The shooting stage on the basketball court always has fierce competition and heart-warming moments. In the NBA, the pinnacle league, every team competes, and the team's owner is the hero behind the scenes. Today we focus on the owner of the Nets, Tsai Chongxin, who once mocked the limelight with his huge investment.
Tsai Chongxin joined the Nets with an astonishing $2.4 billion ** and became the controlling shareholder of the team. The investment giant isn't just flaunting his wealth off the court, but in 2019 he bought Barclays Center, the home of the Nets, for $1.1 billion, soaring his total investment to a staggering $3.5 billion. With such a huge amount of investment, he once became a high-profile figure in the spotlight on the NBA stage.
However, behind the glamour is the embarrassment of not seeing a return on investment. The Nets have been losing money for the past five years, and their financial situation has worsened. According to statistics, the total income of the team is 1.3 billion US dollars, but the total expenditure is as high as 16$200 million, a loss of 3$200 million. Player salaries are the biggest expense of all, and the high level of compensation has caused the team to frequently overspend, even exceeding the NBA's luxury tax line, triggering a series of fines.
The Nets successfully signed three superstars such as Irving, Durant and Harden in the summer of 2020, and the team's strength soared to become the championship favorite. However, this team also comes with its own set of problems. The personalities and styles of the three stars in the team are not very compatible, the chemistry on the field is not ideal, and there are constant conflicts. In addition, the main players of the team are in unstable physical condition and frequently injured, which makes it difficult to maintain a full squad for consecutive games. Coupled with the dissatisfaction of the stars with the team's management and tactics, the atmosphere of unity has been greatly affected.
It all exploded in the 2023 playoffs, where the Nets were eliminated by the Bucks in the semifinals. The Big Three are not recovering from injury, and only Durant is barely able to hold on. In the seventh game of the disastrous victory, Durant fought alone, scored 48 points alone, setting a playoff personal scoring record, but lost by 1 point because of his toe stepping on the line, and his dream of the finals was shattered. The defeat left the Big Three disheartened and left the team one after another, the strength of the team dropped significantly, and the confidence of the fans was lost.
Tsai hesitated, realizing that investing in basketball was not a shortcut to high returns. Desperate to stop losses, he decided to ** the Nets in the hope of making up for the loss. However, the market did not buy Tsai's asking price, and the Koch family showed only interest but disputed the selling price, leading to an impasse in the negotiations. Tsai is torn between whether to accept the low price, some **, or retain control, which will determine the future fate of the Nets.
The ups and downs of the Nets are reminiscent of the failures of previous owner Prokhorov. He also invested a huge amount of money, but in the end it ended in failure, and the team was sold to Tsai Chongxin. Such a lesson reminds Tsai Chongxin that money is not the only magic weapon in the NBA, and a successful team needs the tacit coordination of many factors, including the physical condition of the players, chemistry, coaching tactics, management wisdom, etc.
The NBA is a competitive arena where every player needs to work 100 percent to get a foothold. However, there are also players whose money and fame have made people question their attitude towards the game. Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers epitomizes this problem.
Ben Simmons, with excellent body and skills, once had the reputation of "Australian Magician" all over the world. However, his shooting problems have been a well-known sticking point in the NBA. In four seasons, Simmons never made a single three-pointer, shooting zero three-pointers and shooting just 59 free throws7%, mid-range shooting is even more scarce, shooting just 342%。This fatal shortcoming not only affected his own scoring efficiency, but also affected the performance of his teammates.
In the 2024 playoffs, Simmons' performance was suffocating. In Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks, he averaged just five shots per game and five points, four of which came from the free throw line. In the final moments of the game, he chose to pass the ball instead of shooting, and was criticized for being weak and evasive. That performance was the trigger for the Philadelphia 76ers' elimination, and Simmons' problems in the playoffs drew widespread criticism.
The Golden State Warriors' Dream Green even relentlessly bombarded Simmons, calling him "the biggest slacker in the NBA". He accused Simmons of being a disappointing and disgusting player who only cares about salary and fame, and has no concern for the team or his teammates. The remarks sparked widespread concern and controversy, with fans expressing their support or opposition.
Simmons' future is fraught with uncertainty. Whether he will improve his shooting, whether he will be able to keep improving, whether he will be able to regain his confidence, all of this is something he can only tell. His future is both a great challenge and a journey full of opportunities. The young, full of potential, Simmons could change his NBA fortunes if he could face up to the problem and work hard.
The story of the Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers makes people deeply realize that in the NBA, money is important, but the key to success lies in the tacit understanding of the team, the character and hard work of the players. The experiences of Joe Tsai and Simmons are lessons that remind us that success on the basketball court is not easy to achieve. The future of the Nets depends on Tsai's decision-making; Simmons' future hangs in the balance, and he can only write it himself. In this fiercely competitive arena, we will wait and see if they can overcome the predicament and usher in new glories.