manynovel Chapter 232 The NBA Draft Begins! A Dynasty Roster Emerges
Chapter 232 The NBA Draft Begins! A Dynasty Roster Emerges
Chapter 232 The NBA Draft Begins! The First Signs of a Dynasty Roster Emerge!
Lin Tian had already received a system notification the moment the match ended.
The season-end rating gift pack has been distributed!
Lin Tian didn't rush to open the gift pack on the court. Instead, after he had had his fill of merriment with everyone, while everyone was celebrating, Lin Tian sat comfortably in a corner of the locker room, lit a cigar, and then opened the once-a-season gift pack!
"Season ratings are in progress..."
"Season ratings are out!"
Personal data rating: S!
Team Status Rating: S+!
Team performance rating: S-!
"Highlight Competition Rating: S-!"
Overall rating: S-!
"The season's ultimate gift pack has been issued to the host. Gift pack level: S-. Would you like to open the gift pack immediately?"
This S- gift package was entirely within Lin Tian's expectations.
Based on his experience from the previous two seasons, he has gradually figured out some systematic rating patterns.
For example, in terms of personal statistics, although he won the assists title and the steals title, and his scoring ranked among the top five in the league, these statistics are still somewhat unremarkable in the historical context. It is likely that unless Lin Tian achieves some historically significant statistics, he will not be able to get an S+ rating in this category.
As for the team's record, Lin Tian guessed that as long as they win the championship, they will definitely be guaranteed an S- rating. As for S or S+, they will most likely need to win more games in the regular season or win all their games in the playoffs.
Given his low number of wins in the regular season, getting an S- was actually within Lin Tian's expectations. He didn't hesitate at all and immediately opened the system gift pack to see what new things he could get this year.
"Open!"
"Host has gained 8000 experience points!"
"Host has obtained a monthly subscription trial card for top-tier basketball players!"
"1987-1988 Season Michael Jordan Experience Card (Monthly Subscription)!"
That's awesome!
Even with Lin Tian's self-control, he couldn't resist taking another big puff of his cigar while looking at the trial card!
88赛季的乔丹，那可是赛季场均35分5.5篮板5.9助攻3.2抢断1.6盖帽的怪物！
This season was also Jordan's first individual MVP season!
This season, Jordan also won the only Defensive Player of the Year award of his career!
It can be said that this season was Jordan's most terrifying season in terms of statistics! Whether it was offense, defense, passing, or rebounding, he was at the peak of his career. It was also from this season that Jordan began his record of being selected to the All-Defensive First Team nine times in a row.
Of course, Jordan also won his second scoring title this season.
Well, that's not worth mentioning, since Jordan won eight more in a row later on.
But regardless, it was from this season onwards that more and more people began to believe that Jordan was the best player in the league! His ability surpassed that of everyone else!
This season's Jordan is an absolute two-way player, an absolute ball-handling powerhouse!
Even after receiving the monthly trial card, Lin Tian didn't care at all that the system didn't give him any other rewards, and that he had no talent or skills.
If the system had something like a prize pool, then this trial card would definitely be an SSR or top-tier legendary orange equipment.
If Lin Tian is still not satisfied with all of this, plus almost twice the experience points he had before, then that would be going too far!
People, know how to be content!
After unpacking the season pack, Lin Tian stood up from the corner and shouted excitedly, "Let's go! We've had enough fun, let's leave! Larry said he's paying for everything tonight!"
……
Asian prodigy sparks a new craze! Leading his team to championship, he becomes the first Asian player to win the NBA Finals MVP!
《总决赛场均34+10+8+4+2，林天总决赛表现能排在历史第几？》
A Look at the Top Five Individual Finals Performances in NBA History! Lin Tianke Makes the Top Three, But the Number One Is Surprisingly Him!
Behind the most predictable NBA Finals in history: Is the East too strong or the West too weak?
The third championship team of the 90s has emerged! Can Indiana forge another new dynasty?
"A 22-year wait! The Pacers' first NBA championship since joining the league! Indiana celebrates!"
