Seeing Tang Tian look at him without saying anything, Jordan used his golf club as a cane and continued.
"You were a lot like me back then. We didn't play basketball to chase any particular goal; we enjoyed basketball. Because we felt attached to a city, we chose to win our first championship there, then a second, then a third, building a dynasty.
"But after achieving that, we went after what we wanted. Like me—golf."
As Jordan spoke, he took another swing. It was an exceptional shot, a birdie straight into the hole.
"Whoo! Now this is life!"
Jordan shouted excitedly, then turned around, took a cigar from his assistant, lit it, and took a puff.
"Kemba Walker is a very capable and excellent player. I know he hasn't reached his peak yet, but winning a championship with him is basically unrealistic. But you're different. You can lead a group of newcomers to a title in New Orleans, and you can do the same here, with your best brother."
After Jordan said that, Tang Tian finally understood why he had sought him out.
He wanted to recruit him to play in Charlotte.
Though Jordan had not said it outright, the general meaning was already quite clear.
After Jordan completed three consecutive championships with the Bulls, he felt he had no opponents left. He temporarily lost interest in basketball and retired early to play golf.
Tang Tian had just signed a short three-year extension that summer. Three years later, he could opt out and become a free agent.
If everything went smoothly, he would very likely win four consecutive championships with the Pelicans.
By Jordan's reasoning, Tang Tian's mindset would be the same as his had been then, and he would lose interest in basketball.
If one grew tired of one