After finalizing Eddie Jones ' departure, Lin Qi sat alone in his office, flipping through rosters from all the teams in the league.
Jones wanted the freedom to shoot and to prove his scoring ability on an offensively strong team. The best place for him in the entire league was none other than the quietly rising California team, the Sacramento Kings.
More importantly, the Kings ' head coach is an old acquaintance of his, Rick Adelman.
Their friendship dates back to 1995. It was Lin Qi who personally persuaded Adelman to take the helm in Boston. The two reached a high level of understanding regarding the team's tactical philosophy and future plans. However, this didn't last long. In the summer of 1997, then-team owner Chris Paul Gaston, blindly trusting renowned college coaches, insisted on hiring Rick Pitino at great expense, effectively forcing Adelman out of the head coaching position. Forced to leave Boston, Adelman went to Sacramento. There, he began to gradually build the magnificent Princeton High School team.
Instead of a cold, informal negotiation over the phone, Lin Qi took advantage of the break before the NBA Draft Tryouts to personally fly to Chicago and meet his old friend at an upscale coffee shop near the Combine.
"Seeing how well you've managed Sacramento now, I've actually felt quite guilty." Lin Qi picked up his coffee cup, looking at his old acquaintance across from him, his tone tinged with emotion. "If I had withstood the pressure from the boss in the summer of 1997 and hadn't let Pitino force you out, perhaps those two championship trophies would be engraved with your name."
Although Adelman's hair was gray, he was still very energetic. He smiled and waved his hand, saying gently, "Let's not talk about the past, Lin Qi. In that arena, who could defy the boss's will? Besides, you've done a phenomenal job in Boston these past two years; Doc Rivers has benefited from your success. But you didn't come all this way just to reminisce and complain about your former boss, did you?"
Lin Qi put down his cup, his relaxed demeanor vanishing, and his expression turned serious. " Rick, I've come to give you a big gift."
"A big gift?" Adelman raised an eyebrow.
" Eddie Jones," Lin Qi slowly uttered the name, "He requested a trade. He wants to go to a team where he can score freely, and your Princeton offense is exactly lacking a sharp wing player who can tear apart defenses on the perimeter and also has finishing ability."
Upon hearing the name, Adelman's eyes lit up.
He knew Eddie Jones too well. He clearly remembered the incredible offensive talent hidden within this guard.
"The media says he's just a defensive role player, but I know he's not," Adelman said, his tone revealing undisguised admiration. "His first step is incredibly quick, and his three-point shot is becoming increasingly consistent. More importantly, he has exceptional off-ball movement awareness, excels on both offense and defense, and has a very high basketball IQ. If he came to Sacramento, I guarantee I could double his scoring average. His talent goes far beyond just being a defensive role player."
"That's exactly what he wants." Lin Qi smiled slightly, then casually offered his own bargaining chip, "Besides Eddie, I'll also send Rashad Lewis to Sacramento."
Adelman paused for a moment, then said, "That high school rookie from 1998? He doesn't even seem to make the rotation there."
"That's because Boston's frontcourt is just too crowded." Lin Qi leaned forward slightly, his tone confident. " Rick, trust my judgment. This kid has an extremely soft shooting touch and is 2.08 meters tall. He doesn't get playing time in Boston, but I assure you, given time, this kid definitely has the potential to become a starting forward for a championship-caliber team."
Adelman pondered for a moment. A wing offensive and defensive core in his prime, plus a highly promising young sharpshooter—this gift was practically tailor-made for the Kings.
"What do you want, Lin Qi?" Adelman knew that this young CEO never did anything that didn't benefit him.
"This year's 15th overall pick in the first round, plus your unprotected first-round pick from 2001," Lin Qi stated bluntly, "Plus Corliss Williamson to match Eddie's contract."
Upon hearing this offer, Adelman's previously smiling brow furrowed slightly, "Two first-round picks? Lin Qi, you've got quite the appetite. The 2001 draft pick is a very valuable future asset for us."
" Rick, stop complaining to me about being poor." Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, his tone brimming with absolute confidence. "This is a guard in his prime, a All-Defensive First Team caliber player who just scored 34 points in a NBA Finals, plus a 2.08-meter tall, incredibly soft-shooting prospect. If I officially put them on the trading block, the entire league would be lined up from Boston's New Garden to the Atlantic Ocean willing to offer two first-round picks. After you get these two players, the Sacramento Kings ' draft pick will most likely be a late first-round pick."
