Chapter Summaries

Li Fei explained why Phil Jackson would not join the Knicks and urged James Dolan to keep Jeff Van Gundy for the team's three-peat attempt. Three days later, Van Gundy received a two-year contract extension and weighed the insult of its short term against his loyalty to New York and Li Fei.

• Li Fei told James Dolan that Phil Jackson would not risk his dignity by joining the coach who had defeated him three times.
• Li Fei advised Dolan to keep Jeff Van Gundy, arguing that stability mattered more than changing coaches before the Knicks pursued a three-peat.
• Three days later, Dolan and Scott Layden offered Van Gundy a two-year, $11 million extension.
• Van Gundy recognized the short contract as a sign of distrust but considered staying because he loved the Knicks and valued coaching Li Fei.

Jeff Van Gundy signed a two-year Knicks contract with a player option after the team failed to hire Phil Jackson, while Phil and his agent used the opening to make the Lakers and other teams uncertain about his next move. Phil’s negotiations remained unresolved as the Magic and 76ers pursued him.

• Jeff Van Gundy asked James Dolan and Layden for a player option in the second year, and they agreed to the contract.
• The New York Times reported Van Gundy’s two-year Knicks deal, while fans debated whether he was only a temporary choice before a future pursuit of Phil Jackson.
• Todd Musburger told Phil Jackson that the Knicks’ decision left Jerry Buss with less competition, but Phil said Buss would see the price as worthwhile.
• Phil told Todd to prolong negotiations and create uncertainty by suggesting he might join a young Eastern Conference team.
• Phil’s agent leaked that he was considering an Eastern Conference offer, and the Magic and Philadelphia 76ers sent representatives to meet him in Montana.
• Phil welcomed the teams and discussed their prospects but stayed noncommittal, while reports of the meetings reached the media through insiders.

Jerry Buss offered Phil Jackson a five-year, $75 million contract and a Lakers basketball operations title, but Jackson still hesitated. Buss enlisted Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to fly to Montana and personally invite Jackson, and both agreed to go.

• Jerry Buss offered Phil Jackson a five-year, $75 million contract and the title of vice president of basketball operations.
• Phil Jackson told his agent he needed more time to decide, leaving Buss worried that Philadelphia might win him over.
• Jerry Buss asked Shaquille O'Neal to help invite Jackson to Los Angeles in person, and O'Neal eagerly agreed.
• Jerry Buss called Kobe Bryant during practice and asked him to join the trip to Montana.
• Kobe agreed to go and said he would show Jackson how hard he worked.

Jerry Buss brought Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to Montana to persuade Phil Jackson to coach the Lakers. O'Neal and Bryant explained how they would fit Phil's Triangle Offense, leaving their bid for his decision unresolved.

• Jerry Buss flew with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to Montana to meet Phil Jackson.
• Phil Jackson greeted the three men at his cabin by Flathead Lake.
• Jerry Buss presented the Lakers' contract and coaching position, then invited O'Neal and Bryant to make their case.
• Shaquille O'Neal argued that his dominance in the post would make him the ideal pivot for Phil Jackson's Triangle Offense.
• Kobe Bryant said he would master the Triangle Offense's skills and pursue victory with relentless dedication.

Phil Jackson accepted a five-year, $75 million deal to coach the Lakers after Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant made their cases, and Los Angeles erupted over the news. That evening, TNT's Inside the NBA began a panel discussion about what Jackson's arrival meant for the team.

• Kobe told Phil Jackson he needed his guidance and declared that he and O'Neal were determined to win and work hard.
• Phil agreed to coach the Lakers, shook hands with O'Neal and Kobe, and arranged to return to Los Angeles that day.
• The Lakers announced Jackson's five-year, $75 million deal, and sports media across the world covered the signing.
• Lakers fans celebrated in Los Angeles and voiced high hopes for the coming season.
• Kevin Harlan asked Marv Albert and Bill Walton to discuss the immediate benefits of Jackson joining the Lakers on Inside the NBA.

Marv Albert, Bill Walton, and Kevin Harlan discussed how Phil Jackson’s arrival could turn the Lakers into overwhelming Western Conference favorites and set up a showdown with Li Fei’s Knicks. At Li Fei’s training facility, Arvydas Sabonis worried about the Lakers’ new strength while Li Fei calmly continued shooting.

