Recaps

Lin Qi negotiated with David Stern over the NBA’s future and helped Michael Jordan secure a path to the Bobcats, while Boston developed its new offense and roster plans. He then brokered Kobe Bryant’s lifetime Converse deal and a delay in his trial, leaving Converse’s provocative campaign amid booming sales and complaints to Stern.

• Lin Qi approved Carlisle’s plan to disguise the Boston Pick-and-Roll within the horns formation and agreed to develop the NBA’s international strategy with David Stern.
• Lin Qi learned that Michael Jordan’s Lakers dispute lacked written proof, then offered Jordan Boston’s help building the Bobcats in exchange for draft picks and support in league votes.
• Lin Qi advised Doc Rivers to resign from Orlando with Tom Thibodeau, then negotiated with Jordan and Charles Barkley about their future roles and Kingmaker.
• As Shaquille O'Neal pressed the Lakers for a major extension, Lin Qi had Margaret publicize its likely cost and met with Converse executive Gregg Stone about Kobe Bryant.
• Lin Qi arranged a guaranteed lifetime Converse endorsement for Kobe and persuaded Mr. Evans to cooperate in suspending the trial, allowing Kobe to play while waiving his right to a speedy trial.
• The court postponed Kobe’s trial indefinitely, and Nike learned that Kobe had signed a lifetime Converse contract worth over $100 million.
• Converse’s defiant Kobe commercial drew condemnation and boycott calls, but Chicago customers bought out the Black Mamba sweatshirts.
• After retailers reported huge preorders, Lin Qi ordered Converse to expand Black Mamba apparel and delay Kobe’s signature shoes, while NBA owners complained to Stern about the promotion.

Lin Qi navigated league restrictions, reshaped Boston’s offense and rotation, and steered the Celtics through a dominant start to the season. After wins over Cleveland and New Jersey, he imposed a penalty system to curb Rasheed Wallace and Ron Artest’s technical fouls.

• David Stern rejected a lawsuit against Lin Qi and issued rules that grandfathered existing endorsement deals while restricting cross-team endorsements during active player contracts.
• Lin Qi identified openings for endorsement deals with unsigned prospects and directed Gregg Stone to create an independent committee to evaluate Converse signings.
• Lin Qi told Rick Carlisle that playoff defenses could undermine a purely statistical offense, then urged him to combine Dwyane Wade’s drives with midrange opportunities for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
• Shaquille O’Neal rejected the Lakers’ extension offer and threatened to leave, prompting Jerry Buss to order Mitch Kupchak to trade him before the season.
• The Lakers and Bulls agreed in principle to trade Kobe Bryant to Los Angeles for O’Neal, Eddie Robinson, Marcus Fizer, and a protected second-round pick.
• Lin Qi established role-based rotations and development plans for Boston’s young players, then introduced a faster offense built around defense, early attacks, and the Boston Pick-and-Roll.
• Boston routed Cleveland 114-85 in its season opener as Garnett, Wade, and Pierce led the new offense, and Lin Qi refused Jim Paxson’s offer of Ricky Davis.
• Boston beat the New Jersey Nets 106-94, then Lin Qi made Rasheed Wallace responsible for Ron Artest’s conduct and imposed shared fines for technical fouls and ejections.

The Celtics rallied around Mehmet Okur, supported Dwyane Wade through an extortion threat, and raised major funds for Mutombo’s hospital. As Boston’s offense faltered against defenses that ignored Ben Wallace, Lin Qi devised the Wallace Screen, which began to work against the Nets.

• Lin Qi managed the Celtics’ technical-foul rivalry and pushed Mehmet Okur to improve his conditioning, while Ben Wallace encouraged Okur and helped him regain confidence with extra workouts and strong play against Memphis.
• When Marcus Jenkins threatened Wade over his family’s past loan, Sam Presti and Lin Qi worked with the police to protect Wade’s family and stop the extortion attempt, and Wade then led Boston past Toronto.
• Lin Qi brought Celtics players and Boston business leaders to Mutombo’s charity dinner, where donations and matching commitments reached the hospital’s $1 million shortfall and Lin Qi negotiated for better broadcast-rights terms.
• Gerald Wallace won a practice game for the reserves, earning a place in the rotation, but Detroit exploited Ben Wallace’s scoring weakness to beat Boston and inspire other teams to copy the tactic.
• As the Celtics went 4–4 and media criticism mounted, Lin Qi told Rick Carlisle to manage Garnett’s minutes and developed a new system for Ben Wallace, while Lin Qi’s film Kingmaker drew strong reviews and attention.
• Lin Qi instructed Converse to keep Kobe Bryant’s commercial on the air, and Kobe’s game-winning shot against Indiana helped the ad drive Converse’s Kobe shoes to a nationwide sellout.
• Lin Qi and Carlisle taught the Celtics the Wallace Screen, using Ben Wallace’s positioning to free Wade’s driving lane, and the practiced play helped Boston fight back against the Nets.

Boston developed Dwyane Wade into a stronger leader under Gary Payton’s mentorship while Lin Qi managed the roster, scouting, and the team’s growing profile. The arc ended with Ron Artest returning from a difficult music promotion tour, passing his fitness tests, and committing to defend his place in the rotation.

• Boston beat New Jersey 112-91 as its pick-and-roll attack overwhelmed the Nets, and Lin Qi rejected trade inquiries about the team’s centers.
• Lin Qi persuaded Gary Payton to mentor Wade, and Payton challenged Wade to improve his decision-making, defense, and ball protection.
• Wade and Payton led Boston to a 132-98 win over Dallas, where Garnett recorded a triple-double and Wade scored 28 points with 11 assists.
• Lin Qi used Kingmaker’s success to boost Celtics merchandise and Wade’s signature shoe plans, while the league adopted Boston’s medical protocols as a model.
• Lin Qi kept the roster intact, gave Artest fourteen days off to promote his music, and directed Presti to assess draft prospects including Rajon Rondo, Andre Iguodala, and Chris Paul.
• Boston endured a difficult road stretch before Payton helped close out a 106-98 win over Philadelphia with a steal, an assist, and a three-pointer.
• Artest returned from a failed CD promotion tour, completed his conditioning tests, and told Lin Qi he wanted to write music based on his own life and championship memories.
• Lin Qi offered Artest studio support for the next Kingmaker movie and warned him to compete for playing time, and Artest vowed to defend his spot in the second unit.