In July in Boston, sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a blinding glow on the floor.
From the outside perspective, in the first two days after the start of free agency, Boston only announced two fringe signings that left many puzzled, apart from veteran Ron Harper officially announcing his retirement.
Raja Bell, $4 million for 4 years. Stephen Jackson, $4 million for 4 years.
Boston local newspaper, in a corner of its sports section, mercilessly satirized. "After trading away the league's best perimeter defender, Lin Qi seems to have become obsessed with finding bargains in overseas leagues for high prices. These unknown journeymen, who can only make a living in Europe, usually can't even get a guaranteed minimum salary of $500,000."
In the public's deep-seated impression, Raja Bell is still that undrafted player with a stiff shooting form, while Stephen Jackson is a hot-tempered, unruly second-round pick.
Despite the ridicule from the outside world, Lin Qi simply sat calmly on the sidelines and casually tossed the newspaper into the trash can. He opened the season summary report on the table, written by Olympia Milan's head coach Scariolo and assistant coach Kokoškov, and his gaze lingered on the two names.
Over the past year, Lin Qi has placed these two guys in Milan to experience the Europe half of the game.
The player who showed the most improvement was Raja Bell. Under Kokoškov's patient guidance, Bell not only reshaped his shooting motion but also developed extremely consistent off-ball movement and catch-and-shoot ability. The report clearly shows that his corner three-point shooting percentage rose sharply in the second half of the Italian Basketball League season, and he has fully acquired the qualities of a high-quality 3-and-D player.
As for Stephen Jackson, the assessment in this report is much more complicated.
This arrogant guy didn't have a pleasant time in Milan. He was extremely uncomfortable with Scariolo's rigid, academic tactical discipline, and even had several public arguments with the head coach in the locker room and on the sidelines. His temper not only didn't subside, but he became increasingly unruly. Fortunately, the limited offensive space in Europe forced him to improve his shot selection. After being benched for a while, although his temper remained fiery, his outside shooting was indeed more consistent than a year ago.
Lin Qi felt that signing Bell, an outside defender who was gradually maturing, and Jackson, a tough but versatile wing player, for one million a year, was a very worthwhile investment.
Just as Lin Qi closed the report, scouting director Sam Presti opened the door and led three young men of different builds into Lin Qi's office.
The three young people, who had just signed insurance contracts in the summer, unconsciously straightened up, their expressions revealing a hint of restraint.
After leaving the contract memorandum, Presti tactfully withdrew.
Lin Qi didn't rush to speak. He picked up his black coffee and scanned the three people with his eyes.
Kirilenko stood ramrod straight, his pale blue eyes revealing a cold sternness.
Raja Bell appeared the most uneasy, his hands clasped in front of him, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the signed copy of the contract on the table, his eyes filled with a sense of relief after hardship.
Although Stephen Jackson tried his best to appear nonchalant, his posture on the sofa was still much more restrained than usual.
"Now that you've signed, you're on our side." Lin Qi put down his coffee cup, breaking the silence in the room. "I'm curious, what were you three really thinking when I left you all in Europe these past few years?"
Raja Bell spoke first.
"To be honest, Mr. Lin Qi, when I first went to Milan, I thought I might never have a chance to return to the NBA," Bell said sincerely and gratefully. "But there, Coach Kokoškov completely transformed me. He practiced shooting with me every day, watching my lower body power and correcting the details of my footwork when catching the ball. Europe coaches don't care if your shooting form looks good or not; they only require that the release point be absolutely consistent and that there be no unnecessary passing motions after catching the ball."
Bell paused, glanced at the contract on the table, and said in a slightly tense voice, "I know clearly now that if you give me even the slightest bit of space, I can make the shot. Mr. Lin Qi, this contract means everything to me and my family. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
Lin Qi nodded in satisfaction.
Lin Qi then turned his attention to Stephen Jackson.
"And what about you, Stephen?" Lin Qi looked at him with a half-smile. " Scariolo said in his report that you almost smashed his tactics board."
Upon hearing this, Jackson shifted his body somewhat awkwardly, but his inherent rebellious spirit still compelled him to complain.
"That white guy named Scariolo has an outrageous number of rules!" Jackson said, frowning. " Kokoškov is the same; he locks me in the video room all day, showing me frame-by-frame tapes of pick-and-roll plays and weak-side passes on that old VCR. I get the ball at the top of the key, and just as I'm about to drive, they're yelling at me from the sidelines to pass the ball, which makes me feel really uncomfortable."
Lin Qi didn't interrupt him, but just listened quietly.
After Jackson complained a few words, his voice gradually lowered. He looked at Lynch, with a rare hint of seriousness and charlatanism in his unruly eyes.
"But I have to admit, after being forced to watch so many tapes, my shot selection has definitely improved." Jackson stopped complaining and looked Lin Qi straight in the eye. "And most importantly... Mr. Lin Qi, you kept your word. You said that as long as I honed my skills in Europe, you would give me a guaranteed contract when I came back. That money will allow my mother to live a good life. You delivered on your promise, so I'll acknowledge you as my boss. From now on in Boston, if anyone dares to cause trouble for the Celtics on the court, I'll let them know what the consequences are."
Lin Qi smiled slightly and finally looked at Kirilenko, who had remained silent.
" Andrei, how about you?" Lin Qi asked, "How have you been feeling these past few years at the CSKA Moscow?"
Unlike Bell's pragmatism and Jackson's street smarts, this Russia prodigy had no superfluous expressions on his face. His English was still quite stiff, with a heavy "r" sound.
"Too slow," Kirilenko uttered coldly in broken English.
"What's too slow?" Lin Qi raised an eyebrow.
"Their defenders are too slow. They're not physically strong enough." Kirilenko frowned slightly, seemingly searching for the right words. "I anticipate passes and don't even need to jump. If I stay there... my body will soften, my reactions will deteriorate. I need stronger opponents."
"Very good."
Lin Qi stood up, placed his hands on the desk, and glanced at the three young men.
Welcome to Boston, feel free to explore!
The three men picked up the copy of the contract from the table, nodded solemnly, and turned to leave the office.
[Summary of Free Agent Signings/Departures]
New signings:
Andrei Kirilenko (officially entered the NBA, signing a four-year fully guaranteed rookie contract)
Raja Bell (Free agency contract: 4 years, $4 million)
Stephen Jackson (Free agency contract: 4 years, $4 million)