Mid-July in the NBA is like a giant pressure cooker that has reached its boiling point.
Every day, shocking rumors circulate throughout the league. Sports sections of major media outlets are updated with these rumors almost hourly, and the personal phones of general managers of various teams are constantly being bombarded with calls.
Every day, Lin Qi could only sit in his home on the outskirts of Boston, watching the contract news pop up on his computer screen, his eyes twitching wildly.
The first major piece of news to shake up the league came from Orlando in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando Magic president and head coach Doc Rivers left no room for other teams to dream. Leveraging the absolute advantage of the Larry Bird Exception, the Orlando management slammed their checkbook on Jermaine O'Neal's table: a 7-year, $126 million, fully guaranteed supermax contract.
In 2003, this was an astronomical figure that would make anyone gasp. It is said that Doc Rivers knocked on O'Neal Jr.'s door the very first second free agency opened, and only breathed a sigh of relief after watching him sign his name. Faced with this terrifying contract that was more than 30 million dollars more than other teams, the top power forward in the Eastern Conference unsurprisingly announced that he would stay with the Orlando Magic, completely extinguishing the poaching attempts of other powerhouses.
This means that of the two biggest fish on the free market, only Jason Kidd remains.
Subsequently, the Spurs and Heat engaged in a near-physical battle centered around Kidd.
Pat Riley played his signature emotional card, even promising Kidd absolute leadership and a future with the team. But Popovich's approach was more direct: he made a two-hour phone call to Kidd, and at the end of the call, handed the receiver to Tim Duncan.
No one knows what the stern-faced Stone Buddha said to Kidd, but the result was decisive.
July 16th marked the first day of the unfreezing of free market agreements.
ESPN ran a bold, blood-red headline. "Breaking News! Jason Kidd Signs 6-Year, $92.2 Million Deal with San Antonio Spurs!"
This news exploded like a nuclear bomb in the league. Los Angeles fans, still grieving the Lakers' breakup, were horrified to discover that an even more terrifying beast had risen in State of Texas. A tactical genius of all time, coupled with a fundamental skill of all time, the combination of Tim Duncan and Kidd was almost the perfect tactical puzzle in terms of both inside and outside play.
But the Spurs ' madness is far from over.
With the Lakers' disbandment, those veterans who were willing to give up everything for a championship ring instantly lost Los Angeles as their goal. Now, San Antonio has become their only holy land in pursuit of glory.
Just two hours after Kidd announced his move to the Spurs, former league-leading power forward Carl Malone officially announced that he had joined the San Antonio Spurs on a veteran's minimum contract!
This uncrowned king, who spent his entire life in the Utah highlands setting screens and whose dreams were shattered countless times Utah Jordan on the NBA Finals stage, completely let go of his superstar pride at the age of forty. He didn't care about the difference of a few million dollars; all he needed was a chance to truly touch the O'Brien Trophy.
Lin Qi almost spilled the water in his hand as he looked at the news.
Jason Kidd, Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen, Carl Malone, and Tim Duncan, with Manu Ginobili and " The Admiral " David Robinson on the bench...
" Popovich has assembled a monster team..." Lin Qi took a deep breath. If the Celtics can make it out of the Eastern Conference next season, they will face an epic team in the NBA Finals with top-notch tactical awareness, star talent, and even veteran experience.
Meanwhile, the Heat, having lost the " Kidd sweepstakes battle," immediately turned to a crazy Plan B.
Pat Riley set his sights on Lamar Odom, a restricted free agent who was recently embroiled in controversy following the Lakers' breakup. Seeking revenge on the Lakers, the Heat didn't hesitate to offer Odom a massive six-year, $63 million contract. Pat Riley even prepared a private yacht to take Odom on a cruise on Miami Beach.
But the Lakers, having lost Zen Master and Jordan, could not afford to watch their core players slip away. The Los Angeles management gritted their teeth and, at the last minute before the match deadline, forced a decision to match the Heat's offer, keeping Odom at Staples.
Pat Riley, clutching over twenty million dollars, ran into obstacles everywhere in the free market, and in a fit of anger, smashed his beloved coffee cup in his luxurious office.
In contrast to the Heat's disappointing performance, the Denver Nuggets, who also had plenty of money, had a bountiful summer.
The Denver Nuggets Gilbert Arenas dazzled newly crowned Most Improved Player Gilbert Arenas with a contract starting at $8.5 million and worth approximately $60 million over six years (reportedly, the Miami Heat were only willing to offer $50 million over six years). The Orlando Magic, who already had Gilbert Arenas, had their salary cap completely locked up after re-signing O'Neal Jr. to a supermax contract of $126 million, making it impossible for them to match the Nuggets ' almost unreasonable offer.
The Magic could only watch helplessly as this explosively talented rising star traveled to the Colorado Plateau.
Subsequently, the deep-pocketed Nuggets continued to wield their checkbook, signing another lucrative contract to the physically explosive but technically somewhat rough center, Michael Olowokandi. Combined with their draft pick of Chris Bosh, the Denver Nuggets, overnight, used money to create a young and imaginative new core roster.
In the Eastern Conference, the New Jersey Nets re-signed their core center Elton Brand to a six-year, $82 million contract. Meanwhile, after some back and forth, the team also reached a multi-year contract extension with another excellent point guard Andrei Miller.
The crazy month of July is about to come to an end.
The entire league landscape has been completely torn apart and restructured. In the Western Conference, the Spurs are at their peak, while the Nuggets have emerged as a dark horse. In the Eastern Conference, the Magic retained O'Neal Jr., Nets also preserved their core structure.
The Boston Celtics, however, seemed to be completely invisible this summer. Due to a locked-up salary cap and suspensions, the Celtics made no substantial signings for an entire month.
The Boston Globe's sports section has even started publishing commentaries, with local media and fans alike vehemently predicting the downfall of this Eastern Conference powerhouse that just made it to the NBA Finals, believing they have completely fallen behind in the brutal arms race and are destined to be spectators next season.
Lin Qi ignored the commotion outside.
He simply stood quietly by the study window, his gaze fixed on the heavily circled red mark on the desk calendar...
August 1st.
There are only 48 hours left until David Stern's suspension is lifted.
"I've had my fill of the show; it's time for me to take the stage."