After finalizing the trade for O'Neal Jr., the atmosphere in the office eased slightly. But Lin Qi had no intention of stopping there.
"This is just the first step," Lin Qi said, marking the whiteboard with Mark. "Next, we need to explore the market and get Darrell B. J. Armstrong on the shelves too."
Upon hearing that name, Doc Rivers' face, which had been flushed from the recent trade, instantly changed. He sat bolt upright, his expression troubled, and his tone revealed an unusual firmness. "No. Lin Qi, no matter who it is, Darrell is absolutely not a trade."
Lin Qi raised an eyebrow, put down his Mark, and turned to look at him. "Why? I already said, he'll be 33 next season. As a small guard who relies on speed, his peak is coming to an end. His stats will definitely decline next season. Cashing out now while he's still at a high point to secure future assets is the most rational decision-making approach."
"No, basketball can't be judged solely on statistics, Lin Qi." Doc Rivers took a deep breath, his expression becoming incredibly serious. " Darrell's value to Orlando far surpasses mere statistics. He's the spiritual icon of this team."
Doc Rivers looked at B. J. Armstrong's name on the whiteboard, a hint of respect in his eyes. "You probably know his story. An undrafted player who worked night shifts in a textile factory to survive, struggled in overseas leagues and lower-level leagues, and finally fought his way into the NBA. The season before last, when everyone was pessimistic about us and thought the Magic would be at the bottom of the league, it was he who led that group of minimum-salary players, relying on their relentless, mad dog spirit, to achieve a record of 41 wins and 41 losses!"
"He's our captain, the absolute leader in the locker room," Doc Rivers said, his voice trembling with emotion. "He's not perfect, but he's our engine, the team's assist leader, steal leader, and a top-three free throw shooter in the league. Whenever the team is in a tight spot, he's always the first to dive for the loose ball. Local fans adore him, and the media calls him the team's 'heart and soul.' If I traded him for a few uncertain draft picks, Orlando fans would tear me apart. The locker room would fall apart completely."
Lin Qi listened quietly as Doc Rivers finished his passionate and lengthy speech. Looking into Doc Rivers's determined eyes, he didn't try to refute him with cold logic as he had before.
As the mastermind behind the three-peat dynasty, Lin Qi understands better than anyone the value of an intangible asset like a "locker room leader." Some players truly cannot be measured by draft picks.
"Alright." Lin Qi nodded, erasing B. J. Armstrong's name with a blackboard eraser. "Since he's your spiritual icon, then forget about him and keep him. I'll find a suitable backup for you on draft night, and then I'll trade him to relieve some of the pressure on the backcourt."
Doc Rivers breathed a sigh of relief and nodded gratefully.
"Then let's change our target." Lin Qi picked up his pen again. "Let's try packaging Ron Mercer and Mike Miller together. Take those two together and ask around the market to see what valuable assets we can get in return?"
Doc Rivers frowned, pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "No, Mike Miller can't be moved."
"Oh?"
"I've privately sounded out a few general managers I know. Mike's trade value is actually quite strange. His market value is too low, even insulting. We won't get anything good in return, so we might as well keep him," Doc Rivers explained. "Besides, he just won Rookie of the Year last year. The kid plays smart, his three-point shot is accurate, and local fans actually quite like him. Keeping him as a core piece for the future is much better than selling him off cheaply now."
Lin Qi nodded slightly, agreeing with the assessment, "What about Ron Mercer? He's a scorer who averages 19 points per game; surely someone would be interested?"
Mentioning Mercer, Doc Rivers ' eyes lit up. "You know what? Before last year's trade deadline, Denver Nuggets head coach Dan Issel personally called to inquire about his price. Denver is desperately lacking outside scorers right now, and they're really eyeing Mercer's 19 points per game average. And, the Nuggets just happened to get the 10th pick in the first round this year!"
Lin Qi's lips curled into a smile. Mercer, a scorer who needs a lot of ball possession, isn't very efficient but is extremely suitable for unleashing his scoring prowess on a weak team, is practically tailor-made for Denver at this moment.
"Don't wait any longer, Doc." Lin Qi pointed to the phone on the table. "Strike while the iron is hot. Call Denver now and ask them directly if they'd trade their number 10 for Mercer."
Doc Rivers didn't hesitate to grab the receiver and dial the Denver Nuggets ' management.
Emboldened by his recent acquisition of O'Neal Jr., Doc Rivers handled the negotiations with ease. He knew the Nuggets ' hunger for scorers, and on the phone, he emphasized Mercer's one-on-one offensive talent and his ability to average nearly 20 points per game.
Meanwhile, Denver, faced with a 24-year-old scorer in his prime who could immediately provide outside firepower, was clearly tempted. Although their 10th pick this year wasn't bad, in this generally weak draft class, rather than taking a chance on an unknown lottery, they'd rather directly trade for a proven scorer who could contribute immediately.
The tug-of-war lasted less than twenty minutes.
"Deal." Doc Rivers slammed down the phone, jumped up from the leather sofa, his face flushed with extreme excitement.
" Lin Qi! It's a done deal!" Doc Rivers pumped his fist excitedly, feeling like he was dreaming. " Ron Mercer went to Denver, and we got the 10th pick in the first round! My God, a 10th pick in the first round plus Jermaine O'Neal... If the Orlando management sees this move, they'll treat me like a god!"
Doc Rivers paced excitedly in front of his desk, then fixed his gaze intently on Lin Qi, his eyes filled with fervent anticipation for what was to come.
"What's next, Lin Qi?" Doc Rivers licked his dry lips and rubbed his hands together as he asked, "Who are we going to rob next?"
Lin Qi looked at Doc Rivers, who was so excited he was almost out of control, and slowly unscrewed the mineral water bottle in his hand, taking a sip.
He then put down the water bottle, leaned forward slightly, and his dark eyes gleamed with a hunter's light.
"Next," Lin Qi said, smiling at him, "You'll make a deal with me."