120 million yuan was signed in 0 minutes for 3 years! Ricci Paul turned stones into gold, and the Raptors spent the money to hurt.

The free market is so colorful this year. Durant's seven-party transaction set a record. Alexander broke the ceiling of the maximum salary for 285 million in four years, and young people like Jaylen Williams and Ben Keiro also reached the threshold of 287 million in five years.

Rockets played a "reject first and then sign" drama with Van Jordan. 50 million in two years left decent for both sides; Portis was even more ruthless, giving up the 13.4 million player option, and turned to the first three years and kept the Bucks for 44 million in bachelor price. It is hard to say how much of this loyalty premium is. In short, money is flying all over the sky, dazzling.

But outside the feast, some people are happy and some are sad. Look at the guys Kumingga, Gidey, Cameron Thomas, Quentin Grimes, and are eagerly looking forward to a big contract with an annual salary of 30 million yuan. Now the free market is so cold that it can freeze, and their price tags are also shrinking all the way, and the feeling of being unsolved is not good.

Compared with them, Brandon Ingram seemed to have won the first prize! When others were still worried about the contract, he was signed by a Toronto contract and was firmly negotiated by his agent Ritchie Paul for a three-year, $120 million early contract renewal. This operation is amazing!

Touch the timeline. Last season's trading deadline, the Pelicans sent Yingge to the Raptors in exchange for Bruce Brown, Olynick and two draft picks. Throughout the 2024-25 season, Ingram played 18 games (all in the Pelicans), and the data was frozen at 22.2 points + 5.6 rebounds + 5.2 assists. The most important thing is that when someone arrived in Toronto, he didn't even touch the Raptors' jersey, and he was directly reimbursed due to injury until now!

At this critical moment, Ritchie Paul took action. A player who has not played for a minute for his new boss throughout the season and has an injury history has caused the Raptors to pay an average annual maximum salary of 40 million yuan to renew their contract in advance! This negotiation skills are not acceptable. Paul himself has not shy about the show recently: "If Yingge really waits until the summer to enter the free market, will this annual salary of 40 million yuan? There is no such thing as a family."

These words are not mixed with water at all. Looking at the reality, it is hard to get a new force such as Kumingga and Jidi. Ingram's attendance rate last season and his long "standby state" after joining the Raptors, who would dare to get a three-year maximum salary so happily? The Raptors' management signed the contract at that time, and it was considered polite to describe it as "radical".

Looking back, the Raptors spent 120 million in the past three years, it really tastes like a sucker. As a star who has not yet proven to be able to play for the team healthily, he will immediately renew his contract with a maximum salary after the transaction. This courage (or impulse) is one of the most puzzling puzzles in the market this summer.

And Ritchie Paul once again confirmed his position as a top agent with the "turning stones into gold" through this public relations and negotiation skills. Not only did he help customers avoid the cruel free market battle, but he also forced himself to open the vault door and won a fat contract that far exceeded market expectations in an unfavorable situation. Is the Raptors worth spending this money? Time will give the answer. But at least for the moment, this signing has become an excellent footnote for the game between smart brokers and risky management. In the NBA, a top agent can sometimes turn decay into magic and turn stones into gold. This is the sound of basketball, thank you for your likes and attention.