At just 24 years old, Lin Tian already has three championships! Is it only a matter of time before he surpasses Magic Johnson?
Step by step, a detailed account of Lin Tian's growth over the past three years!
From second-round pick to Sixth Man of the Year, from All-Star MVP to Finals MVP, Lin Tian's rise to stardom is astonishing!
The Jazz returned to Salt Lake City overnight, leaving Jerry Sloan disheartened. In the post-game press conference, Sloan announced his resignation as head coach!
Is the Jazz about to break up? After Sloan expressed his desire to resign, Stockton also said his career was over!
Jazz owner gives his full support! Following Sloan's resignation announcement, the owner stated that he can stay as head coach as he wants!
A rare heartwarming moment in Salt Lake City: the owner personally picks up his team at the airport; the Jazz may not be facing a rebuild!
……
Reports and news articles were being rapidly reviewed, formatted, and printed in the offices of major media outlets, even before the next morning. Everything was just waiting for a sales boom the next morning!
Tonight, sports media across the United States are destined to have a sleepless night!
They will definitely have to increase the printing volume to cope with the expected surge in sales tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, long after the game ended, the entire nation of China was engulfed in a wave of jubilation!
All the fans were jubilant and roared wildly; strange shouts could be heard from many neighborhoods early in the morning.
Many schools skipped classes that morning and instead showed the NBA Finals game to their students!
After all, although this is Lin Tian’s third consecutive year playing in the Finals, this is the first time he has appeared on the NBA Finals stage as the primary core player!
While the NBA today cannot compare to the top five European leagues in terms of influence and is at best a second- or third-tier sports league in the world, as one of the three major ball sports, basketball's mass appeal is only slightly less than that of football!
This is a truly big project, not some niche sport like water polo, ice hockey, or baseball!
Therefore, Lin Tian alone can truly ignite a basketball craze throughout China!
In those three years, countless basketball courts were built across China, and countless children began playing basketball.
Even though China's economy is not particularly developed at present, in the past three years, basketball training classes, which were originally regarded by many parents as a scourge and a waste of time, have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.
Cheers and shouts echoed from countless schools, factories, and residential areas!
This is the first NBA Finals MVP ever won by a Chinese person!
Meanwhile, what excited all Chinese fans even more was that Su Qun revealed some information during his summary after the finals.
"If nothing unexpected happens, Lin Tian will join the Chinese men's national basketball team next summer and lead the team in next year's Asian Championship! Of course, Lin Tian will also be present at the Olympics and the World Championships!"
As for what the accident was, and what caused Lin Tian to miss the national team for the previous two years, leading to the national team's defeat in Riyadh in 1997 and missing this year's World Championships, although Su Qun did not say, this matter has been widely rumored in the public!
Many Chinese people now know that Lin Tian failed to join the national team in the previous two years purely because some people did not want him to go, or rather, some people said that if you want to play for the country, you have to show sincerity!
The incident of a director being slapped in the face by an unknown person in his office, though the entire Basketball Association kept silent and no one dared to speak of it, had already spread throughout the country through various channels.
Of course, this rumor has become increasingly exaggerated and distorted over time, with some even claiming that a certain director was attacked by trolls who pointed their fingers at his head, or that he was tied up and nearly thrown into the wild lake behind the Summer Palace.
But no matter what exactly happened, now the whole country knows that Lin Tian failed to make the national team and the Chinese team failed to qualify for the World Championships this year, all because of a certain director!
If it weren't for a powerful figure stepping in to help, Lin Tian might not have been able to compete in next year's Asian Championships or the Olympics the year after!
Amid mounting public pressure across the country, even though the director was seething with rage and wanted nothing more than to tear Su Qun apart and devour her for uttering those words on the show, he had no choice but to suppress his anger and schedule an exclusive interview with Su Qun.
In the interview, he explained that Lin Tian's failure to enter the national team was due to an unexpected situation caused by a collision of uncontrollable factors from all parties. Both he and Lin Tian had already reached a consensus on the matter of the national team!
