Chapter 76

Recently, more and more people have been coming to see Mr. Scott, and the phone calls, faxes, and even letters have been increasing. It's really unexpected that our team, which has always been the least noticeable, has now become like this. If our office wasn't still so shabby, I would have thought we were playing for the New York Knicks or the Los Angeles Lakers."

"Ha ha ha, this is all because of Lin. Who would have thought he wouldn't find an assistant or an agent? Those companies can't find his personal contact information, so they can only come to our team. Look, the general manager just called Lin to the office again. I heard another self-recommended agent has come. Count how many there have been recently?"

"There's no need to count; it's impossible to keep track. There must be at least a hundred, big and small. But since Mr. Scott has invited Lin Han this time, this one must be a big-name agent. Why doesn't Lin Han hire an assistant or an agent? Is he saving the position for family members, like his parents or siblings?"

"How could that be? Lin is an orphan, with only two older sisters and a younger sister. There's no suitable family member to be an agent. Do you think Lin Han would ask his sister to be his agent? Ha ha ha."

On November 24, 1993, the day after the game between the Jazz and the Mavericks, Lin Han was called to the office by General Manager Scott Layden early in the morning. In the Jazz's general manager's office, a man unfamiliar to Lin Han was纠缠着 (harassing) him, and Lin Han's expression was not very pleasant. The man纠缠着 (harassing) him, making Lin Han very annoyed, was none other than the 'big-name' NBA agent Mark Termini.

Speaking of Mark Termini, although many NBA fans may not be very familiar with him, and he is not as prominent in the NBA as Jordan's agent David Falk, this guy is well-known in the NBA management and player circles, with a very bad reputation.

This is because he is one of the worst agents in the NBA, and he is considered the biggest culprit behind the Mavericks' humiliating 11-71 record last season. Last season, the 1992-1993 season, after the Mavericks selected Jim Jackson with the fourth pick, they were originally planning to make a big move. Although the Mavericks were rebuilding, their roster was not bad, with some All-Star players. The biggest weakness in their lineup was the small forward position, which is why they selected Jim Jackson with the fourth pick in 1992.

It's worth noting that while 1993 is considered a strong draft year, it pales in comparison to 1992. The 1992 NBA draft not only had Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning, who both averaged 20+10 in their rookie seasons, but even the 1984 draft, known as the "Golden Generation," only had Hakeem Olajuwon averaging 20+10, and only Jordan and Olajuwon averaging over 20 points per game. In 1984, only eight rookies averaged over 10 points per game, and only Jordan and Olajuwon averaged over 15 points per game. In 1992, two rookies averaged over 20 points per game, seven averaged over 15 points per game, and 14 averaged over 10 points per game. And it wasn't just scoring; the 1992 draft class was also exceptional in other areas like rebounding.

In 1992, the Mavericks selected Jim Jackson to address their small forward position, and even if they hadn't chosen Jim Jackson, they had plenty of other options. This shows how much the Mavericks valued Jim Jackson, giving him the fourth pick. However, what shocked the Mavericks' fans, management, and even the entire NBA was that after selecting Jim Jackson, his agent, Mark Termini, who is now trying to persuade Lin Han, said he wouldn't let Jim Jackson sign without a big contract.

This also highlights the awkward situation the Mavericks faced last year. Their newly drafted player didn't report to the team, and there was no one to complain to. The treatment NBA rookies enjoy now is simply outrageous. If a player doesn't want to, the team can only wait, and the only way to get them is to offer more money.

In the end, as the fourth pick in the 1992 draft, Jim Jackson only played 28 games for the Mavericks last season. Why only 28 games? Because under the influence of his agent, he only signed with the Mavericks near the end of the season, causing the Mavericks, who were aiming for the playoffs, to end up with a humiliating 11-71 record. This incident last year truly shocked the NBA and the entire American sports world.

So, recently, many team owners and general managers have been hoping the league will impose some restrictions on these NBA rookies. These young players are becoming increasingly arrogant, and if not restricted, one day a talented rookie might dare to ask for a 10-year, $100 million contract. Don't think it's impossible; it's very possible, and the team might have no choice but to agree.

"Lin, you should understand that I am the one who can maximize your value. You have a brighter financial future than Jordan. What you lack is someone to convert your value into money, and I am that person."

Lin Han is the most sought-after player by all NBA agents, and this is undeniable. How could over 300 agents not be interested in a player like Lin Han? Even Jordan's agent contacted the Jazz, hoping the Jazz would inform Lin Han, but Lin Han ultimately rejected David Falk's overtures.

If Lin Han doesn't even consider Jordan's agent, how could he consider Mr. Termini?

So, when Lin Han directly and unequivocally rejected Termini, the agent's face turned very ugly as he left Scott Layden's office.

"Fvck, just a little rookie, and he really thinks he's already Jordan."

Even the contemptuous and sarcastic remark Termini muttered as he left was heard clearly by Lin Han and Scott Layden.

"Mr. Scott, please reject all these agents for me. I have no interest in them."

