In mid-July, Milan was filled with a humid and ancient heat in the midsummer air.
More than two weeks before the Boston Celtics team was scheduled to fly to Europe at the end of July, Lin Qi had already arrived alone in the financial capital of the Apennine Peninsula. In a highly secluded private club in the city center, Maurizio Gherardini, Lin Qi's Europe affairs manager, had been waiting for him for some time.
The shrewd and experienced Italy pushed a thick document onto the table, a relaxed expression on his face.
"Lin, you've arrived just in time for the transition period." Gherardini took a sip of his iced water. "The handover work at Virtus Rome should be finalized in the next couple of days."
Lin Qi opened the documents, his gaze sweeping over the complex equity transfer agreements and legal seals.
"Is everything going smoothly?" Lin Qi asked.
"It went even more smoothly than expected, after all, we were operating according to the strategic guidelines you left behind last year." Gherardini smiled, recalling the arrangements made a few months ago, "Do you remember the rule we set a year ago? Whenever a traditional powerhouse with a deep-rooted foundation but insolvent and in crisis appears in the Europe market, there's no need to ask for permission; it will be directly taken over by an offshore fund."
A few months ago, when Virtus Rome was put up for sale, Rome real estate tycoon Claudio Totti was determined to acquire it. In the eyes of the locals, it was almost a routine acquisition preordained for a local powerhouse. Totti planned to use his local connections and installment payments to slowly swallow the club, and he even prepared his press conference speech in advance.
But Lin Qi's leisurely approach simply wouldn't work against his abundant cash flow.
" Totti was aiming for a slow and meticulous approach, but I didn't give him that time." A shrewd glint flashed in Gherardini's eyes. "We intervened directly under the guise of a sports investment consortium, using shell companies overseas and a network of agents in the secondary leagues. Totti made the offer, and our lawyers immediately added 20%, with full payment in cash within 48 hours, effectively squeezing out the lengthy due diligence and approval process."
Faced with overwhelming cash flow problems, the near-bankrupt transition committee didn't hesitate to sideline Totti. By the time Totti arrived at headquarters with his legal team, the situation was already decided.
"Right now, Claudio Totti is seething with anger, running around Rome complaining to everyone he can, while Giovanni Malago, the interim chairman of the transitional committee, signed and stamped the document a few days ago." Gherardini closed his pen. "Your trip to Rome these next few days is just a formality, as an 'overseas super-rich tycoon with a strong interest in Europe basketball,' and you can get the handover done before the rest of the team arrives."
"Well done, Maurizio." Lin Qi picked up his coffee. "How did Olympia Milan perform last season?"
Gherardini gave a wry smile, "Last season, Milan finished in the top four of Italian Basketball League. The result wasn't amazing, but it basically met expectations."
He flipped through the player files, calmly reviewing the game. " Scariolo is a typical Italy academic coach who places great emphasis on defensive positioning. In the first few months after he arrived, Stephen Jackson and Raja Bell almost smashed his playbook. These two United States were used to playing individualistically and were completely unaccustomed to the rigid tactical discipline of Europe."
"Luckily, we had Kokoškov on the coaching staff," Gherardini said, pointing to the assistant coach's name. " Kokoškov is familiar with the language of American basketball, and he specifically put in the effort and time to explain Scariolo's defensive requirements in a way that these United States could understand."
Lin Qi flipped through the folder to find more detailed technical statistics, his gaze lingering for a moment on the names Raja Bell and Stephen Jackson.
"Did Raja develop his outside shooting completely in Europe?" Lin Qi asked. "I remember when he first came out, his shooting consistency was still a bit lacking."
Gherardini nodded. "Indeed. When Bell first arrived in Milan, his shooting motion was rather stiff, but Kokoškov spent a lot of time helping him reshape it."
" Europe defenses rotate extremely quickly, with even tighter spacing than the United States. Kokoškov taught him to use off-ball screens to find fleeting openings, turning his 'catch-and-shoot' into a consistent, regular weapon. In the second half of last season, his corner shooting percentage skyrocketed, allowing him not only to create space but also to pull up for fast breaks. This completely unlocked his threat from the perimeter."
Lin Qi then shifted his gaze downwards. "What about Stephen? He may have a bad temper, but his talent is undeniable. What substantial things did he actually learn from Scariolo and Kokoškov?"
Gherardini's casual expression vanished, and his tone became more serious. " Stephen's biggest takeaway is that he has truly learned how to read a game."