He hopes the national team will get better and better, and has long wanted Lin Tian to join the team. Lin Tian is also full of desire and expectation for representing the country!
Now that all the objective factors have been resolved, the two sides will surely be able to unite perfectly in the days to come!
This time, the director really didn't dare to cause any trouble, nor did he dare to speak sarcastically or say anything bad about Lin Tian during the interview. After all, he remembered the painful experience from last time very clearly!
He knows all too well what he can and cannot do to have climbed to this position!
He would never cause trouble for himself at this time.
In particular, he is now facing not only pressure from above, but also supervision from below!
Even if he were stupid, he would know that Lin Tian had become a symbol, a symbol worshipped by the entire nation, a brand new sports idol! A sports symbol that, since the women's volleyball team in the 80s, is worthy of the worship of the whole nation!
Even without that incident, he really wouldn't dare to provoke someone like that!
A man who can bend and stretch!
The basketball craze in China has already ignited, and Stern received a formal offer of cooperation from China just a few days after the Finals ended. They wanted to discuss the number of broadcast games, fees, and other issues with him.
After hanging up the phone from China and agreeing to discuss the specific cooperation plan in detail this summer, Stern was so excited that he almost cheered!
His NBA globalization plan has finally taken another important step!
This excitement even made Stern temporarily forget about the more troubling issue of the labor agreement.
However, even now that the season has officially ended, Stern is not too worried about the collective bargaining agreement.
He believes that this matter can be perfectly resolved during the offseason and will absolutely not affect the start of the next season!
He does not believe that the conflict between labor and management is irreconcilable, nor does he believe that either side would forgo making money, or would kill the goose that lays the golden eggs for a little profit!
As for Lin Tian and the Pacers, they celebrated wildly for many days after winning the championship, visiting almost every fun place in Indiana.
In the end, it was Barkley who couldn't take it anymore and called a timeout.
Anyway, the team's championship parade was already over. If it weren't for the fact that these guys were so happy after winning their first championship that they insisted on getting together and having some fun, these players would have already scattered and gone off to find their own enjoyment.
In late June, after the Pacers had disbanded, Lin Tian and Bird came to Madison Square Garden in New York.
They have a very important matter to attend to today!
NBA Draft!
As Lin Tian and Bird sat in the Pacers' draft strategy meeting room, Lin Tian looked at Bird curiously and asked, "Where's Isaiah? Even that guy ran away, not showing up for his assigned work?"
"Isaiah won't be showing up in our office anymore," Bird shrugged. "He's probably been spurred on by our success this year and is now determined to shine in management, so he's already started contacting people about new jobs."
"Where did he go?" Lin Tian was a little curious. After Thomas had made a name for himself with the Pacers, would he have gone to report to the Knicks so soon?
"Toronto!" Bird said, suppressing a laugh. "He's also the general manager and head coach. I hope he succeeds, and I hope he and Jaylen get along well."
Upon hearing Bird's words, Lin Tian suddenly remembered that Thomas had indeed spent a few years in Toronto before going to New York!
Well, aside from selecting Carter, there wasn't anything else worth mentioning.
No, there's one more—
They didn't renew his contract or match him with McGrady, and watched helplessly as this exceptionally talented guy went to the Magic without a contract.
All I can say is that while bad management may have their own unique ways of being bad, they all have one thing in common: they are extravagant when they should be saving money, but stingy when they should be spending it.
However, Lin Tian didn't think too much about Thomas going to the Raptors. Anyway, with Thomas's level and the Raptors' current roster, this team won't be able to make it to the playoffs for at least five or six years.
What we need to do now is see who the Pacers will draft this year.
This year's Pacers have a total of 4 draft picks: two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
They are the fourth pick from the Raptors, the 24th pick from the Pacers, the second pick from the second round from the Raptors, and the 24th pick from the second round from the Pacers.
With four draft picks, including a high-quality fourth pick, the Pacers have a real chance to make some good moves in the draft today and select several promising stars for the team!
