the rest, only noise

Chapter 1199 A cautious victory

Detroit Pistons Draft War Room

Pistons general manager Earl Monroe tries to make a trade with the Rockets.

Although Iverson and Camby are recognized as the top two, but as the Spurs selected Iverson, the Rockets could not decisively report Camby's name.

Because their inside line is good enough.

Joe Smith, Rick Schmitz, Divac When you have so many bigs, do you want to pick another big?Even if this person suppresses next year's top pick Tim Duncan in this year's NCAA?
The Rockets certainly want to trade down in exchange for players who are more suitable for the team.

However, the Pistons' pick is "too low". With the seventh pick, it is difficult to select one of the six emperors in this draft. Even if they are selected, it may be the last one.

Unless the Pistons are willing to take future draft picks for this deal, the Rockets will not consider moving forward with the deal.

Monroe's application was quickly frustrated, and just as he decided to keep the No. [-] pick for himself, the phone rang again.

"Hello, who is it?"

"Uncle Monroe, it's me, Louie."

Monroe was slightly surprised: "I didn't expect you to call me when you were free."

"I was on the way to the bathroom just now, and I thought of a deal that would benefit both of us." Louis' tone was always deceitful.

Monroe and Louie had worked together successfully, so his vigilance was not strong.

"Is this deal reliable? If it's not reliable, don't talk about it. Everyone is very busy."

"Absolutely reliable."

"tell me the story."

"It's like this. I want to draft a certain player, but our pick is too late. It's a bit unsafe. I want to upgrade our No. [-] pick to No. [-]. This needs your help."

Monroe asked directly, "What's in it for me?"

"The Pistons can get my friendship, which means you can get my professional advice in the draft."

"Louis, that's not enough."

"Then I'll bring in this year's No.19 pick in the first round, do you think it's enough?"

Monroe believed that if Louis really had the sincerity to make a deal with him, even if he was a little greedy, the other party would agree.

"You've got to give me another future first-round pick."

"Aren't you asking for too much, Uncle Monroe, I really want to make a deal with you."

"Louie, you should know the value of the No. [-] pick. If I don't ask for enough, it will be my dereliction of duty. I can't do business with the top and bottom."

"Well, I'll add a first-round pick for next year, right?"

"I think it's all right."

Monroe hung up the phone and ordered someone to report the transaction to the league.

In the draft war room of the forum, Louis looked at the people around him and said, "The situation is urgent, there is no time to argue."

West felt that the price was too high. The exchange of the No. 19 pick for the No. [-] pick actually caught up with the No. [-] pick and the first round of next year. If Kobe didn't make it, who would be responsible?
"Do we really need to do this for a high school student?" Kurt Rambis felt that Louis was too sensitive. "I don't think the Spurs will deliberately get the No. [-] pick for Corbett."

Louis snorted softly: "If everyone thinks like you, it will be much easier to build a good team. If we really want to get Kobe, we have to work hard enough to make sure nothing goes wrong."

Then came the second pick.

The Rockets still took Marcus Camby, but everyone believed they would trade away the signing rights.

According to Louie's estimation, now Camby can probably exchange Ray Allen, Stephen Marbury, Antoine Walker for anyone, plus a considerable number of draft picks.

This is definitely when the Marcus Camby trade was worth the most.

Camby's momentum was bigger than Louie had imagined.

Rick Pitino said: "He is a shot blocker, very fast, has elite low-post skills, and if you think this is not enough, he can also support him. He is a very reliable team-building core. In my opinion, he should be the No. [-] pick."

This kind of evaluation seems outrageous to future generations, but combined with Camby's performance in college, it is not incomprehensible.

In March Madness this year, Camby met Pitino's Kentucky.

面对号称全神班的肯塔基，坎比全场18投9中砍下25分8篮板6盖帽。

Afterwards, Julius Owen was also invited to comment on Camby.

Dr. J was also full of praise for Canby.

These things have only one direction, which is to make Camby's value infinitely higher.

After that, the first variable in the draft came.

