In the 1999 NBA offseason, the excitement never stopped.
The Orlando Magic and the Heat successively handed out maximum contracts, shaking up the Eastern Conference landscape. The Trail Blazers acquired Shawn Kemp, setting their sights on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Every title contender was frantically signing players and reinforcing its roster, while the future of the God of Basketball, Michael Jordan, remained undecided.
Just as public opinion across the United States was still debating Jordan's final decision, another low-key trade quietly went through, further shaping the Western Conference title picture.
This trade lacked the sensational buzz of a hundred-million-dollar max contract, yet it qualitatively elevated the Trail Blazers' immediate competitiveness.
On August 31, the Portland Trail Blazers officially announced that they had reached a trade agreement with the Indiana Pacers.
The Trail Blazers sent away the 22-year-old promising big man Jermaine O'Neal, along with backup center Joe Kleine, in exchange for All-Star bruising power forward Dale Davis from the Pacers.
The timing of this move was exceptionally clever, coming just one day after the three-team trade in which the Trail Blazers acquired Shawn Kemp.
Two consecutive frontcourt additions demonstrated the Trail Blazers management's absolute ambition to seize the Western Conference throne.
At only 22, O'Neal possessed visible physical gifts and tremendous room for growth.
But the Trail Blazers were in the midst of their championship window and simply had no patience to wait for a young player to develop slowly.
With established stars such as Scottie Pippen and Shawn Kemp already on the roster, rotation spots were scarce. O'Neal spent most of his time glued to the bench, unable to secure consistent playing time.
For the Trail Blazers, giving up a young player with an uncertain future in exchange for an All-Star who could contribute immediately was a no-lose move