Garnett wasn't good at math; he couldn't understand any of the complicated labor agreements.
He heard the words "55 million disappeared for no reason" clearly, and his heart ached terribly.
What chilled him even more was Fleisher's attitude during this upheaval.
When the news of the maximum salary cap was finally confirmed, and when Garnett was alone in his private training facility staring blankly at his future earnings, Fleisher wasn't by his side.
Fleisher is busy meeting with union leaders in New York, discussing how to continue his battle of wits with the owners at the negotiating table. He still sees Garnett as a bargaining chip and a historical benchmark in his hands to challenge the league.
In Fleisher's eyes, Garnett was first and foremost a record-breaking contract, a signature move for him as a top agent; secondly, he was a 22-year-old who needed someone to tell him what to do next.
Fleisher called Garnett, emphasizing the big picture. " Kevin, we need to fight for the long-term interests of the entire player community. You're the standard-bearer for everyone now; you can't back down."
But Garnett gripped the microphone, his only question being, " Eric, I just want to know, am I still going to get the money I'm owed?"
Fleisher couldn't answer. The $126 million contract was gone, and what pained Fleisher most was that his reputation as "the creator of the biggest contract in history" was shattered. As for the huge sum of money Garnett himself lost, it wasn't even as important to him as his own face.
At that very moment, another person flew to Garnett's side in the cheapest economy class seat.
Andrew Miller.
After the lockout began, while other professional agents were busy negotiating with the league's legal team, Miller flew to Garnett's private villa. He didn't mention a single word about contracts or terms.
He simply bought two cases of Coke and a few newly released games, and spent three whole days playing games with the upset young man in the living room.
Late on the third Late Night, Garnett finally threw down the sweat-soaked controller and spoke in a muffled voice.
" Andrew, tell me... did Eric trick me?"
Miller put down the handle and, unlike Fleisher, didn't launch into any grand pronouncements about labor agreements. He simply opened a bottle of Coke and explained the situation to his brother in the most straightforward and plain language.
" Kevin, I don't understand those complicated laws, but I do understand one thing. Eric fought tooth and nail with Boston for a year for that empty $126 million title, preferring to drag out the signing rather than risk an even bigger deal. As a result, this gamble forced all the owners in the league to form a super team, directly leading to a lockout and new rules. Money that was originally a sure thing for you was gambled away by him, losing half of it."
When he decided to gamble, did he even once ask you if you were willing to take the risk?
Garnett lowered his head, biting his lip tightly, and remained silent.
"He treated this offer as his proudest achievement. But did he ever truly consider things from your perspective? What would you have to bear if he lost the bet? Now that he's really lost, the money that was practically in his hands has vanished, and you're panicking. But what about him? He's worried about his own reputation, not yours."
Miller leaned over and patted Garnett on the shoulder in a very soft voice.
" Kevin, a person who truly cares about you will always put your salary in the safe first before thinking about his own reputation. He won't gamble your career on his own face."
Garnett sat on the carpet, remaining silent for a long time.
In that instant, he suddenly remembered something Lin Qi had said to him long ago in that restaurant in Boston.
"Those standing around you, do they want to exploit your talent, or do they want to protect it?"
That night, Garnett made the first major decision of his career that was entirely his own. He took out his phone and called Fleisher, who was in New York.
When the call connected, Garnett didn't give the other person a chance to launch into a long explanation.
" Eric, thank you for everything you've done for me over the years. But from today onwards, you are no longer my agent."
Before the other party could ask any shocked questions, Garnett hung up the phone. He looked up at the young man sitting opposite him.
" Andrew, from now on, you'll be my agent."
Miller was stunned. "Me? Kevin, don't be ridiculous. I don't even have a proper agent's license. I've never done this before."
"I don't need a professional agent." Garnett grinned, revealing his white teeth, his eyes very clear. "I don't need an elite in an office building scheming against me; I need a brother who treats me as a person, not as a tool."
That person can only be you.
The CEO's office on the top floor of North Shore Garden, Boston.
Lin Qi stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, holding an unlit cigar in his left hand and an urgent briefing he had just pulled from the fax machine in his right.
The briefing consisted of only two lines: [ Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett officially announced the dismissal of agent Eric Fleisher, with Andrew Miller. taking over all his basketball affairs.]
Lin Qi looked at the line of printed text, a slight smile playing on his lips.
To be fair, Fleisher has been a tough negotiator for over a year. It was precisely because that old fox stuck to the numbers, coupled with former owner Chris Paul Gaston's stinginess, that Lin Qi was caught in the middle and suffered a lot of frustration throughout the past season.
Looking back now, Lin Qi even wants to give a banner to Fleisher for his greed and Gaston for his stinginess. It was precisely because of their fierce rivalry that Garnett's contract, which was enough to lock in his future prospects, remained hanging in the air and never actually landed.
This also gave Lin Qi, who has now quietly become the true owner of the Celtics behind the scenes, an excellent opportunity to lock the cornerstone of the team's formation in the Celtics.
He had been waiting for this day ever since that night more than a year ago in that little restaurant in Boston, when he asked Mark Wahlberg to set up the game.
Lin Qi's bet back then is finally paying off today.
A speculator like Fleisher could only accompany Kevin to the point where he signed his first short-term contract; but to accompany this sensitive and stubborn boy through his entire professional career, his agent had to be someone else.
That person arrived, and it wasn't Lin Qi who forced him there; it was Garnett who made the decision himself after seeing reality clearly.
An agent who treats Garnett like an ATM and an agent who treats Garnett like a brother will bring completely different benefits to the Celtics ' salary cap in future contract renewal negotiations.
Now, the first thing Lin Qi needs to do is to soothe Cornerstone's anxiety.