June 27, 2000, the night before the NBA draft.
While most of his peers were still scrambling to figure out tomorrow's draft picks, Lin Qi's desk was piled high with thick financial statements.
According to league rules, July 1st is the dividing line between the old and new fiscal years. Once this point is crossed, newly drafted rookies will have salary caps, and the salary cap will be recalculated.
Completing a trade in the final days before the fiscal year ends allows for salary balancing using the previous season's contract base. This not only perfectly avoids the constraints of the new season's salary cap but also locks in targets with the cleanest financial record before the chaos of the free market begins.
This is also why Lin Qi is used to making moves just before the free agency period opens... He prefers to make trades based on the previous season's salary base. Once it's delayed until the new season, the difficulty of balancing trades and the paperwork issues often increase exponentially due to salary cap resets or salary surges caused by large contracts like Eddie Jones's.
Lin Qi picked up his now-cold coffee and dialed the Detroit Pistons ' office directly.
At this point, Detroit was already sitting on a volcano.
According to the official NBA rules at the time, before the free agent market officially opened (July 1st), no team management was allowed to make any substantive transfer contact with players under contract or their agents. However, in reality, this ban has long been rendered ineffective.
The Orlando Magic's management and then-head coach Doc Rivers had long expressed great enthusiasm to Grant Hill through various channels. Orlando not only had huge salary cap space to directly accept a max contract, but also promised to acquire Tracy McGrady through a trade to build a perfect championship-contending roster for Hill. The entire league was well aware of this overt "pie in the sky" and the behind-the-scenes communication.
The Pistons knew very well that Hill was determined to leave, and they had no bargaining power... If they dragged it out until July 1, Orlando could open up his cap space and sign him outright, leaving the Pistons with nothing.
With this urgent and desperate situation looming, the call was connected in Detroit.
The receiver carried Joe Dumars' slightly tired but still composed voice. As a legendary figure who had just stepped into the spotlight and was about to take full control of the Pistons ' management, Dumars was just as overwhelmed as he was on this sweltering summer night.
"Lin, what do you want by calling at this hour?" Dumars's voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of probing.
Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, his tone calm. "Joe, let's not beat around the bush. I know your situation. Grant's contract only has a few days left, and the whole league is watching Detroit, waiting to see how you handle this hot potato. He's determined to go to Orlando. If you wait until free agency officially opens on July 1st, you'll get nothing but watching him walk away, losing both his money and his talent."
A brief silence fell on the other end of the phone. Dumars didn't immediately refute, because Lin Qi had precisely hit the Pistons' most vulnerable spot.
"Lin, the whole league knows his contract is expiring soon, but that doesn't mean the Pistons will hand over the team's face," Dumars ' tone turned cold. "Don't even bother trying to test the waters with some insignificant assets or a worthless contract."
Lin Qi chuckled and casually revealed his trump card, which he had already mentally rehearsed countless times. "Joe, I'm here with the utmost sincerity. Listen carefully, I just acquired two extremely high-quality draft picks through the Mutombo trade—the 11th overall pick and the 12th overall pick, plus a 2.29-meter center, Sean Bradley, who can contribute immediately."
A noticeable change in breathing could be heard from the other end of the receiver.
Despite being criticized as a weak draft class, the Pistons' ability to secure two high picks in the lottery means they can select two promising young stars on draft night, instantly laying the foundation for the team's rebuild.
As for Sean Bradley... to put it bluntly, he's just a pure salary-balancing tool. With his 2.29-meter height and immediate impact, he's perfect for filling the gaps in the frontcourt rotation during the transition period.
"The 11th and 12th picks... plus Bradley?" Dumars ' tone clearly wavered. "Lin, the offer is indeed very attractive. But that's Grant Hill! An All-Star starter in his prime, averaging over 25 points per game! Two lottery picks and a center alone aren't enough to fully compensate for the loss of our star player."
Lin Qi had anticipated that the other party wouldn't agree immediately. He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and his tone subtly revealed a hint of pain at being squeezed dry. "Joe, you're taking advantage of my misfortune. Fine, since we've come this far, to show my respect for the Detroit management, I'll grit my teeth and raise the price!"
Lin Qi paused for a moment, then offered a further bid. "I also have the 21st overall pick from Dallas. Three first-round picks, plus Bradley, that's a very generous offer!"
There was a long deliberation on the other end of the phone. For a star player whose contract was in its final year and who was destined to leave, and whose management had even vaguely heard rumors of a potential ankle injury, this was already a lucrative return on his investment.
However, Dumars was still trying to squeeze out the last bit of value. "Lin, three picks are a lot, but everyone knows the quality of this year's draft class... If we add something else, we'll consider finalizing the deal tonight."
Lin Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, looking out the window at the neon lights of the Minnesota night. He knew that the other party's defenses had been completely broken down, and now they were just using the psychological tug-of-war between the buyer and seller to try and squeeze out a little more profit. Lin Qi decided not to continue this endless tug-of-war with them.
"Fine! You win! Joe, the Trail Blazers ' 28th overall pick in the first round is yours too!" Lin Qi's voice suddenly rose a few decibels. "A whole four first-round picks plus a 2.29-meter center! Joe, if you hesitate any longer, I'm hanging up and going to find someone else!"
A brief but intense discussion ensued on the other end of the phone, with people covering the receiver. A moment later, Dumars's voice came through again, his tone conveying a decisiveness and relief.
"... make a deal!"
After hanging up the phone, Lin Qi leaned back in his chair and breathed a sigh of relief.
He was well aware of the seriousness of Grant Hill's ankle injury. But at this point in time, this was his only chance to take him down.
From an outsider's perspective, trading four first-round picks and a center for a star player in the final year of an injury contract is nothing short of a crazy gamble. At least for the next two years, this trade will be considered a losing proposition.
The only key to this trade is whether Hill's injury can be fully resolved. If his ankle can be healed, everything paid today will be well worth it.
[Transaction Summary]
Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons:
Celtics sent:
11th overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft.
12th overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft.
21st overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft.
28th overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft.
Sean Bradley
From the Pistons:
Grant Hill