"We're missing quite a few players this year." Bird flipped through the draft reports in his hand. He started intensive tryouts three days after the Finals ended. Because the team had four draft picks, covering everything from the first round to the second round, from the lottery to the end, there were countless rookies trying out for the Pacers this time.
Players with top-five prospects like Carter, Jamison, Lafrentz, and Bibby, but even more players are those with a chance of being drafted in the late first or second round, such as Ricky Davis, Tyronn Lue, Al Harrington, and Ruben Paterson…
Over the course of a week, Bird worked out with at least 20 rookies and had one-on-one conversations with more than half of them to understand their mindset and personality.
Honestly, Bird is having a real headache right now because he's seen so many draft picks in such a short time that he's starting to lose track of who's who. But thankfully, Bird is perfectly clear about his choice of the fourth pick.
"Danny and Joe have both made it clear to me that they will choose to retire this offseason and will no longer play basketball. Especially Danny, if I don't let him go back to Boston, I think the old man will probably take a gun and come straight to Indiana to kill me."
"Joe is in a similar situation. Detroit has promised him a management position, and Best will also be leaving this offseason. So we suddenly have three open roster spots on the perimeter that we need to fill."
"But we also have big problems in the paint. Dale needs to re-sign, Rick is also likely to opt out of his contract, and then there's Charles. He's been so unruly lately, I'm really worried about whether he'll be able to get back to the team when the season starts."
"Oh right, we also need to add a player to the small forward position. Otherwise, apart from Doug, we really don't have any reliable small forwards. Just having Reggie fill in isn't a long-term solution."
"Let's go one by one then." Lin Tian looked at the list, several of which were names he recognized very well: "Who should I pick for number 4?"
"Vince Carter!" Bird didn't hesitate at all when asked this question, and said directly, "My sources tell me that the Clippers want an inside player, and they are likely to select that kid Ogvorkandy. They think his personality and physical condition are worth taking a gamble on."
"The Grizzlies want a true playmaker to lead the team to the playoffs. As for Denver, they will most likely have to choose between Jamison and LaFrentz. They want a versatile big man who can both score and defend."
"As for Vince Carter, firstly, he is the most likely person we can select for this position, and secondly, his size is almost perfect. He is a natural basketball player. I have carefully watched his tryouts and college videos, and he can definitely play all three positions on the perimeter at the same time."
"Furthermore, he has a great personality, so there won't be any potential issues like a rookie being too arrogant and unable to integrate into the team. Of course, more importantly, you want to choose him, Lin!"
"His historic athleticism, incredible fast-break and dunking ability, coupled with a decent three-point shot and passing skills, make him the best fit for you among all the high draft picks in this year's draft class, and the best fit to be your backcourt partner after Reggie retires!"
"That's what I think too." Lin Tian nodded, not wanting to do anything or say anything in particular.
Lin Tian was eager to have someone who understood him so well and thought the same way as him. He was more than willing to let Bird do more work. Bird wouldn't insist on taking on all the work himself.
Aren't you tired?
There will be plenty of opportunities to show off and impress others, but now is not the time.
"Since we've decided to select Carter with the fourth pick, then with the 24th pick, we can add a swingman for the 3 or 4 position. This choice is a bit difficult. If we choose well, we get an all-around forward who can play both the 3 and 4 positions. If we choose poorly, we get an awkward, useless player who is neither here nor there."
"But the good news is that most of the players in this position are mature players whose selling point is their immediate impact. They have a lot of college basketball experience and are no longer the rough stones waiting to be polished, but lottery tickets that have already been half scratched open."
"They have decent immediate combat capabilities, but limited potential."
As Bird spoke, he pulled out several player reports and said, "I think these guys are all pretty good, what do you think?"
Lin Tian knew that Bird only showed him the document to save face and to show his respect for Lin Tian. Bird was well aware that Lin Tian had not paid any attention to the rookies and had been having a wilder and more unrestrained time than Barkley these past few days!
