After completing several core trades, Lin Qi turned his attention to the fringes of the free-agent market. Most teams saw these players as a collection of undrafted prospects and journeymen with glaring strengths and weaknesses. But to Lin Qi, they were precisely suited to capitalize on the era ushered in by the new rules.
The first target was Dana Barros (1.80 meters, point guard).
He was a born-and-bred Boston native. On draft night, Lin Qi had sent Vern Fleming to Philadelphia as part of his dealings, only for the Philadelphia 76ers to turn around and abandon extension talks with Barros. That setup was about to pay off.
His short stature and much-criticized defense had left the little guard without any takers on the market. Once the entire three-point line moved in to 6.71 meters, this guard with both speed and range would make a qualitative leap. Next season, he would have a career breakout, averaging 20.6 points and shooting an impressive 46.4% from three, after which his market value would soar.
"Three million dollars over two years." Lin Qi signed without hesitation. "He'll be the tactical centerpiece of the bench." With the two long-range guns, Barros and Wesley Person, on the floor together, they could stretch out those traditional defenses accustomed to packing the paint.
The second target was Bo Outlaw (2.03 meters, combo forward).
The 23-year-old undrafted player had played for the Clippers last season. He was thin and had almost no ability to create his own offense, but on defense, he possessed astonishing leaping ability and switchability, capable of switching onto anyone from point guards to interior players.
In 1994, an era that prized bulk and grinding half-court battles, most people failed to understand his value. Lin Qi, however, knew that a defensive forward combining mobility with the physicality to protect the rim was exactly the scarce commodity that the new era's defensive systems desperately needed. He offered a three-year contract, and the Clippers showed no interest in even matching it.
The third target was Elliott Perry (1.83 meters, point guard).
He always wore goggles and his trademark high socks, and everyone around the league called him "Socks." Last season with the Clippers, he had averaged just 3.9 points on 37.2% shooting. To most teams, he was merely a fringe journeyman who could be washed out at any moment.
But he could push the ball up the floor extremely quickly and had a midrange floater that was exceptionally difficult to block among smaller players. After the new rules, a guard with such blazing speed and a signature floater would have an even greater impact on the court.
Before competitors such as the Suns could react, Lin Qi moved first and signed him to an inexpensive two-year contract. He was perfect insurance at point guard, as well as a reserve Lin Qi had secured for the "run-and-gun" and "scramble" tactics he planned to implement in the new season.
After scooping up the main immediate contributors, Lin Qi added two more specialized big men at the very end of the bench as insurance for veteran Parish.
Aaron Williams (2.06 meters): an undrafted player from 1993. His 2.06-meter frame packed explosive strength, broad shoulders, and long arms, and he played an extremely physical game. Signed for the minimum.
Marty Conlon (2.08 meters): a white big man who had carved out a place among the forest of interior players through basketball IQ and an odd-looking shot. Although his shooting motion resembled a shot put, he was very accurate from midrange, making his range just right for luring opposing big centers out of the paint. Also signed for the minimum.
After signing so many players in one go, the roster had become bloated, and Lin Qi began trimming it down.
The salary-matching pieces acquired on draft night... Rich King, Steve Scheffler, Danny Schayes, and Greg Graham, whom he had obtained from Philadelphia: those he could release were released outright, while the rest were put on training-camp contracts. As for the two overpriced contracts that were hardest to move, he simply attached a future second-round pick and sent them to the Clippers for cap space. The injured Scott Haskin, meanwhile, remained on the injured list.
As summer drew to a close, Lin Qi wrote the final 15-man roster for the new season on his office whiteboard.
[Starting lineup] Point guard (PG) | Sam Cassell (Sam Cassell), 1.91 meters, age 24, No. 28. Shooting guard (SG) | Eddie Jones (Eddie Jones), 1.98 meters, age 22, No. 7. Small forward (SF) | Dominique Wilkins (Dominique Wilkins), 2.03 meters, age 34, No. 12. Power forward (PF) | Dino Radja (Dino Rađa), 2.11 meters, age 27, No. 40. Center (C) | Robert Parish (Robert Parish), 2.16 meters, age 41, No. 00. [Main rotation] Point guard (PG) | Dana Barros (Dana Barros), 1.80 meters, age 27, No. 11. Swingman (SG/SF) | Wesley Person (Wesley Person), 1.98 meters, age 23, No. 13. Small forward (SF) | Sean Elliott (Sean Elliott), 2.03 meters, age 26, No. 8. Big man (PF/C) | P.J. Brown (P.J. Brown), 2.11 meters, age 24, No. 93. Center (C) | Magic Johnson (Ervin Johnson Jr.), 2.11 meters, age 26, No. 50. [Fringe/specialist players] Combo forward (PF/SF) | Bo Outlaw (Bo Outlaw), 2.03 meters, age 23, No. 45. Point guard (PG) | Elliott Perry (Elliot Perry), 1.83 meters, age 25, No. 58. Big man (PF/C) | Marty Conlon (Marty Conlon), 2.08 meters, age 26, No. 52. Big man (PF/C) | Aaron Williams (Aaron Williams), 2.06 meters, age 22, No. 30. Injured reserve (IR) | Scott Haskin (Scott Haskin), 2.11 meters, age 24, No. 44.
This peculiar roster left Boston's local media baffled. In a column, the Boston Herald mockingly called it "Lin Qi's general store"...
There were veterans nearing retirement, inexperienced rookies, pure shooters, and undrafted players who did nothing but dirty work. On paper alone, it looked nothing like a traditional championship contender.
But one person in the entire league understood.
That evening, the private phone in his office rang. Lin Qi picked up the receiver, and Jerry West's low voice came through from the other end.
"Cassell," West began without preamble, his tone betraying neither admiration nor apprehension. "You took Sam Cassell right out from under Houston's nose. That kid's mental toughness in the playoffs is far beyond that of the other rookies in his class. I doubt even the Rockets have figured out his true value."
"Jerry, did you call just to talk about that?"
"I called to remind you of something." West paused, his voice deepening. "I studied everything you did this summer. Snatching Jones, buying Elliott, breaking Douglas down into spare change, stockpiling Person, re-signing Parish, signing Dominique Wilkins, and then poaching Cassell."
"I see what you're doing. Before the rest of the league has adjusted to the new rules, you've put together a playoff team at the lowest possible cost."
"You flatter me."
"But that's as far as it goes." West's voice cooled. "You certainly got every bargain this year. But two years from now, in the summer of 1996, there will be resources you can't get through calculation. You'll have to fight for them with real strength. When that time comes, you'll find that I'm still the one standing in your way."
Lin Qi stood at the window, looking out at the night beyond Boston's Old Boston Garden.
"I'll be waiting," Lin Qi replied calmly. "But before that, Jerry, you'll have to watch just how big a storm I stir up in the Eastern Conference."
There was a brief silence on the other end.
"...See you in the regular season, Lin Qi."