• Marv Albert explained how Phil Jackson could unite Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant through the Triangle Offense and manage the Lakers’ role players.
• Bill Walton and Marv Albert predicted that the Lakers would dominate the Western Conference after adding Phil Jackson.
• Kevin Harlan framed the Lakers and the defending champion Knicks as rivals headed for a historic showdown.
• Arvydas Sabonis watched news of Phil Jackson joining the Lakers and warned Li Fei that their future Finals opponent could be much stronger.
• Li Fei ignored the broadcast and calmly made consecutive shots during his training session.

Li Fei reassured Sabonis that the Knicks would stay focused on defending their title despite Phil Jackson joining the Lakers, while Sabonis worried about his future with the team. As speculation mounted over the Bulls and Karl Malone’s next move, Jerry Krause took a call from Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald.

• Li Fei told Sabonis that the Knicks should focus on their own system and championship goal rather than fear the stronger Lakers.
• Sabonis reflected on his injury-worn body, his desire to win a third title, and the Knicks’ failure to offer him an extension.
• Basketball fans debated whether Michael Jordan would remain with the Bulls, whether the team would extend Karl Malone, and whether it might pursue Tracy McGrady.
• Jerry Krause spoke by telephone with Glen Grunwald at the United Center.

Jerry Krause tried to persuade Glenn Grunwald to trade Tracy McGrady to Chicago, but Grunwald countered by demanding both McGrady and Vince Carter for three unprotected first-round picks and Karl Malone’s signing rights. Krause was left weighing the risky offer as the story shifted to Li Fei’s thriving flagship store in New York.

• Krause offered Karl Malone and a future first-round pick for McGrady, arguing that Toronto could build around Malone and Carter.
• Grunwald rejected the offer and demanded McGrady and Carter in exchange for three unprotected first-round picks and the rights to sign Malone.
• Krause balked at the price, and Grunwald ended the call, leaving the negotiations at a deadlock.
• Krause worried that accepting Grunwald’s proposal could sacrifice Jordan’s final season and risk his own standing in Chicago.
• The chapter shifted to New York, where Li Fei’s packed flagship store displayed his championship image and the upcoming Sovereign V shoe.

Li Fei Brand’s global sales surged, driven by its signature Fei line and its Kobe, Iverson, and Barkley sub-lines. Li Fei ordered more investment in China and a technology breakthrough for Fei VI, while Nike executives faced a grim meeting at headquarters.

• Fans crowded Li Fei Brand stores in North America and China, where Fei shoes and logo merchandise sold rapidly.
• David Falk told Li Fei that global sales had risen 230 percent year over year and that the brand had opened more than 300 stores.
• Falk reported that the Fei series led sales, while Kobe’s Mamba and Iverson’s Answer lines also performed strongly and Barkley’s Flying Pig line remained steady.
• Li Fei told Falk to increase investment in China and begin designing Fei VI around a major technological breakthrough.
• Nike executives gathered for a grim meeting at the company’s headquarters in Beaverton.

Nike executives decided to pursue Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady after Li Fei Brand overtook Air Jordan in sales. Larry Johnson chose to leave the Knicks for a better contract and thanked his teammates at a farewell dinner.

• Phil Knight reviewed the sales chart and demanded a plan to counter Li Fei Brand's growing market share.
• A young Nike manager proposed signing Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, and Knight approved the highest-level recruitment plan.
• Larry Johnson decided to leave the Knicks because the team could offer only a below-market contract.
• Johnson treated the Knicks to dinner on the night before announcing his departure and joked with Sabonis.
• Johnson thanked his teammates and Li Fei for helping him become a champion.

After Larry Johnson left the Knicks for a major contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, Jeff Van Gundy proposed a new starting lineup built around Latrell Sprewell and Li Fei sharing playmaking duties. The meeting ended with Van Gundy’s plan to start Allan Houston at point guard, Sprewell at shooting guard, and Li Fei, Donyell Marshall, and Arvydas Sabonis alongside them.

