Doc Rivers ' breathing suddenly quickened, and his fingers gripping the phone involuntarily tightened.
"They won't criticize the boss for being stingy with money; they'll only criticize you, the president who holds two positions, for being ambitious and incompetent in building the team. They'll accuse you of rigid tactics, chaotic on-field command, and incapable of effectively managing the backcourt." Lin Qi's words were incisive. "At that point, what's the only thing management can do to quell the anger of the home fans? They'll shift all the blame onto you and then, around Thanksgiving, announce your dismissal as a matter of course."
"Once you're publicly fired, the halo of a two-time champion coach that you've painstakingly built over the years will be tarnished. For the next few years, the entire league will see you as nothing more than an overrated, mediocre coach who ruined a promising situation."
There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone, broken only by Doc Rivers' heavy breathing.
The scene Lin Qi described was almost a recurring nightmare in his mind these past few nights. In competitive sports, the head coach is always the first line of defense used by investors to quell public anger.
"Lin... what should I do?" Doc Rivers ' voice was low and hoarse, filled with a deep sense of bewilderment.
"Retire gracefully at the height of your career," Lin Qi calmly uttered four words.
"What?"
"Resignation, Doc. He is resigning from all positions as Orlando Magic president and head coach before the start of preseason training."
"Resign now?!" Doc Rivers ' voice suddenly rose, filled with astonishment. "Training camp is about to start. If I quit now, what will people think of me?"
"The outside world will only see you as a meritorious commander with principles and backbone."
Lin Qi clearly outlined his public relations strategy. "Your resignation can be packaged as 'irreconcilable differences with the team's management regarding championship aspirations and salary investment.' You tell the media that you deeply love Orlando, but the management's decision to let go of key players and refuse to retain the championship-contending roster violates your promises to the team and the fans. To be responsible to the fans and to protest the owners' shortsightedness, you choose to leave gracefully."
Doc Rivers was stunned, his mind racing as he processed what he heard.
"That way, you'll have complete control over morality and public opinion," Lin Qi continued. "Not only will you leave, but your team, including Tom Thibodeau, will also resign."
Doc Rivers felt a jolt when he heard Thibodeau's name.
" Tom is your defensive anchor, your tactical mastermind," Lin Qi said confidently. "You two leave together, completely handing this empty shell over to the Magic's management. Next season, no matter how badly the Magic lose, it has nothing to do with you. In fact, the worse the Magic lose, the more their backcourt defense collapses, the more people will miss you!"
"When the new coach leads a depleted roster without a qualified point guard on a losing streak in the Eastern Conference, what will columnists and commentators across America write?" Lin Qi smiled faintly. "They'll say: 'Look, the Orlando Magic have been exposed for what they are now with the departure of Doc Rivers and Tom Thibodeau! For the past three years, it was only through the magical coaching and defensive system of this two-time champion that the team's shortsightedness and stinginess at the management level were covered up! Doc was the true cornerstone that supported Orlando!'"
Upon hearing this, Doc Rivers on the other end of the phone took a deep breath.
This approach of turning a crisis into a source of prestige completely broke his previous deadlock in thinking.
If he stays with the Magic and tries to salvage the situation, he'll be the culprit who dragged the team into the mire. But if he gracefully steps out now, he'll become a tragic figure, a renowned coach forced out by the owners' shortsightedness!
"But... Lin, where can Tom and I go after we quit our jobs?" Doc Rivers swallowed, his voice already brimming with anticipation. "We can't just stay at home doing nothing, can we?"
"Go to the TV broadcast booth," Lin Qi offered his ultimate solution. "Go to ESPN, or ABC, or TNT. With the aura of a two-time champion coach, any major American television network would be vying to offer you a lucrative commentator contract."
Lin Qi leaned back in his chair and slowly explained, "Go sit in the broadcast booth, Doc. Sit courtside in the air conditioning and commentate on the entire league's games as a tactical expert. Maintain your exposure in front of a nationwide audience, and use your eloquence to build good connections and industry standing. At the same time, you can also stand on the commentary standpoint and analyze the weaknesses of each team's roster and the management's actions."
"As for Tom, let him take a year off, travel around, and observe Europe defensive systems. When several top teams that aimed for the championship but failed in the playoffs sack their head coaches next summer, who do you think will be the most sought-after and best-regarded top coach candidate in the transfer market?"
There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone for half a minute.
Doc Rivers leaned back in his leather chair in his Orlando office, his eyes gradually shifting from initial anxiety and exhaustion to complete clarity.
Lin Qi's words not only helped him and Thibodeau escape from this doomed ship, but also paved a way for him to achieve both fame and fortune.
By becoming a commentator on a television network to avoid the limelight, he not only preserved the reputation of a two-time champion coach but also maintained extremely high national exposure, allowing him to calmly choose a new team with championship potential next summer.
"Lin..." Doc Rivers ' Adam's apple bobbed, his voice hoarse with genuine admiration, "To be honest, in all the years I've known you, you're definitely the most clear-headed and insightful person I've ever met."
"You flatter me, Doc," Lin Qi said calmly. "Now that you've seen the cards you're dealt, there's no need to gamble your reputation on a losing hand. The best option is to leave gracefully while you still have chips."
"I understand." Doc Rivers let out a long sigh of relief, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, his tone becoming incredibly relaxed. "Tomorrow morning, Tom and I will have our resignations on Richard DeVos's desk. See you on television next month."
Good luck, Doc.
Lin Qi hung up the phone and placed it on the leather seat next to him.
Outside the car window, the streetscape of Queens rushed past, and the private terminal of LaGuardia Airport came into view.
Lin Qi leaned back in his chair, looking calm and composed.
Doc Rivers and Thibodeau's early departure not only eliminated the Magic, a potential playoff contender in the Eastern Conference, but also inadvertently bound this future highly influential coach to Boston's network of connections.
A short ten-minute phone call not only established a solid personal relationship but also conveniently clarified the competitive landscape of the Eastern Conference for the new season.
The car slowly came to a stop in front of the private helipad.
Lin Qi straightened the hem of his suit jacket, stepped out of the car, and calmly boarded the Gulfstream plane bound for Boston, facing the scorching afternoon breeze.