"When he played in the United States before, he relied entirely on his physical talent and instincts, always wanting to take matters into his own hands whenever he got the ball. But in Scariolo's half-court system, if he insisted on going his own way, he would be met with ruthless substitutions. Scariolo simply benched him for several games in a row to reflect on his actions, directly taking away his privileges on the court, and only then did he finally behave himself."
" Kokoškov repeatedly showed him video footage, teaching him how to pass the ball against Europe pressure and zone defense. After a whole season of rigorous training, Stephen learned to use pick-and-rolls to break down defenses, to use his peripheral vision to spot open players on the weak side when driving, and even how to set solid screens off the ball. Now, he possesses both solid tactical awareness and a strong court vision. If you were to bring him back to the NBA now, he would already have all the fundamentals of a mature rotation wing player."
"As for 32-year-old Radja..." Gherardini shook his head, "The old guy is indeed running low on fuel, and he has to be rested for some games. But as long as he's on the field, his experience and low-post footwork can keep the team's half-court attack running smoothly."
Gherardini closed Milan's report and looked up at Lin Qi: "Overall, Milan delivered a satisfactory performance last season. Although they are still far from absolute dominance, as our first testing ground, it operated without major problems."
After listening, Lin Qi picked up his coffee, took a sip, and his gaze fell on Milan's player roster. " Milan's foundation is in place, but Italian Basketball League is very strict about foreign player quotas. Relying solely on Bell, Jackson, and the aging Radja isn't enough for the starting lineup. What moves do we make in this area this summer?"
Gherardini smiled and pulled out another draft transfer proposal from the file folder, "This is exactly what I wanted to report to you. Luckily, there were two eligible free agents on the transfer market this summer, and we've already negotiated five-year contracts with them, which won't take up any foreign player slots."
He pointed to the first name on the paper. " Luka Dončić Basile, 25 years old. He's just become a free agent and has no contract. He's currently the best combo guard in Italy, in his prime. His off-ball three-point shooting is extremely accurate, and his tactical execution is exceptional. Placing him in the backcourt will relieve some of the playmaking pressure on Jackson and Bell, those two troublesome United States, and also help maintain the team's tactical discipline."
"What about the inside players?" Lin Qi asked.
Gherardini turned to the next page and pushed over a file with an accompanying photo. " Sio Oberto, also 25 years old. He had a major contract dispute with Olympiacos in Greece and is now a free agent. This kid has Italy ancestry and will be able to get an European Union passport easily. Radja's stamina is limited; we need an inside player who can tirelessly battle on defense and also has a high basketball IQ."
Gherardini pointed to the technical analysis in the report, his tone confident. " Oberto is a typical team piece. He has solid footwork under the basket, high finishing efficiency, and a passing awareness rarely seen in big men at the time. He handles high-post playmaking, handoffs, and weak-side transitions like a point guard. On the defensive end, he's tough, his screens are of extremely high quality, and his positioning is precise. He fits perfectly into Scariolo's system, freeing Radja from the dirty work."
Lin Qi's gaze lingered on Oberto's photo for a couple more seconds. He certainly remembered that in another timeline, it was this Argentina giant who joined the Spurs in 2005 and became an indispensable starting piece in Popovich's championship-winning team. His tenacity and excellent playmaking ability left a deep impression.
Lin Qi closed Milan's file, pushed the documents on the table back to Gherardini, and then stood up.
" Milan is progressing according to plan. Let's go, Maurizio." Lin Qi glanced at his watch. "We're going to Rome. They just acquired the team there, and there's a lot to deal with. We need to start looking for our new squad."
Olympia Milan Milano
Point Guard (PG/SG) | Luka Dončić Basile, Height: 1.92 meters, Age: 25 years old.
Swingman (SG/SF) | Raja Bell, Height: 1.96 meters, Age: 23 (Foreign Player Spot)
Swingman (SF/SG) | Stephen Jackson, Height: 2.03 meters, Age: 22 (Foreign Player Spot)
Center (PF/C) | Sio Oberto, Height: 2.08 meters, Age: 25 years old.
Center/Power Forward (C/PF) | Dino Radja, Height: 2.11 meters, Age: 33 (Foreign Player Spot)
[Coaching Staff]
Head Coach | Sergio Scariolo
Head Assistant Coach | Igor Kokoškov
Assistant Coach | Andrei Trinchieri