• At a farewell dinner, Larry Johnson toasted his years with the Knicks and said the team would always be his home.
• Li Fei embraced Johnson and told him he deserved the contract and would always be welcome in New York.
• The next morning, Jeff Van Gundy told the Knicks’ management that Johnson’s departure had removed a key tactical piece from the back-to-back champions.
• Van Gundy proposed moving Latrell Sprewell into the starting lineup, arguing that he deserved the role and could share the offensive burden with Li Fei.
• Van Gundy set out a starting five of Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell, Li Fei, Donyell Marshall, and Arvydas Sabonis, with Houston bringing the ball up and Sprewell and Li Fei initiating the offense.

The Knicks approved Jeff Van Gundy’s new lineup and Stephen Jackson’s expanded role, while the Lakers welcomed Phil Jackson as their coach and began preparing to challenge New York. As the 1999 NBA Draft opened, Li Fei left the Knicks’ 30th pick to the front office and scouting staff.

• Jeff Van Gundy persuaded the Knicks executives that Stephen Jackson could replace Sprewell as the bench leader, and Grunfeld approved his plan to pursue a three-peat.
• Phil Jackson accepted the Lakers’ coaching job, with Jerry Buss, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant helping bring him to Los Angeles.
• Kobe called Phil Jackson before dawn to ask for training, while O’Neal invited him to barbecue and look at homes.
• Grunfeld asked Li Fei for advice on the draft, and Li Fei told him to choose an energetic, defensive player because the class had few standout prospects.
• David Stern opened the 1999 NBA Draft at the MCI Center as the Knicks prepared to make their 30th pick.

The 1999 NBA Draft concluded and the league prepared for free agency, while the Lakers met to address a missing piece in Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense. The meeting ended with the team searching for an affordable elite shooter to complement Shaq and Kobe.

• The Bulls selected Elton Brand first overall, and the draft proceeded through several notable picks, including Andrei Kirilenko and Quentin Richardson.
• The first round ended, and teams turned their attention to the upcoming free-agency period and the new season.
• Phil Jackson met with Mitch Kupchak, Jerry West, Tex Winter, and other Lakers staff to discuss the team’s tactical needs.
• Phil Jackson and Tex Winter identified an elite shooter as the vacant third point in the Lakers’ Triangle Offense.
• Mitch Kupchak explained that Shaq and Kobe’s contracts left the Lakers with little cap space, so they might need to trade role players and future picks for a cost-effective shooter.

The Lakers identified Glen Rice as the ideal shooter for Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense and traded Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell to the Charlotte Hornets for him. Rice joined Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to form a new Iron Triangle, setting up the Lakers’ challenge to Li Fei and the Knicks.

• Jerry West and Kupchak rejected Reggie Miller and Dell Curry as trade targets because of their cost, availability, age, or defense.
• Phil Jackson proposed Glen Rice, and Jerry West and Kupchak agreed he could complete the Lakers’ offense.
• Phil Jackson instructed Jerry West and Mitch Kupchak to offer Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell for Rice.
• The Lakers and Hornets quickly completed the trade, sending Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell to Charlotte for Glen Rice.
• The league announced Rice’s arrival, and media coverage hailed the new trio of Rice, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal as a threat to the Knicks and Li Fei.

The Lakers celebrated Glen Rice’s arrival while Li Fei and the Knicks stayed focused on their offseason preparation. Meanwhile, Chicago pursued a blockbuster trade for Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, but Toronto declared the young wings untouchable.

• Lakers fans celebrated Glen Rice joining Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, believing the new lineup could win the championship.
• Li Fei dismissed the Lakers’ hype during his workout, and Elgin Baylor backed the Knicks’ confidence in their unchanged core.
• The Rockets kept their roster intact, and Charles Barkley declared Houston was ready to make another run.
• Jerry Krause pursued a sign-and-trade that would send Karl Malone to Toronto for Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.
• Glen Grunwald rejected the proposal and said Carter and McGrady would not be traded.

As Krause continued trying to trade Malone, Stephen Jackson broke out for the Knicks in the Long Beach Summer Pro League, earning league-wide attention and a larger role for the coming season. The offseason ended with the 1999–2000 season’s contenders preparing to challenge the Knicks’ two-year reign.

