In the evening, Li Dai received a phone call from Nathan Hall, and as Li Dai expected, he promised to come to the Clippers.The next specific signing price is negotiated by team manager Johnson.

Just after lunch, Johnson returned to the hotel.

“Have you been able to negotiate so soon?”Lee could not have imagined that Johnson would be so efficient.

"We've got some lunch together."Johnson sat down and continued: "Hall thought we would only give him a one-year contract, so he was surprised when I offered a one-plus-one contract, and although the second year was a team option, he didn't hesitate to say yes."

Li nodded, then said: "I can guarantee that Hall will not have a problem in the next three years, if Hall is good enough next season, I will persuade the team, do not execute his second year contract, and then give him a higher salary."

"Coach Li, I don't quite understand why we don't give him a three-year contract directly, we can open the price lower, so that the interests of the team will also be maximized."Johnson asked.

"What we need is for the players to play hard, imagine, if they don't give him enough pay, how can he work for the team?You don’t have to do a million jobs, you’re only going to get a hundred thousand dollars, are you?So in my vision, give him at least a big contract for a year.And next summer, Wood's more than 30 million and the same couple expires, and we can free up a lot of salary space."Li Dai smiled, and then comforted: "Rest assured, if Hall can really return to the state of the year, even if we give him a top salary, we can earn it back."

“Hall is done, who shall we go to?”Johnson then asked.

"Go to Houston and find the most famous guy."Li Dai finished, but sighed.

“What do you sigh?”Johnson asked a few questions.

"I've done it before, and Nathan Hall should be the easiest person to be invited to us, and then we might touch the nail."Li Dai said.

“Are you worried that Raymond won’t accept our invitation?”Johnson asked.

"Raymond is a true superstar, he has made hundreds of millions of dollars in his career, he has won the scoring champion, he has been in the All-Star team, he has entered the best team, and he will even become a member of the Hall of Fame in the future.So I really didn’t think about what to do with him.You can only take a step forward.”Li Dai said.

"Yes, two NBA scoring champion, seven All-Star selections, the rookie season will become the youngest two-sever pair player in history, 21 years ago, there are more than 26 points per game, the peak period can get 32 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, and that time by God 35.13 minutes ... Raymond's past achievements, indeed called great!"Perhaps only a championship will have a chance to impress him."Johnson said.

“You’re right, maybe Raymond is only interested in championships, but we’re not a championship team yet.If we get to him now and say, 'Join us, go to the championship,' maybe he'll think we're crazy."Lee said.

"Maybe he'll treat us like liars."Johnson laughed.

...

As a former superstar, Raymond's mansion is more like a castle, and Raymond personally met Li Dai at the gate.

"Coach Lee, welcome to you."Raymond hugged Li Dai and said, "The last time the Clippers came to Houston, I went to the Toyota Center to see you and the Rockets, and I was very impressed with you and the Clippers, and you were really resilient."

Raymond ushered Li Dai into the living room, and after the guest master took the seat, Raymond's wife brought a few cups of juice.

After the two people chatted for a few words, Raymond then asked, "Coach Li, I don't know why you came to me, why?"

"I want to invite you to join the Clippers."Li Dai said bluntly.

Raymond did not appear very surprised, he smiled and nodded, and then said: "Coach Li, thank you for your kindness, but I am afraid I can't promise you."In fact, before the Rockets also sent me an invitation, hoping that I can enter their management, or enter the coaching staff, but also I refused, I have now retired, I just want to rest, spend more time with my family, from time to time to take to Toyota Center to see a line of ball.I am content with this life now.”

"No, Mr. Raymond, you misunderstand me. I didn't mean to invite you to the Clippers management and coaching staff, I'm going to invite you to play on the Clippers."Li added: "Playing as a player."

“Playing?Do you want me to come back?”At last there was a look of surprise on Raymond’s face.

Li Dai nodded very seriously: "Yes, I want to invite you to come back."

“Coach Lee, are you kidding?”Raymond shook his head, "I'm retired, I'm not going to play anymore."

"Raymond, don't be in a hurry to refuse, you can listen to our conditions first."Johnson said quickly.

Raymond put his hand: "Even if you give me a top salary, I will not come back, I have played the ball for so many years, but also got enough honors, I am tired, I do not want to come back."Maybe in a few years, the NBA Hall of Fame will be engraved with my name.I just want to spend more time with my family.”