Lin Qi leaned forward slightly, staring into Adelman's eyes. "The reason I came to you first is because I know the Sacramento Kings ' Princeton system needs them the most, and because they can help you truly touch that championship trophy in the next two years. Trading two uncertain first-round picks for a championship window that's so close, do you think it's a bad deal?"
Adelman quickly calculated in his mind. While Williamson was a decent inside scorer, his ceiling wasn't high in the Sacramento Kings ' system, so trading him to match his contract wouldn't be a big loss. However, trading two first-round picks for a star like Eddie Jones, who could immediately raise the team's ceiling, and a promising player like Lewis, would be a worthwhile deal for the Sacramento Kings, who desperately needed results.
"You're still the same as before, a ruthless negotiator." Adelman sighed, smiled helplessly, and then solemnly extended his right hand. " Sacramento has agreed to this deal. Good working relationship, Lin Qi. I'll have our general manager coordinate the documents with Boston as soon as possible."
"It's a pleasure working with you, Rick."
Just as the two let go of each other's hands, preparing to end the meeting, Lin Qi suddenly paused and looked back at his old friend.
" Rick, since we're such good friends, and you were so agreeable just now, let me give you a piece of personal advice, in addition to this deal, free of charge."
"What suggestion?" Adelman, somewhat curious.
"Find an opportunity to trade away your starting point guard, ' White Chocolate ' Jason Williams," Lin Qi said, making a surprising statement.
Adelman froze, his brow furrowing even deeper involuntarily. " Lin Qi, are you kidding me? Jason is Sacramento's absolute darling now; his dazzling passes are a box office draw. Management and fans alike adore him."
"If all you want is to sell tickets and play entertaining regular season games, then he is indeed indispensable." Lin Qi's smile vanished, his eyes becoming extremely sharp. "But Rick, answer me honestly... If you want to overcome the Los Angeles Lakers with Shaq and Kobe in the Western Conference playoffs, if you want to truly lift the O'Brien Trophy, do you think you can tolerate those uncontrolled, reckless passes and unnecessary turnovers in the most crucial moments of the fourth quarter?"
Adelman fell silent.
As the team's tactical mastermind, he knew better than anyone how extreme " White Chocolate " was, a double-edged sword. In the regular season, his imaginative long passes could indeed ignite the entire court, but in the playoffs, where every possession was crucial and life or death was decided, his unconventional streetball style was often a deadly poison that destroyed the team's own tactical discipline.
"Your Princeton offense doesn't need a streetball Magic who might lose control at any moment," Lin Qi pointed out the crux of the problem. "What you need is a commander with extremely solid fundamentals, who can sink cold-blooded three-pointers when the tactics are exhausted, and who can execute your tactical intentions with 100% composure."
Adelman's expression turned serious. He knew Lin Qi never spoke without reason, "Since you put it that way, who do you think is the most suitable in the entire league?"
" Mike Bibby of the Vancouver Grizzlies," Lin Qi said without hesitation. "Go and trade him. He's the final piece of the puzzle to truly complete the evolution of your Princeton system and lead the Sacramento Kings over Mountain Lakers."
Adelman gave Lin Qi a deep look. He didn't immediately refute or make any promises, but in the old coach's eyes, it was clear that Lin Qi's words had planted a seed of ambition.
The two said their final goodbyes at the entrance of the coffee shop.
As he stepped out of the street corner, the early summer breeze of Chicago caressed Lin Qi's face, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.
Upon returning to Boston, he immediately had his front office staff call the Toronto Raptors ' general manager.
As he predicted, the Raptors' management was currently preoccupied with Doc Doug Christie's contract renewal and emotional issues, while also desperately seeking a forward who could battle in the paint and relieve pressure. When Lin Qi put Corliss Williamson's name on the negotiating table, the Toronto team agreed to the one-for-one trade with almost no hesitation.
Adelman got his desired offensive weapon, the Raptors got a much-needed interior defender, and Boston not only seamlessly integrated championship-caliber perimeter defense but also gained two extra first-round picks. In this mutually beneficial trade, everyone felt they had won, but Wizards the mastermind behind taking the biggest slice of the pie.
[Transaction Summary]
Boston Celtics trade with Sacramento Kings:
Celtics sent:
Eddie Jones
Rashad Lewis
Received from the Sacramento Kings:
Collis Williamson
2000 first-round draft pick, 15th overall.
2001 Sacramento Kings first round, unprotected
Boston Celtics to Toronto Raptors trade:
The Celtics traded: Corliss Williamson
Acquired from the Raptors: Doc Doug Christie