• Krause kept raising his offer to the Raptors, including future draft picks and young players, but the Malone trade negotiations remained unresolved.
• Stephen Jackson led an unheralded Knicks Summer League roster with aggressive scoring and defense, guiding it past teams led by Steve Francis and Elton Brand to the Long Beach final.
• The Knicks lost to Lamar Odom’s Clippers by two points after two overtimes, but Jackson averaged 25.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists and made the Summer League All-First Team.
• Baylor and Jeff Van Gundy praised Jackson’s performance, and Van Gundy planned to give him a larger role as the second unit’s offensive centerpiece.
• The offseason drew to a close as the Lakers, Knicks, Rockets, Bulls, and other contenders prepared for the 1999–2000 season and a challenge to the Knicks’ dynasty.

Stephen Jackson returned to New York disappointed by his missed Summer League championship shot, but Li Fei urged him to pursue the Sixth Man of the Year Award in the new season. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls accepted that their trade talks for Toronto's young stars had stalled and planned to keep pursuing them as the season unfolded.

• Stephen Jackson returned to New York, where Elgin Baylor and Jeff Van Gundy praised his Summer League performance and brought him to meet Li Fei.
• Li Fei told Jackson to forget the Summer League loss and make winning Sixth Man of the Year his goal for the new season.
• Jerry Krause, Phil Jackson, and the Chicago Bulls front office discussed the failed negotiations with Toronto for Carter and Tracy McGrady.
• Krause said the Bulls would build around newly signed Karl Malone while waiting for Toronto's record to falter and preparing to pursue its young stars again before the trade deadline.

Jerry Krause planned to boost Karl Malone’s trade value while preparing Toni Kukoč to replace him, then offered Toronto a deal centered on Malone for Tracy McGrady. The Raptors weighed McGrady’s potential against his expiring contract, and Butch Carter was asked whether he could become a franchise cornerstone.

• Krause instructed Phil Jackson to give Malone more low-post plays so his statistics would strengthen Chicago’s trade leverage.
• Krause told the Bulls to develop Kukoč into a key offensive option for after Malone’s departure.
• In Toronto, Glen Grunwald rejected Chicago’s attempt to acquire Vince Carter but presented the offer of Malone, Kukoč, and a future first-round pick for McGrady.
• Raptors executives debated Malone’s age against McGrady’s talent and expiring contract.
• Grunwald asked Butch Carter whether McGrady could become a franchise cornerstone, and Butch reflected on the young player’s talent and attitude.

Glen Grunwald and Jerry Krause turned the preseason into a public contest to raise the trade value of Tracy McGrady and Karl Malone. Both players erupted for three straight 40-point games, leaving a major trade poised to reshape the NBA.

• Glen Grunwald told Butch Carter to give Tracy McGrady an unlimited offensive role so the Raptors could raise his value and demand Michael Jordan for him.
• Phil Jackson built the Bulls' preseason offense around Karl Malone, who scored 42 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Wizards.
• Butch Carter made Tracy McGrady the Raptors' offensive focus against the 76ers, and McGrady scored 45 points to seal the win.
• Karl Malone scored 40 points against the Pacers and 41 against the Heat, completing three consecutive 40-point preseason games.
• Tracy McGrady scored 43 points against the Celtics and 40 against the Nets, also completing three straight 40-point games.
• Jerry Krause and Glen Grunwald reviewed Malone's and McGrady's rising trade value as a blockbuster deal loomed.

The Knicks celebrated their 1998–1999 championship before opening the new season against the Bulls at Madison Square Garden. Michael Jordan seethed at watching his rivals receive their rings, while Karl Malone focused on his future, and the ceremony culminated in a deafening welcome for Li Fei.

• The Bulls waited in the tunnel as Michael Jordan stared bitterly at the championship trophy and Karl Malone resented being displayed as a trade asset.
• David Stern opened the Knicks' championship ring ceremony at Madison Square Garden.
• Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston, Arvydas Sabonis, Donyell Marshall, and the other Knicks received their championship rings.
• David Stern introduced Li Fei as the league's dominant star, and the crowd chanted “MVP” as he was welcomed onto the stage.