LBJ從總冠軍戰賽後到決定加盟湖人始末 - NBA

Inside Decision 3.0: LeBron James Follows in the Footsteps of Legends


LOS ANGELES — Three days after he lost the NBA Finals or the sixth time, LeB
ron James underwent a root canal. For 72 hours he sat alone inside his Ohio ma
nsion, wife and three children away at an out-of-town AAU tournament, flanked
only by a chef preparing meals he wasn’t able to eat. As he recovered from on
e root canal, he pondered another, more painful and stubborn. The Warriors, as
usual, gave him something to chew on.

在NBA總決賽失利三天，生涯總冠軍賽失利第六次後，LBJ接受了牙根管手術。72小時內，
他單獨坐在他位於俄亥俄州的豪宅中，妻兒在城外參加AAU錦標賽，家裡只有一個廚師陪
著他，他為LBJ準備了
食物，但他因為剛做完牙根管手術根本無法進食，而雖然牙齒的治療完成了，另一個更麻
煩和棘手的事卻讓他頭疼--勇士。

In the two weeks following the Finals, James held three meetings at home with
his closest advisors, in which they attempted to peg free-agent destinations w
here he might be able to satisfy his family and eventually vault his nemesis.
Their talks focused on the Rockets, 76ers, Lakers and Cavaliers. James instruc
ted his agent, Rich Paul, to research those organizations and present him with
feedback when he returned from a vacation in Anguilla.

總冠軍賽兩周之後，LBJ和他最親密的顧問在家開了三次會，努力定下最讓他家人滿意，
最能讓宿敵受創的下家目的地。他們討論的重點集中在火箭、76人、湖人以及騎士。LBJ
指示他的經紀人Rich Paul去研究上述球隊，並在他從安圭拉度假歸來後給予他回饋。


James has slow-pedaled his last two free-agent decisions, but from the moment
his private plane landed at Van Nuys Airport in L.A. on Saturday, he was proce
eding with unusual urgency. He met with Paul extensively Saturday and planned
communication with the Cavs, Sixers and Lakers. But he was clearly focused on
the new home team. He talked with Kobe Bryant over the phone and invited Magic
Johnson to his house in Brentwood. Late Saturday night, Johnson walked throug
h the door.

LBJ過去的兩次自由球員決定都極為緩慢，但當他的私人飛機於當地時間周六著陸在洛杉
磯的機場時，他展現出了不同尋常的緊迫感。他和Rich Paul見了面，計劃和騎士、76人
以及湖人展開溝通。此時他就已將焦點放在尋找一支新的球隊，他和Kobe Bryant通過電
話進行了溝通，邀請Magic Johnson來到他位於Brentwood的家中。當地時間周六晚，Magi
c Johnson來到了他的家。


Much was made of the Lakers quest to acquire Kawhi Leonard from the Spurs or s
ign Paul George from the Thunder as a precursor to landing James. Johnson, alr
eady jilted by George, didn’t have either in hand. James explained that he wa
s in no rush, even at 33, and did not have a problem being the first headliner
through the door. He wants to build a contender that lasts and believes the L
akers possess the recruiters, the assets and the salary cap space to do it.

很多人認為得到LBJ前湖人必須先想辦法從馬刺那交易得到可愛，或是在自由市場中簽下P
G，但此時PG已經不會去湖人了，LBJ向Magic Johnson解釋，他雖然33歲了，但他並不急
，他對於成為湖人的第一個重磅引援毫不介意，他想要打造一支奪冠熱門球隊，他相信湖
人具備可以招募球員的人、資產以及薪資空間。

In Cleveland, James played for Dan Gilbert and in Miami for Pat Riley. He rela
tes to Johnson, the Lakers president, on an entirely different level. In terms
of personality, playing style, community involvement and business aspiration,
there may be only one figure in sports quite like James, and it’s Johnson. J
ames’s associates could sense that the idea of a partnership with Johnson ent
hralled him.

在熱火和騎士分別為Pat Riley和Dan Gilbert打球，Magic Johnson在各方面風格都和他
們完全不同，不管是個性，社區參與，商業抱負等，和LBJ共事的夥伴認為能和Magic Joh
nson合作的想法讓LBJ感到著迷。

On Sunday morning, James ate breakfast with his wife on the patio at A Votre S
ante in Brentwood. Gavin Newsom, the Democratic candidate for governor of Cali
fornia, stopped at their table and asked where he was headed. James kept quiet
. Maria Shriver, the former First Lady of California, also swung by and delive
red her case for the Lakers.

當地時間周日早上，LBJ在Brentwood和他的妻子共進了早餐。遇到了加州州長的民主黨候
選人Gavin Newsom，他認出了LBJ，詢問他將前往哪一支球隊。LBJ沒有說話。前加州第一
夫人Maria Shriver也走了過來，向LBJ推薦湖人。

There is little doubt the club’s cache played as much a part in James’s thin
king as Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. James grew up a Cowboys and a Yankees f
an, but he has never suited up for an iconic institution. Even though the Rock
ets and Sixers are loaded in comparison to the Lakers, they did not capture th
e imagination in the same way.

毫無疑問，在LeBron作出決定時，這些人或許扮演著和湖人球員Lonzo Ball、Brandon In
gram一樣重要的作用。LBJ從小作為達拉斯牛仔隊和紐約洋基隊的粉絲，但他從來沒有為
一支標誌性的球隊打球
，即使是火箭或76人都比不上湖人的吸引力。

On Sunday afternoon, James and his wife went back to Van Nuys Airport. They we
re flying east again, this time to Europe, for a couple’s trip. His advisors
didn’t know if he’d pick a team before he left for Europe or after he landed
, or even after he returned. They prepared an old-fashioned press release unde
r the letterhead of Paul’s agency, Klutch Sports Group, but they weren’t sur
e if or when they’d distribute it.

當地時間周日下午，LBJ和他的妻子回到了Van Nuys機場，他們去了歐洲，這是他們兩個
人的旅行。他的顧問並不清楚，在前往歐洲之前，LBJ是否已經做出選擇。他們已經準備
好了一份老式的新聞稿，抬頭為Rich Paul的經紀公司Klutch Sports Group。但他們不確
定何時會發布。

James phoned Paul as he was boarding the private plane. “Call the Lakers,” h
e said.

當LBJ登上他的私人飛機之時，他給Rich Paul打了電話。“打給湖人。”LBJ說。


By Sunday night, James was in Europe, leaving the party behind. Expect no inte
rviews, no videos, no elaborate explanations for at least a month. Changing te
ams for a third time, and leaving Cleveland for a second, is not a cause for c
elebration. He is no closer to the Warriors than he was three weeks ago, excep
t geographically. He embarks on a new road north, following the footsteps of l
egends.

到了當地時間周日晚上，LBJ已經抵達了歐洲，確定離開了騎士，至少一個月將沒有任何
採訪，沒有任何影片，沒有任何精心準備好的解釋。第三次轉隊第二次離開克里夫蘭並沒
有任何值得慶祝的理由，除了地理位置外，他並沒有比三週前距離勇士更近，但這位當代
傳奇的腳步
，已經踏向前往北方的道路。


來源：

https://on.si.com/2z7MEwi



短評或心得：

老大有起到作用！？

#LBJ不急

( 若有翻譯不好的地方會改進)


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