The black sedan smoothly navigated the Lower Manhattan tunnels, heading towards LaGuardia Airport.
Outside the car window, the late summer heat made the air on the road sway slightly. Lin Qi leaned back in the leather seat in the back and closed his eyes to rest, his mind still processing the rules and proposals that he had just finalized with Stern at the Olympic Tower.
Just then, my phone started vibrating rapidly in my pocket.
Lin Qi took it out and glanced at the caller ID. A familiar name flashed on the screen: Doc Rivers.
As the president and head coach of the Orlando Magic Team, it's not hard to guess why Doc Rivers called at this time.
Lin Qi swiped to answer the call and held the phone to his ear, " Doc, how's your offseason in Orlando?"
Instead of the usual cheerful greetings, the voice on the other end of the phone was heavy, anxious, and accompanied by noticeably labored breathing.
"How are you, Lin? I feel like my head is about to explode." Doc Rivers's signature hoarse voice betrayed his exhaustion and anger. "I haven't even touched a golf club in days. If I hadn't been driven to this corner, I would never have bothered you at a time like this."
"It seems things aren't going too well in the free agent market?" Lin Qi shifted into a more comfortable sitting position, his tone calm.
"It wasn't just unsuccessful, it was an uncontrollable disaster!"
Doc Rivers couldn't help but complain on the other end of the phone, " Gilbert Arenas ( Gilbert Arenas ) left, the Denver Nuggets just offered him a huge contract and poached him. Then it was Brad Miller, the Sacramento kept contacting him privately, I pleaded and begged to keep him, but in the end I had to bite the bullet and do a sign-and-trade with the Sacramento Kings, and watch helplessly as he went to California."
Doc Rivers let out a frustrated sigh, his voice filled with suppressed resentment. "Lin, how well did we play last season? Everyone thought Orlando was going to really step up their game this season! To keep this core of the team, I went to Richard DeVos with contract extension offers, and what happened?"
"Mr. DeVos won't pay?" Lin Qi said casually.
"He simply couldn't bear to pay even a single penny of luxury tax!"
Doc Rivers could no longer contain his anger, his voice almost roaring, "After giving Jermaine a max contract, the owner immediately ordered the legal and finance departments that the Magic's total salary for the new season absolutely cannot exceed the luxury tax threshold! DeVos was very blunt: Michael Redd and Hedo Türkoğlu's contracts expire next summer. Both of them will definitely get big contracts after next season. If we give long-term contracts to Gilbert Arenas and Brad this year, by next summer, the Magic will have to pay tens of millions in luxury tax alone!"
"Just because they want to save money to re-sign Michael and Hedo next year, old DeVos isn't willing to go over a single dollar!" Doc Rivers ' voice lowered, revealing a deep sense of helplessness. " Brad's gone, Gilbert Arenas's gone. All that's left on the perimeter is the aging Damon Stoudamire. ' Mighty Mouse ' is no longer what he used to be; his knees are badly worn, his lateral movement is as slow as an old man's, and even getting him off the bench for ten minutes or so is a struggle. Preseason training starts soon, and when I look at the team's roster, I don't even know who to start at point guard!"
Lin Qi leaned against the car window, listening quietly.
Lin Qi knew all too well what the Magic had gone through this summer.
Richard DeVos was essentially a shrewd and traditional businessman. Amway Group invested in the team for prestige and brand promotion, and would never have suffered huge losses at any cost like Boston did in their pursuit of a championship.
After offering a max contract to cornerstone center Jermaine O'Neal, and facing pressure to renew the contracts of Hedo Türkoğlu and Michael Redd expiring next summer, DeVos quickly reclaimed financial control. Under the firm orders of the owners to adhere to the luxury tax red line, Doc Rivers, who served as both president and head coach, was instantly put on the spot.
There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, followed by the soft sound of Doc Rivers lighting a cigarette. He took a deep breath, his tone revealing a deep weariness and nostalgia.
"To be honest, Lin, I haven't been very happy working for the Magic these past few years." Doc Rivers gave a wry smile, his voice lowering. "Every day, the first thing I do is calculate salary cap space, wrestle with the DeVos family's financial auditors, and then I have to go to the locker room to appease the players... Being this damn president is a hundred times more tiring than being the head coach."
Doc Rivers paused for a moment, then sighed sincerely, "Those two years with the Boston Celtics are the ones I miss the most."
In the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 seasons, it was Doc Rivers who coached Boston, leading the Celtics to two consecutive championships under the behind-the-scenes management of Lin Qi.
"Those were such pure times," Doc Rivers said, his voice filled with reminiscence. "You in management kept all the off-court issues, media attention, and labor disputes out of the way, and you arranged the team's salary structure and player acquisitions perfectly. Our coaching staff didn't have to worry about anything; we just needed to focus on the court with Gary and Kevin, studying tactics and leading the team to victory. Back then, I felt that coaching was the most wonderful job in the world. Unlike now in Orlando, where I'm both the father and the mother, holding a bunch of junk and still responsible for the winning percentage."
Doc Rivers sighed and finally revealed the real reason for the call, "Lin, I know Boston's backcourt is actually tight right now. Gary ( Gary Payton ) is seriously injured and will basically miss the first half of the season, which is a headache for you guys. I won't ask you for players anymore. I'm calling you today because I want to hear your honest opinion. With your perspective on the overall situation of the league, what should we do now?"
Lin Qi remained calm as he listened to Doc Rivers's heartfelt confession.
He didn't answer immediately, but let the silence in the car last for a few seconds.
" Doc, since you're asking me the truth, I'll be frank." Lin Qi's expression was cold, his tone unhurried. "Your greatest asset right now is the personal reputation you've painstakingly built up over the years."
Lin Qi's voice was steady and powerful, pointing out the reality that Doc Rivers had never dared to face.
"In Boston, you won two consecutive championships as head coach, proving your ability to lead a top-tier team to victory. In Orlando, you led this young team to the playoffs for several consecutive years, even reaching the Eastern Conference four in the Eastern Conference last season. In the eyes of major media outlets, fans, and league owners, you Doc Rivers, are a top-tier coach with two championship rings, adept at boosting morale, and skilled at winning. This is the foundation for your future success in professional sports."
"But what if the new season starts?"
Lin Qi paused, his tone icy. "Richard DeVos was unwilling to pay taxes, and to make room for Michael and Hedo's contract renewals next year, he personally let Gilbert Arenas and Brad go. Ordinary fans won't even bother to investigate this. The media will only see you losing game after game on the court."
" Damon Stoudamire's footwork can't keep up with the younger guards, and his point guard defense gets broken down every night. There's no reliable offensive engine, Jermaine is constantly double-teamed in the paint. If the regular season starts with a 1-10 record, or even a losing streak of more than ten games, who will be the target of public criticism?"