The sign-and-trade deal involving Gary Payton has been officially reported to and approved by the league.
In this league-shaking trade, the Boston Celtics sent Chauncey Billups Billups, Rod Strickland, and Mark Jackson to receive Gary Payton and two valuable first-round picks in return.
This move has drawn mixed reactions from the outside world. Many basketball commentators have even pointed out that trading Billups, who is in his prime and has performed brilliantly in the NBA Finals, for a 35-year-old veteran who is seriously injured is simply an incomprehensible step backward.
In the president's office at Boston's New Garden, Lin Qi sat alone at his large desk, his fingers tapping lightly on the surface as his mind raced.
He certainly knew that the criticism from the outside world was justified. It was a very risky gamble.
If Dwyane Wade's development doesn't meet expectations and he can't quickly shoulder the responsibility in the backcourt, then the resulting gap in backcourt strength could very well put the Celtics out of championship contention temporarily. But he has no choice; in order to rediscover the offensive and defensive system of the Celtics' four-peat era, he must bring back Gary Payton.
With Billups traded away, and veteran point guards Strickland and Mark Jackson also included in the deal, the Celtics ' backcourt desperately needs a point guard who can bring the ball up the court, provide solid defense, and is willing to come off the bench to fill the void. Moreover, Gary Payton's torn meniscus and groin sustained in the playoffs mean he'll likely be out until mid-November, putting their backcourt rotation to a significant challenge at the start of the season.
Lin Qi pulled out an updated list of remaining free agents.
A desolate wasteland.
All the quality point guards were snapped up by teams waving their checks in July. Now, those left are either fringe players who struggle to even dribble past half-court, or troublemakers with tempers that outweigh their skills.
His gaze swept quickly across the densely packed names, and suddenly, his eyes landed on an inconspicuous one.
Tyronn Lue.
Looking at the name, Lin Qi couldn't help but smile slightly. In this parallel universe, the trajectory of history had been completely altered due to the Boston Celtics ' powerful rise.
In the original story, Tyronn Lue relentlessly clung to Allen Iverson throughout the 2001 NBA Finals, and after Iverson made a crucial shot, the latter powerfully stepped over his head. That iconic moment made Tyronn Lue an instant legend, earning him the defensive moniker of " Iverson Stopper," thus securing his place in the league.
But what about now? Allen Iverson's Philadelphia 76ers were mercilessly crushed by Boston in the Eastern Conference, never even reaching the NBA Finals. Iverson failed to shine at Staples Center, and Tyronn Lue naturally lost the defensive role that made him famous.
In the past few years, without any memorable moments, Tyronn Lue was just an invisible man at the very end of the Los Angeles Lakers' bench, and then he moved to the Washington Wizards. In the eyes of general managers across the league, he was just a short, unremarkable benchwarmer.
Tyronn Lue is currently in very poor demand on the free agent market, with almost no one interested in him.
But Lin Qi knew very well that, putting aside the hype, Tyronn Lue had very distinct tactical qualities. He not only had a strong defensive drive and was good at full-court defense and tearing apart small, fast guards, but he also had a pretty good three-point shot, which could make up for the team's current weakness in outside shooting on the second unit.
Most importantly, Boston's primary hypothetical rival next season is the San Antonio Spurs, who have just assembled a super team. To defeat that monster team, the Celtics must have someone who can keep up with Tony Parker's lightning-fast, sports car-like drives.
Tyronn Lue, who can shoot threes and guard small guards the entire game, is the perfect candidate to wear down Parker.
"You're the one." Lin Qi picked up the phone without hesitation and dialed the legal department's internal line. "Contact Tyronn Lue's agent. Give him a mini middle-class exception, three years, $1.5 million a year, fully guaranteed. Tell him that if he comes to Boston, he'll have consistent playing time and a clear tactical role."
Having resolved the issue of the backup players, Lin Qi shifted his focus to the inside game.