After watching Termini leave, Lin Han lightly said to his team's general manager. At this moment, Scott Layden shook his head helplessly, not understanding why Lin Han was so averse to these agents.

Does Lin Han have a bad impression of NBA agents? Yes, definitely. NBA agents can bring many benefits to players, but they are not good people. There are about 400 players in the NBA, and there are also about 400 agents. On average, each player has one agent, but in reality, a big-name agent often represents a dozen or even twenty players, while most of the nearly 400 agents have no players at all.

Although there are many NBA players, the competition is fierce. In such a situation, how does an agent without players get players? They resort to all sorts of schemes, even very underhanded ones. And agents with players? To ensure their player resources, they will indulge their players in any bad behavior, from drinking and gambling to drugs, without any scruples. Some unscrupulous agents even try to get leverage over their players.

The NBA Players Association was only established in 1983. In the 1960s, the average NBA player's salary was just over $10,000, and in the 1970s, due to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the NBA's commercial value increased significantly, and player salaries rose accordingly. By the time Jordan entered the NBA, the average player's salary had exceeded $500,000. In this context, the Players Association became necessary, and NBA agents quickly expanded. After the Players Association was established, these agents began to fiercely compete and attack each other.

The result was that a few years ago, it was reported that the average NBA player had an illegitimate child, and no NBA player was clean, with most involved in drugs, gambling, and other vices. Even Magic Johnson contracted HIV. The NBA rose because of money but also fell because of money. In 1991, the Players Association set many obstacles for these agents, but just two years later, these restrictions were almost ineffective.

Anyone willing to pay $10,000 could become an NBA agent. In such a circle, would Lin Han dare to entrust his everything to someone in this circle?

Those stories where a random encounter leads to finding an unknown agent who quickly helps the protagonist build a business empire are just stories. The same goes for stories where a random encounter leads to a beautiful agent who gives everything to the protagonist. The beautiful agents in the NBA agent circle are not someone Lin Han would dare to touch.

He would rather earn less money than deal with these so-called potential agents who are always ready to help the protagonist. As for the well-known agents, take David Falk, Jordan's agent, as an example.

As Jordan's agent, Falk's clients are not just Jordan. He also represents Xavier McDaniel, a small forward who consistently scores over 20 points per game. Although he has never been an All-Star, he is a well-known tough player, excelling in both offense and defense.

Two years ago, McDaniel moved from the SuperSonics to the New York Knicks. In the playoffs that year, during the Knicks' series against the Bulls, McDaniel completely outplayed Scottie Pippen. That year, Pippen was an All-Star starter, had just signed a supermax contract with the Bulls after his rookie deal, and had helped Jordan defeat Magic Johnson, solidifying Jordan's status as a legend. At that time, Pippen was at the peak of his career, and even the team's leader, Jordan, doted on him.

If Pippen said a word, Jordan would do anything for him. Of course, this is an exaggeration, but in reality, during the Knicks' and Bulls' Eastern Conference semifinals that year, Pippen was completely outplayed by McDaniel, and the Bulls, who were expected to win easily, were pushed to a Game 7.

In that series, Pippen had extremely embarrassing performances, such as 2-for-12, 5-for-15, 4-for-13, and 4-for-11. His shooting percentage was poor, and he had many turnovers and fouls. It was a complete embarrassment, and Pippen, who was the Bulls' golden boy, even more so than Jordan, couldn't take it.

After the series against the Knicks, Pippen told Jordan that he didn't like the Knicks' player. When McDaniel's contract with the Knicks expired, he left for the Celtics.

Was it because the Knicks didn't want to renew McDaniel's contract? Of course not. The Knicks offered him a three-year, $8.1 million contract, but it was rejected by David Falk, who is also Jordan's agent.

When McDaniel left the Knicks for the Celtics, even the Knicks' owner, Charles Dolan, said, "The NBA has no rules." This shows how helpless the situation was, and even the new Knicks coach, Pat Riley, was furious. In the face of the Knicks' owner and the NBA's best coach, David Falk's word was final, and McDaniel had to leave the Knicks. The reason was simply that Jordan didn't want his good friend to be unhappy.

If Lin Han had an agent like Falk, he might be sold out without even realizing it. Who could feel at ease?

So, after entering the NBA, Lin Han did consider the issue of an agent, but after much thought, he decided to go it alone. In NBA history, there are many players who did the same, such as the Knicks' legendary center, Willis Reed, the first player to win the All-Star MVP, regular-season MVP, and Finals MVP, who negotiated his own contracts.

"Mr. Scott, please help me with any commercial contracts in the future."

Of course, Lin Han is not as naive as Reed. At the time, Reed had no choice but to do it himself, but now Lin Han is the Jazz's star, and he has the privilege of getting the team to help him. For example, in the previous game against the Knicks, Lin Han was assessed a technical foul, but the team paid the fine for him.

If not necessary, Lin Han doesn't want his older sister to help him with NBA matters. The NBA circle is too chaotic and dirty.

"What a troublesome kid."

Watching Lin Han leave, Jazz General Manager Scott Layden could only shake his head and smile bitterly. This guy is truly unique, both on and off the court.