However, what Bird didn't expect was that Lin Tian was a time traveler. In Lin Tian's eyes, the lottery tickets that Bird wanted to scratch were already drawn and given away for free!
Lin Tian knows every single one of those who made a name for themselves at the end of the first round!
Looking at the names of El Harrington, Ruben Patterson, Ricky Davis, and Gerald McCoy, Lin Tian thought, "Hmm, they are all high-quality players who later made a name for themselves in the NBA. Although none of them were All-Stars, they at least left their mark on the NBA."
Bird's judgment was actually quite good!
"Why isn't that Houston guy here?" Lin Tian glanced at him and said, "Rashad Lewis. In terms of size, playing style, and talent, this guy should be a good fit for us."
"This kid is determined to play only in Houston and has turned down tryout offers from all teams outside of Houston," Bird shrugged. "Plus, he's still a high schooler, so I don't think he fits our current need for players who can contribute immediately."
"Besides, Houston has three first-round draft picks. There's no reason not to pick this kid unless he falls to the 24th pick. Otherwise, we probably won't be able to pick him."
"Why can't we pick him?" Lin Tian said with a smile, "What if the Houstonians make a stupid mistake and pick him in the second round? If he falls out of contention, how about we pick him then!"
"No problem." Bird shrugged, then asked curiously, "How did you know about him?"
"I already said I'd come to the draft with you, so of course I have to do some preparation!" Lin Tian said, "He scored 28 points in the McDonald's All-Star Game, was the MVP of Magic Johnson's training camp, and was a member of the All-American High School First Team. It's normal for me to know him, right?"
Bird gave a thumbs up and said, "I knew you weren't just here to mess around. Come on, let's see if the Houstonians will really go all out!"
As the two chatted, the draft proceeded quickly. The Clippers, with the first overall pick, unsurprisingly selected Michael Ogvorkanddy, nicknamed "Sugar Man," a well-known top draft bust in the league.
They finally got the number one pick, but they chose him, which pushed back the Clippers' rise for several more years.
Next up is the Grizzlies, who selected point guard Mike Bibby, whom they had always wanted. They believe that the "White Devils" can lead the team out of their predicament and into the playoffs.
Denver then selected power forward Lafrenz, who can play both inside and outside.
Then, just as the Pacers were about to make their choice, Bird's phone finally rang.
"Larry, we want Jamison. Name your price." The caller was the Warriors' current general manager, who had thought long and hard before deciding to call Bird at this time.
Because the Pacers are going to participate in the NBA Finals, there has been no word about who they will draft or which player they will acquire. In addition, they have tried out more than 20 players in total, so their draft targets are very mysterious!
Meanwhile, the Warriors had long been eyeing Jamison, believing that this versatile power forward could help the team regain its former glory!
So, after thinking it over, the Warriors took the initiative to call the Pacers and deliver the groceries to their door!
The Warriors' timing for the call was very clever. They called just as the Pacers were about to make their decision, giving Bird about five minutes to think. Calling at this moment prevented Bird from negotiating for too long, while also allowing them to quickly understand Bird's mind!
If the Pacers didn't want to draft Jamison in the first place, then this move was a waste of money.
If the Pacers want to draft Jamison, then this call can be seen as a test to see how big their appetite is and whether they might snatch him away.
Bird glanced at the draft countdown and said with a smile, "You guys should make your offers first."
"A million dollars in cash!" The Warriors responded quickly.
"Are you trying to fob me off? The fifth pick plus next year's first round." Bird immediately demanded an exorbitant price.
Lin Tian was too lazy to listen to how Bird and the Warriors were arguing; with Bird around, he never had to worry about such things.
Lin Tian wasn't even too worried about the possibility that Bird might ask for too much money and drive the Warriors away.
In any case, Jamison and Carter's actual skill levels are about the same; they are both excellent scorers and multi-talented players.
The only difference is that one can play from 1 to 3, while the other can switch between 3 and 4. At most, Carter is more popular and has a more flashy playing style.
