and asked her to light it.
Then Roger took back the cigar, took a puff, and nonchalantly exhaled clouds in front of all the big wigs.
Today he was not just here to stop the trade; as Belkin said, he was here to let Levenson know whose team this is.
So, everything is not over yet.
Just now, he only resisted Levenson’s pressure.
Now, it’s his turn to pressure Levenson.
“I said, the meeting isn’t over.
Next, we’re moving on to the next vote: whether to replace Billy Knight with Dominique Wilkins as the Hawks’ deputy general manager.”
“When was this proposal made!?” Levenson was furious, how dare Roger!
Not only did he not move against Roger’s people, but Roger is now moving against his people!?
Belkin raised his hand: “I and five other shareholders unanimously agreed this is a discussable topic.
Dom is a symbolic figure of the team, and his entry into management helps build team culture.
So, as Roger said, we move into the next agenda, on the topic of deputy general manager candidates.”
Levenson gritted his teeth and sat back, according to the agreement, if half of the shareholders think a proposal is necessary, it must be discussed and voted on.
Roger has long wanted to replace Billy Knight, not just because he follows Levenson but also because he’s a complete fool.
In the original timeline, Billy Knight took over the Hawks and made frequent blunders, single-handedly causing the Hawks’ decline in the first decade of the 21st century.
In 2004, holding the sixth pick, he wanted to select a forward and ended up choosing Josh Childress instead of future All-Star forwards Luol Deng or Andre Iguodala.
Alright, maybe that’s not such a major mistake, after all, Childress did perform well in college, except for his ugly shooting.
In 2005, holding the second pick and choosing Marvin Williams from North Carolina was completely unreasonable.
Because back then, the Hawks’ main point guards Royal Ivey, Coach Lu, and Salim Stadmaier were all extremely poor, yet the forward line already had Al Harrington and the previously selected Josh Smith and Childress.
So, he could easily pick a good point guard like Paul, Deron, or even Field to match his existing forward line.
If either Paul or Deron were picked, the Hawks would have undergone a qualitative change.
Yet when there was no extra playing time to cultivate a third forward, he chose Marvin!
Okay, now with Marvin Williams, he should be satisfied, right?
No, in 2006, he crazy continued to select forwards, taking the fourth forward in three years, Sheldon Williams—while one pick later, there was a guard named Brandon Roy.