“Raymond, have you played basketball for so many years, are you really willing to put it down?”Johnson then asked.

“If I want to play, I can call a few friends, play on the court, or go to the Rockets training ground.But I'm not going to play a professional game."Raymond refused.

Johnson wanted to speak again, but was stopped by Lee Dai, who said to Raymond, "I understand, since you have made a decision, we will not force it, but I hope you will consider it again."This is my card, and if you have the intention of making a comeback, call me."

Li Dai took out his business card, handed it to Raymond, and then said, "Of course, if you want to find a friend to talk to, there is no problem."

"That's for sure, next time I'm going to L.A., I'll visit you on the Clippers."Raymond smiled and took Li Dai's card.

...

Li Dai and Johnson walked to Raymond's villa, and the Raimonds personally sent them to the door.

The two got into the car, and Johnson asked, “Lee, you’re going to give up like this?”We can continue to persuade him, or you can come up with your brochure and tell him that you've got a lot of athletes back to their peak, just like we persuaded Hall."

"Of course we can't just give up, but Raymond and Hall, Raymond is a superstar, he once had too many honors, the usual conditions can not arouse his desire to play, like you hold a hundred dollars, can not buy a billionaire." 」So we're going to find something that moves Raymond."Lee Daiyinton nodded and smiled and said, "Now start the question-and-answer session, what is it that can make Raymond have the desire to play again?"

God knows what he cares about!”Johnson shook his head somewhat in disheart, then asked, “Do you know?”

"I don't know.But I have a way of knowing.”Li Dai replied with a smile.

“What way?”Johnson asked urgently.

Have you ever watched a TV show?When you don’t know the answer, you can choose to ask for help from the audience outside the venue!”Li Dai said he picked up his phone.

“Ask the outside audience?”Johnson was still glaring, and then he saw that Lee had taken out his phone and asked, “Who are you going to call?”

“Export audience.Or, like Raymond."Li Dai dialed a number and made a "hush" gesture at the same time.

...

“Jimmy, I’m Li Dai, yeah, long time no see, have you been okay lately?”

"I'm in trouble, there's something to help you, to be precise, there's something to ask you."

"After you retire, do you feel sorry for things, or is there anything that will make you feel the urge to return to the game?"

“Oh, that’s it, I understand.Thank you very much, Jimmy.

Lee ended the first call.

“Who did you call?Jimmy?“What basketball star?”Johnson asked incredulously.

"It's Jimmy Alvin."Lee answered.

“The King of the 400m, Jimmy Irwin!”Johnson's eyes showed a rare color of worship, of course, this is the worship of Irwin.

At this point, Li Dai dialed the second phone number.

“Oh, hey, Lee!“How did you call me, did you come to Switzerland?”A man’s voice sounded from the phone.

"No, I'm still in the U.S., but there's something I want to ask you for help, but there's a question I want to ask you."Li Dai said.

“Is it about racing?”Ask each other.

“Yes, my car broke down on the road, so I called and asked you how to fix it?”Lee said, laughing.

The other party also knew that Li Dai was joking, so he said, “OK, no problem, I must know everything.”I'm a master, give me some accessories, I can assemble a car out of my own."

Li Dai directly entered the question: "After you retire, do you feel sorry for things, or is there anything that will make you feel the impulse to return to the game?"

“How can you ask such a question?”They say something incomconcerable to each other.

"I don't want the official answer that the reporter interviewed, I want to know, what you really think inside you."Li Dai then said.

The other party thought about it and gave Li Dai an answer, and Li Dai talked to the other party after a few words before he hung up the phone.

“Who is this time?”Johnson next to him asked.

“Helheim.”Lee responded.

“The car king?You know a lot of big-name athletes."There was some soreness in Johnson’s words.

Li Dai did not pay attention to Johnson, but dialed a third phone number.

...

When the car arrived at the hotel, Li Dai had already made several phone calls and talked to him, all of whom were retired as the world's top athletes.

Next to Johnson to see Li Dai's eyes, but also from the initial with a little jealousy of envy, into admiration of surprise, and finally helpless numbness.

Johnson never thought that Lee would know so many of the world’s top athletes.At this time, Johnson finally realized that the title of the world's top coach was not in vain.

Johnson is also a mess of the NBA for many years, he knows a lot of basketball professionals, but on other projects, Johnson can't do it.