A few minutes later, Bird hung up the phone and said smugly, "We just got $300 million for free! Those idiots on the Warriors are practically throwing money at us!"
Then, Bird called the league to tell them that he had chosen Antoine Jamison.
Then the Warriors selected Carter, and not long after, a trade broke in the league: the Pacers traded their fourth overall pick, Jamison, to the Warriors for their fifth overall pick, Carter, and some cash.
"You saved more than just 300 million. The total salaries of the fourth and fifth picks are still more than 100 million short. You've just gotten 450 million for free," Lin Tian said. "You're treating tonight!"
"Treat them to a meal!" Bird was in a great mood after getting a large sum of money for free, and said with a smile that it was no problem: "We can bring along the rookies we're going to draft later, have some fun, and let them pay their respects to the team's big brother."
While Lin Tian and Bird continued their casual conversation, the draft also continued. At this moment, Lin Tian's phone rang. It was Jason Williams calling.
This guy, who idolizes Lin Tian, expressed his disappointment and regret again. He really would rather be a substitute than not be on the same team as Lin Tian. He complained to Lin Tian for a long time, saying that Lin Tian was a fool who didn't choose him and was a short-sighted idiot. He then invited Lin Tian to come to Sacramento and team up with him if he had the chance.
Lin Tian's call was on speakerphone. Bird, listening to Williams' words, was so angry his teeth itched. He snatched the phone and yelled, "Come on, I'll trade you to Indiana right now, and then make you sit on the bench for three years! Are you coming or not? Hmm? Want to see just how stupid this idiot really is?"
After cursing, Williams wisely hung up the phone without saying another word to Lin Tian.
This arrogant guy knew very well that there were some people in the league he couldn't afford to mess with!
When they were drafted around the 15th pick in the first round, there was a knock on their office door, and then Vince Carter walked in, grinning broadly and showing off his big white teeth: "It feels like a dream! Just two weeks ago I was watching your games from the sidelines, and two weeks later, I'm one of you!"
"Welcome, Vince, welcome!" Lin Tian said with a smile. "Have a seat, rest for a while, relax, and let's have a good chat. We'll have dinner together tonight, Larry's on the house!"
"Indiana is a great place, Vince," Bird said with a smile. "Lin and Charles will definitely give you a fantastic season! We really think you have a lot of potential and believe you can become a superstar!"
"Oh, right, there's something I need to tell you. I originally wanted to draft your good buddy Antoine, but Lin refused. He said that you and him would definitely become the best backcourt duo in the league, and he also said that the two of you together would definitely win countless championship rings!"
"That's why I chose you, so don't let Lin down!"
"I'll do my best!" Young Carter was so pleased with Bird's offer that he was completely satisfied, his eyes shining brightly! The way he looked at Lin Tian was as if he were looking at his mentor and benefactor!
Hmm, Lin Tian had seen that look in his eyes many times—naive and foolish!
Almost every college student has this kind of look in their eyes.
"But Vince, I also have to say, like I told you during your tryout, with the Pacers, you'll have to start as the sixth man, because right now, Reggie is better than you." Bird added immediately after seeing Carter respond.
"No problem! I can accept that! For me, what matters is where I play, not when I play! I can accept the sixth man position! And..."
At this point, Carter glanced at Lin Tiandao and said, "Lin started as a sixth man, didn't he? And then, he won three championship rings in three years. I believe I can do it too!"
"Great!" Bird laughed and clapped his hands. "Sit down and watch the next draft."
After the Nuggets selected Tyronn Lue with the 23rd pick, Bird glanced at the remaining players and exclaimed in astonishment, "Houston actually didn't draft Rashard Lewis? They're really stupid! He's one of the best high school players in the country!"
"Maybe it's because he's the best high school player," Lin Tian shrugged. "Maybe the Rockets aren't satisfied yet and still hope to use Hakim as their core to challenge for the championship? That's why they chose three guys with stronger immediate impact, instead of guys with more talent."