The Toronto Raptors, holding the third overall pick, did not select the much-anticipated Shareef Abdul-Rahim or Ray Allen, but instead selected Stephon Marbury.

Seeing this scene, everyone believes that the Raptors will definitely trade with the Rockets.

Because what the Rockets need is a point guard, which means they are only interested in Iverson and Marbury.

The Raptors used the third pick to select Marbury, which is tantamount to seducing the Rockets to find themselves in a deal.

The Vancouver Grizzlies immediately selected Antawn Walker with the fourth pick.

Angie called Louie before making this choice.

Louie originally recommended Ray Allen, but Ainge felt that they needed a wing who could score points more.

In Louie's impression, Rahim is a swingman like Wayman Tisdale who can score points in the third and fourth positions, but he can only score points, and he cannot be expected to win.

In comparison, Louis was more impressed with Walker, so he recommended this.

Afterwards, the Kings, with the fifth overall pick, excitedly selected Raheem.

They believe that the tragedy of Tisdale will not be repeated, and Raheem will become a great player.

With the sixth overall pick, the Timberwolves selected Ray Allen as a matter of course.

Then, came the seventh overall pick of the Detroit Pistons.

Monroe called.

"Louis, who do you want to choose?"

"Kobe," Louie said, "Kobe Bryant."

Monroe asked in surprise, "The high school student who is eager for quick success?"

"Uncle Monroe, don't say it so harshly. Kobe just didn't want to waste his talent on college sports. What's wrong with that?" Louie said with a smile.

Monroe still couldn't believe it: "You put so much effort into changing our No. [-] pick just to pick a high school student?"

"Believe me, if I don't take your No. [-] pick, there will be a team that takes him with the No. [-] pick."

"Is Atlanta that crazy?"

"It's hard to say."

After confirming that the person to be selected was Kobe, Monroe hung up the phone.

"In the 1996 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons selected Kobe Bryant with the seventh overall pick in the first round, from Lower Merion High School!"

The Lakers' draft war room has entered into a very strange atmosphere.

Everyone has no objection to this result, they just think they don't have to pay such a big price.

After a small celebration with his family, Bryant took the stage to shake Stern's hand before being interviewed by Greg Sager.

TNT turned to an interview with Kobe's father, Joe Bryant.

"I think Kobe is going to be a superstar."

As one of the few black fathers on the scene who did not miss the children's draft, Old Joe's words revealed a strong self-confidence.

"He can make the teammates around him better just like Elvin Johnson and Larry Bird." Old Joe praised his son vigorously. "At the same time, he also has the offensive ability of Michael Jordan. He will definitely not let the team that selected him regret it."

At this moment, the phone rang again in the draft war room of the forum.

Louis was about to open a bottle of Coke to celebrate, so he asked West to answer the phone.

"Hi, this is the Lakers draft war room, I'm Jerry West."

"Yes, we have a deal with Detroit."

"Um"

"Uh"

West covered the phone and said to Louis; "It's Gregg Popovich, the general manager of the Spurs, who wants to use the No. [-] pick plus an additional draft pick in exchange for Kobe's signing rights."

As soon as the news came out, everyone's expressions changed.

Especially Kurt Rambis, he didn't expect someone to do this for a high school player.

Think back to the Lakers' original plan. If they do nothing but wait for Kobe to drop to the tenth pick, then they will have to watch Kobe go to the Holy City.

Louis' prudence avoided this outcome.

Now, Louis opened the Coke and said frivolously: "Do you want to trade Kobe for the No. [-] pick plus the draft pick? Well, if the Spurs are willing to use Allen Iverson's signing rights + the No. [-] pick + future draft picks to exchange for Kobe's signing rights, maybe I will consider it."

West said Louie's offer with a look of embarrassment, and in exchange for a polite "goodbye" from the other party, there was no follow-up.

　Today's Chapter 2 will be updated at two o'clock in the afternoon, if it is not updated at two o'clock, it will be updated at four o'clock

　　
　
(End of this chapter)