Looking back at the recently concluded NBA Finals, the Celtics exposed a glaring weakness: the team has too few traditional centers to rely on. This is an unavoidable drawback of their aggressive rejuvenation strategy. In order to make room for the growth of their young big men, the team currently only has Ben Wallace as a pure power-based defensive center. Against the formidable superstar big men in the Western Conference, this is clearly insufficient.
He already had an irreplaceable person in mind when it came to this question.
That afternoon, at an upscale cigar club in downtown Boston.
Lin Qi met Dikembe Mutombo, who had just been bought out and waived by the Miami Heat. The " African Mountain," who had won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award multiple times, was leaning back on the sofa, his eyes revealing undisguised fatigue and dejection.
Being traded by the Mavericks as a dumping ground to fill salary cap space, only to be ruthlessly bought out by the Heat, is nothing short of a public slap in the face for a proud, old-school center.
"Lin..." Mutombo picked up his water glass, his voice deep but tinged with self-deprecation, "Are you here to persuade me to retire? I've received two minimum-salary offers, but I'm still considering it. My body is definitely not what it used to be."
" Dikembe," Lin Qi said, looking at his old friend with a gentle gaze, his tone casual, "Do you remember how I got you to Dallas three years ago, in my office?"
Mutombo was slightly taken aback.
Three years ago, on the Lin Qi Lin Qi and publicly offered him a contract to the entire league, and firmly demanded that the buyer meet Mutombo's demand for a maximum salary of 4 years and $65 million.
In the end, Lin Qi squeezed Mark Cuban out of his money, and Mutombo got what he wanted: a huge pension contract that would allow his Africa charity hospital to operate for many years.
"How could I forget?" A hint of emotion flashed in Mutombo's eyes. "Lin, you helped me get everything I deserved."
"Then you should remember what I said to you back then," Lin Qi said, leaning back on the sofa with a smile.
Mutombo fell silent. He certainly remembered that as he walked out of the office, Lin Qi pointed to the dome of the New Garden and said to him, "After you finish this big contract, if there's an opportunity, I hope you can come back to Boston and retire as a Celtics player."
"But Lin, I didn't finish that big contract. I'm old, and I was even bought out as a bad contract." Mutombo shook his head with a wry smile. "I'm no longer the big man who could hold off Shaq for you."
" Dikembe, if I came here to pity you, I wouldn't be sitting here." Lin Qi put down his water glass. "I watched your tapes from last season with the Mavericks. Your movement speed has definitely slowed down. If you were on another team, they might have asked you to play thirty minutes a week, making you run around endlessly running pick-and-rolls. That would have completely ruined your already worn-out knees and made your defense look like a joke."
Mutombo did not refute it; it was the harsh truth.
"But in Boston, the system is different. We have the best perimeter defense in the league. I don't need you to run out to defend pick-and-rolls, and I don't need you to play 30 minutes." Lin Qi leaned forward, his tone brimming with absolute confidence. "I only need you to play 10 to 15 minutes per game. In those 10 to 15 minutes, you just need to stay in the paint."
"When those guards manage to break through our perimeter defense and try to finish a layup in the paint, I need them to look up and see that insurmountable African Mountain."
Seeing the light in Mutombo's eyes, Lin Qi revealed his true purpose. "Besides, Tyson Chandler Chandler is too young. He has outstanding physical talent, but he lacks top-notch defensive instincts. Boston needs you to come back and mentor him, to teach him step by step how to become a true center."
"A two-year contract, veteran minimum salary. You've already made enough money in Dallas in the first three years. Consider this contract as payment for the private lessons you give to young players in Boston."
Lin Qi extended his right hand, his gaze fixed intently on the veteran. "Come back, Dikembe. Let's go for the championship again."
After a brief silence, Mutombo looked at the team owner in front of him, who had once given him enough respect and was now offering him a contract when he was at his lowest point.
The elderly " African Mountain " had slightly reddened eyes, and slowly extended his large hands, shaking them firmly with Lin Qi's.
"Since you only need me to play for about ten minutes, and maybe teach the younger guys a thing or two..." Mutombo's weathered face finally regained a hint of the arrogance of a top defender, "Then I won't let you down. Boston's paint will remain a no-fly zone from now on."