Li Dai has accumulated resources for many years, and finally played out at this moment, he has provided physical training or rehabilitation training for many top athletes, which allowed him to contact many of the world's top athletes in the first time, and then got the answer he wanted.If it is someone else's, there is absolutely no such efficiency as Li Dai.

The two came to the hotel restaurant and ordered afternoon tea, while Johnson kept urging to know what Lee had just said to the top athletes.

When the afternoon tea was delivered, Li Dai said: "I just asked several of the world's top athletes, they have stood at the top of the world, have won a lot of honor, but also have a lot of wealth, their situation and Raymond is very similar, success and then retired, but it is a different sports."When I ask if there’s anything that brings them back into the game, guess what the answer is?”

“The love of a sport?”Like Hall, he loves basketball, so he promised to come back.”Johnson guessed.

Lee shook his head, and Johnson went on to guess: “That’s honor, like some honor they’ve never had, or a record they’ve never wanted to break, and for that, maybe the top athletes will be back on the field?”

Li Da still shook his head.

“It’s never for the money, is it?Surely not.The best athletes in the world don't have money, and they shouldn't get back on the field for the money."Johnson put his hands together and said, "I can't really think of it."

“In fact, everyone I asked me had the same answer, some people said that when they saw other athletes on the podium, there would be a comeback impulse; some people said that when they think of the feeling of defeating their opponents, there will be a comeback impulse; some people say that when they remember their glorious moments, there will be a comeback... There are many answers, but in the end, it is just a matter of time.”Li Dai deliberately slowed down the speed of speech, and then said:

“That is victory!”

"Whether it is on the podium, or the victory over the opponent, or the most brilliant moment, it is nothing more than the embodiment of victory, so the most exciting for those of the world's top athletes should be the feeling of victory, even if they have retired, they will nostalgize this feeling."I think 'victory' is the only thing that can move Raymond."

“It makes sense.”Johnson nodded, “What are you going to do?”

"Two days in Houston, I'm going to arrange some people and do something."Lee responded.

...

Early in the morning, Raymond was wearing a hoodie and running on the road near his home.

Running in the morning before breakfast, it had become Raymond’s habit.Although his knee was injured and could not bear the high load of exercise, this short-term aerobic exercise was still able to withstand it.

A car came far away, Raymond subconsciously leaned toward the side of the road to avoid being hit by the car, but the car stopped beside him.

One of the people in the car was Li Dai.

“Coach Lee?You came to me?”Raymond stopped, he knew that Li Dai early in the morning, a special trip from downtown Houston to come here, must find something for himself, and nine out of ten or nine still want to persuade himself to join the vetting boat, Raymond even ready to refuse to say.

However, Li Dai said, "My training center recently sent a promotional video to show you."

Li Dai said, took out the tablet.

Raymond couldn’t understand what Li Dai was going to do, and he was polite, he took the tablet, then sat down on the side of the road and began to look at the video content on the tablet.

This video is more like a clip of a championship moment, which records the peak moment of athletes in different sports, there are sprinters who have crossed the finish line, there are high jumpers who climb over a height, there are weightlifters who lift a weight, there are rugby players to complete a touchdown, and of course there are basketball players who shoot a kill.

Every athlete will have the action to celebrate when winning, they seem to be excited, more crazy, with passionate music, more people feel that the hormone bursts, and even unconsciously excited.

Suddenly, a subtitle appeared:

“That’s how victory feels!”

Li Dai’s voice sounded from the side: “How do you feel?”

"Ah, yes, it looks heart-blower."Raymond answered unconsciously.

“That’s how victory feels!”Li Dai repeated the sentence on the subtitle, and then asked: "How long have you not experienced, the feeling of victory?"

Raymond was slightly surprised, he did not expect Li Dai will suddenly ask this question, at the same time he felt that he was difficult to answer this question, he recalled that he had been on the court, but he could not help but lose some of his mind.

"In fact, this is also the reason why I came to you, I want to ask you to come back, but also hope that we can cast victory together!" 」Li Dai got up, patted Raymond on the shoulder, and said, “If you want to taste this triumph again, call me!”

Li Dai finished and went straight to the car.

The car started, gradually away, leaving only Raymond sitting in the same place, holding the tablet in a daze.

...

“Are you doing this trick?”Johnson in the car asked.

"I don't know either."Li Dai shook his head and then said, "Actually, I am also gambling on how much he wants to win!"