"Then we choose Rashad..." Bird was about to call the league to state his choice when Lin Tian shook his head and refused.
"No need. Don't we still have the second pick in the second round? Let's use that to select Rashad! I bet no one will bet on a high schooler at this position! Let's take Harrington with this pick!"
"Harrington..." Bird glanced at Harrington's scouting report. At least in terms of height, playing style, and style of play, this guy would be a good fit for the Pacers.
Most importantly, Harrington's draft stock is indeed higher than Lewis's. Lewis's controversial decision not to try out anywhere outside of Houston has made his draft stock very poor, and many teams know nothing about him.
In this situation, you might find a gem, or you might get scammed and discover that you've chosen a completely useless player.
After all, it was still the late 90s, and NBA scouts were far from being as omniscient and omnipotent as they would be 20 years later.
Many scouts are just scammers. Some scout reports are written by glancing at a player's height and stats and then just making things up based on their imagination. They don't even know what the player looks like, let alone watch the game. Yet they can still write a complete player report.
For example, when Rodman entered the league, his scouting report stated: very fast, very strong, and good at scoring.
Aside from the strong confrontation, the other two points are obviously nonsense, and similar reports were flying around everywhere in the 8s and 90s!
There's nothing we can do about it; there weren't many TV broadcasts or cameras in this era.
Many players are truly mysterious!
Bird wasn't one to hesitate; after less than a minute, he nodded and said, "Then let's pick Harrington! And then we'll use our second pick in the second round to select Lewis!"
Bird made his decision quickly, and after the 20th pick, the media's interviews with players were not as detailed and complicated. It's impossible for a rookie like Carter, who spent more than 30 minutes just being interviewed after being selected, to appear in a rookie at the end of the first round.
For example, Harrington, when he was only selected 28th overall in the first round, just pushed open the door and walked in: "Larry, Lin! Hello!"
This guy doesn't have Carter's high emotional intelligence, nor does he have a cheerful smile. He exudes a fierce aura and his mind is full of thoughts like "I'm the best in the world." He's a typical player from an American slum.
Lin Tian and Bird had seen plenty of players like this. After greeting him and chatting casually for a few minutes, Bird picked up the phone again and told the league that he had selected Rashard Lewis!
Yes, just as Lin Tian had predicted, poor Lewis remained untouched until the second round!
Adding to the fact that his hometown team, which he desperately wanted to play for, had three mid-to-late first-round draft picks but didn't select him, Lewis, the youngest high school student, walked into the office with his eyes still visibly red, clearly having just cried.
He felt wronged!
To join the Rockets, this guy refused tryouts from every team in the league, but in the end the Rockets didn't select him. It would be strange if he wasn't upset.
After all, Lewis' agent told him that he could have been selected in the lottery! If he had been selected in the lottery or before the 20th pick, Lewis could have signed a 3-year, $400 million contract!
But now that he's fallen to the second round, he can only sign a two-year, $80 contract with the team, which is completely unsecured.
My home is gone, and so are my dollars.
Lewis is definitely the most heartbroken person in this year's draft.
As for the Pacers' last draft pick, Lin Tian originally wanted to see if he could select "Old Cat" Mobley, who would be very familiar to Chinese fans in the future, while Bird wanted to select "Streetball King" Rafer Alston, whose playing style seemed very similar to Lin Tian's.
However, their second-round draft pick was too late, and the team wasn't particularly keen on either of these point guards, so Bird didn't make a trade. Instead, he selected Greg Buckner, a guard from Kentucky, with their fifth-to-last pick.
Lin Tian had absolutely no recollection of him and had no idea what this guy was capable of, but obviously that wasn't important.
The important thing is that the draft is over!
Lin Tian can now officially end this season and begin his offseason. This summer, Lin Tian needs to take a good rest!
"Let's go eat. Larry said he's treating tonight. Let's have a good chat. From now on, we'll be teammates!" After everyone arrived, Lin Tian clapped his hands and stood up first. After finishing this meal, his off-season would officially begin!
(End of this chapter)