The war of words between Link and Sam Smith became another hot topic among fans after the free-agent market's buzz gradually faded.
Come to think of it, this summer had been far more eventful than usual.
After the Finals ended, the draft and the inaugural awards ceremony Link attended had kept the NBA hugely popular.
Then, free agency opened, and the entire league underwent massive changes. Major news broke every day.
The ongoing drama of "Where Will Kawhi Go?" had kept every fan on edge as well.
Now that all the big-name players had finally found new homes, basketball's popularity had been expected to cool off.
But then Link and Sam Smith clashed again.
Only this time, not all fans stood on Sam Smith's side.
The popularity Link had built up over the years was not so fragile that it could crumble so easily.
But just as it had been with Jordan back then, fans of other teams capable of contending for the title were eager to see their own teams pull Link down from his pedestal.
Coincidentally, there were quite a lot of championship contenders next season.
As a result, the fans supporting Link and those waiting to laugh at him were split roughly fifty-fifty.
The half who did not support him were not necessarily Sam Smith's fans. They simply wanted their own teams to win the championship more.
Thus, the debate over whether Link could win four straight titles became intensely polarized online.
"Of course he can. Nobody thought Link could build a second dynasty back then either. And what happened? Have you already forgotten who won last season's championship?"
"Whatever Link says, he can do it. Don't ask me why. It's because he's Link."
"The Grizzlies' roster isn't that bad, is it? Rose averaged nearly 20 points