In the locker room at Quicken Loans Arena, Hansen and Ferry were sitting face to face once again, but this time, it wasn’t just the two of them—Thomas was there as well.
Ferry held a notebook in his hands, with a pen tucked into the first page, looking as though he was set to take minutes at a meeting.
"I’ve always had a doubt, the last time I came in, had your interview with that reporter really not started yet?" This question had been bottled up in Ferry’s heart for a long time.
Hansen shook his head.
Ferry let out a wry chuckle and sat down, he just knew.
Hansen now held a trump card in his hand—if the Cavaliers didn’t adhere to the agreement between them, Hansen would choose to expose the initial incident.
"We can’t get in touch with LeBron," Ferry said helplessly after he put down the notebook.
"You could try putting out a missing person ad," Hansen suggested earnestly, well aware that Ferry wasn’t really asking him about James’ whereabouts.
Ferry was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help shaking his head.
Hansen was always so humorous.
Ferry then opened the notebook.
Hansen looked at it curiously, but there was nothing written inside.
"We’re trying everything possible to keep LeBron."
By the time Ferry said this, Hansen had already understood the purpose of his visit.
However, as expected, from the fact that Ferry wanted him to return from injury earlier, it was clear that the Cavaliers’ management was nothing but lapdogs to James.
Oh right, he had learned during a casual chat with Malone that James had his people in the management.
Randy Mims, a man with scant information on Wikipedia, James’ close friend, could also be described as James’ shadow in the management.
On the surface, of course, James would not interfere with management’s decisions because Mims would do that for him.
This was also the real reason behind James’ disappearance, using his claim of "commitment to achieving the lofty goal of winning a championship in Cleveland" before disappearing to give the impression he was preparing to stay in Cleveland.
"Do you think LeBron will stay?" Hansen recalled the last time they had talked about "forget as soon as you leave topics," at which time Ferry was certain James would leave Cleveland.
Ferry shook his head.
He didn’t say it outright, or maybe this gesture showed his thoughts were the same as before.
He then pointed at the notebook and said, "I’ve told them, gamblers may end up with nothing in the end, but..." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵
He shook his head helplessly.
He was just a general manager, just as he was only able to accommodate James’ demands before.
"So, you’re coming to me now, to have me think up the next place I’d like to go?" Hansen gestured towards the notebook in Ferry’s hands.
Ferry nodded, "This wasn’t originally a multiple-choice question. You and LeBron weren’t irreconcilable; we could have kept you, wait for LeBron’s decision, then choose, but..."
His implication was clear—Hansen was now on such bad terms with James that management had to make an early choice.
"Is it that, in management’s eyes, Hansen can no longer be Cleveland’s future?" Thomas couldn’t help interjecting at this point.
Given that James was currently unreachable, this meant that the Cavaliers’ management hadn’t received a real commitment.
Or could it be that management had indeed received a commitment from James, only that Ferry, the general manager, had no right to know?
"Hansen’s performance is there for all to see, full of potential..." Ferry spoke, paused, looking at Hansen with a hint of regret,
"If there were no injury concerns, I believe we would be more inclined to keep him. He’s an East University alum and also has great potential in the foreign market, but..."
Ferry didn’t continue because there are no ifs in this world.
Hansen had been injured twice in one season, especially during the playoffs when he was injured after just five games.
He indeed had a few standout games, but the lack of physical durability was an unchangeable fact.
Without James, they might not care too much about this, after all, Hansen was just the 16th pick, but now it was a choice.
"Of course, we had an agreement before; if you insist, we can wait for LeBron’s decision..." Ferry said while taking out the agreement they had signed previously from his briefcase behind him.
That was also the reason for the question Ferry had asked Hansen before sitting down.
"No need," Hansen cut off Ferry, signaling for him to hand over the notebook.
The scene before him held a certain black humor.
He couldn’t refute Ferry’s words, just like he couldn’t tell Ferry that he had the chance to redeem "Steel Bones."
Of course, there was no longer a need.
When Ferry had wanted him to return from injury earlier, Hansen had actually lost all remaining fondness for the Cavaliers’ management.
When Durant was with the Warriors, he couldn’t play due to injury, but spurred on by the management, media, and even his teammates, he chose to play injured, eventually suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon and a major decline in ability, and ended up being scapegoated and driven away.
Yes, he could indeed use the agreement to force Ferry to wait until James decided before making a decision about his own future.
But what would be the point of that?
With such management, even if he stayed, it would feel like settling down with a girlfriend who had cohabited with her ex-boyfriend for many years.
You’d always unconsciously recall the scenes of her pandering to her ex for so many years.
Ferry handed the notebook over to Hansen, and Hansen began to seriously consider his next move.
Having previously contemplated the possibility of leaving, he had thought about this question in advance.
Now his trade value was strong; aside from the Magic Team and Celtics, which Ferry had emphasized, technically, he could go anywhere.