Chapter 621: The Tough Knicks

The more James Dolan thought about it, the more smug he became.

Meanwhile, Su Xi was being tossed into the air by his teammates.

Zach Randolph even ran over to the scorer’s table and led the fans in a chant: GOAT! GOAT! GOAT!

At first, only the fans in the front rows joined in.

Soon, the entire arena was chanting along.

GOAT! GOAT! GOAT!

It seemed that only this title could satisfy the fans’ emotions and convey the shockwaves Su Xi had sent through them.

Tonight, he ascended to godhood.

The award ceremony began soon after the Knicks players put on their championship T-shirts and caps.

David Stern came over to present the championship trophy.

Then came the part with no suspense whatsoever.

Su Xi won the Finals MVP.

When David Stern presented the trophy to Su Xi, he said, “Congratulations, Jack. You’ve already become a legend.”

Su Xi smiled and replied, “I’m just getting started.”

Hearing this, Stern grew even more pleased. He made a joke, “The only thing I’m worried about now is you suddenly running off to play baseball.”

Su Xi replied that he didn’t like baseball.

After their brief exchange and a handshake, Su Xi raised the trophy, and the entire arena erupted once more.

Tonight, for every Knicks fan who entered the arena, the biggest challenge was to their vocal cords.

More than half of them would wake up tomorrow morning with sore, or even hoarse, throats.

An ESPN reporter quickly came over for an interview, a standard part of the Finals procedure.

Although Su Xi disliked ESPN, he still cooperated.

The ESPN reporter was very enthusiastic, congratulating Su Xi with a huge smile for winning Finals MVP and his fourth championship trophy. Then, he asked Su Xi how it felt to win another title and another Finals MVP.

Su Xi said, “It’s pretty good. The fans are happy, my teammates are happy, and we achieved the goal we set at the start of the season.”

Su Xi had an air of cool nonchalance.

So cool.

The fans absolutely loved that about him.

Because it was a symbol of immense power.

When you become the God of Basketball, your every word is gospel.

Then, the reporter continued, “During the Knicks’ championship run this season, which game did you find to be the toughest? Were there any games that left a deep impression on you?”

“Every game was memorable. But if you’re asking me for the toughest game, I’ll be honest—there wasn’t one!”

Su Xi’s words once again sent the arena into a frenzy.

‘That’s how it should be!’

‘Why should there be any tough games?’

‘We’re invincible.’

“So, what is the Knicks’ goal for next season?”

“Please refer to the five-year plan we previously announced.”

Su Xi said with a smile.

The moment he said that, the screams in Madison Square Garden Arena threatened to tear the roof off.

A five-year plan for five championships!

Su Xi reigns supreme!

The GOAT is the GOAT!

He speaks with such dominance.

The ESPN reporter seized the opportunity to ask, “Right now, many teams are planning to build super teams, forming ‘Big Threes’ or ‘Big Fours.’ Are you worried this might disrupt your five-year plan?”

“Not worried.”

“What if it’s three or four superstars teaming up in their prime?”

“I’d be happy. I need a little excitement. Otherwise, this five-year plan will just be a series of sweeps, and that’s too boring!”

“Besides, your channel needs something to report, doesn’t it? You guys always love to nitpick. You’re very good at it.”

Su Xi took a jab at ESPN.

This got the New York fans even more fired up.

Meanwhile, things got awkward in the ESPN studio, as the director told the commentators in their earpieces not to comment on the matter.

The reporter awkwardly asked a couple more boring questions before ending the interview.

The arena completely transformed into a sea of Knicks celebration.

It was a night of victory, a night of winning the championship.

Su Xi didn’t take any more interviews after that. He celebrated wildly with his teammates in the locker room and then went home.

Isaiah Thomas, on the other hand, made his presence strongly felt tonight.

He commented on the Lakers: “They are already one of the best teams in history, but we are the number one team in history. So, it’s perfectly normal that they lost, that they got swept. They also deserve applause; they are winners in their own right. Because they were the only ones who brought out the strongest version of Goat Su Xi. They should be proud of that.”

He discussed the draft: “Although we got the second pick, we have no interest in Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. It’s not because they aren’t good, but because we don’t need them. I imagine the league doesn’t want to see us get another super-core player, right? So, come talk to us about a trade. If you want the second pick, bring your own draft picks to the table.”

“Why did Goat Su Xi join the Knicks? Because, back then, the Knicks were weak enough. He likes to do challenging things.”

He added as an explanation.

He talked about superstars teaming up: “Some superstars have extended an olive branch to us, but Goat Su Xi refused. Why? Because the Knicks don’t need any superstars. We already have the number one God of Basketball in history, so why would we need other superstars? It’s their freedom if they want to team up, and we’d be happy to see it. We hope they form a team that can actually put up a fight.”

He discussed the GOAT: “Is there even anything left to debate? What’s Michael Jordan worth? Does he even deserve to be compared to a four-time consecutive Finals MVP? Don’t forget, this is just Jack’s fourth season. In Jordan’s fourth season, I beat him black and blue. If Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and I were still in our primes, would the Chicago Bulls have ever won a championship?”

“He just bullied the weak. Who were his opponents in the Finals? Did he ever sweep any of them?”

“Stop hyping him up; he wasn’t that great. I taught him a lesson many times. He and Jack aren’t even in the same league as players.”

“If you still want to argue, I won’t argue back. I don’t bicker with people who have cognitive disabilities.”

Isaiah Thomas was firing on all cylinders, his presence undeniable.

Then, he talked about the five-year plan. “Three more championships to go. After winning those three, that’ll make seven.”

“Why would this be a difficult task to accomplish? As far as the eye can see, is there anyone who can threaten Jack’s dominance?”

“Greg Oden? Let him get a firm foothold in the NBA before we start hyping him up.”

Finally, Isaiah Thomas emphasized again: “Our second pick came from Portland, and it was a pleasant surprise for us. We know this pick will definitely land us either Oden or Durant. We know their talent is astonishing and that they’ll surely become superstars. However, we’re a blue-collar team; we don’t need another super-core player. So, if any team has enough assets, give me a call, and let’s talk.”

Thomas was already starting to prepare for this summer’s work.

He was publicly putting this year’s second overall pick up for bids.

This would undoubtedly trigger a frantic bidding war among the various teams.

The Knicks’ luck was pretty good.

Back when Zach Randolph punched his head coach twice, he became a league-wide problem, and no one was willing to take him on at the time.

The Knicks traded for Randolph, with Portland even throwing in a draft pick to make the deal happen.

As it turned out, Randolph immediately had a breakout season, becoming an All-Star in his first year, even winning the All-Star MVP, and playing a crucial role in the Knicks’ championship run.

Moreover, Portland’s record plummeted after that. This season, they dropped all the way to last place. Although they didn’t get the first pick in the lottery, they did get the second. The first pick went to the Hawks, and the third pick belonged to the SuperSonics.

When these lottery results were announced, many teams complained that it was unfair.

They believed it would destroy the league’s competitive balance.

Years ago, the San Antonio Spurs had gotten Duncan by intentionally tanking.

The Knicks were far more powerful than the Spurs, and now they had landed the second pick out of thin air. No matter who they chose, the entire landscape of the league was set to be rewritten.

Who knew that all these worries were for nothing.

The Knicks immediately announced they were trading the pick.

And they weren’t recruiting superstars, either.