I really play basketball

Chapter 199 1995 Draft Conference
In the summer of 1995, for Lin Xing, who had nothing to do, it should have been as dull as water.

But now, Lin Xing needs to face a warrior who is rebuilding substantially.

That's right, the Warriors rebuilt.

Although they only lost one game in the Western Conference Finals, Old Nelson didn't want to wait any longer.

"We've made it to the Western Conference Finals two years in a row, we've lost to the Rockets two years in a row.

If we don't play run and gun, but if we play defense, if we can have a solid top center...

It should be us who win the championship in the end. "

Old Nelson is crazy. As a scientist, he has been doing all kinds of bold attempts.

But when the team was really just one step away from the championship, he also began to become a slave.

The old Nelson had many honors during his coaching period, and he has already won four best coaches alone.

But without a championship, he has nothing to do with success.

As for his crazy experiments?In front of the championship at your fingertips, you are nothing!

"Then it's confirmed, go after Alonzo Mourning with all your strength?"

In the office, Donnie Nelson Jr. confirmed again.

Old Nelson nodded: "In addition to Alonzo Mourning, we have to find another third position with outstanding defense."

"Number three?"

"Yeah, the third position, Chris (Mullin) is getting old, we have to find a strong player to replace him."

Old Nelson explained a few words, then slapped his head:
"By the way, if possible, we'd better find another four who can shoot three-pointers. It would be even better if we can also play three-pointers in a misplaced position."

Downey Jr. rolled his eyes: "Does that mean we're going to change to three main players?"

"Yes."

"That's a big change of blood, why don't we first delineate who can be traded in the team and who can't be traded?"

"Except for Starr, Latrier and Dennis, all others are for sale."

"Chris (Mullin) is also available?"

"If the offer is right, of course."

"Chris (Mulin), Tim, the veterans are all sold, and we won't run and bomb next season?"

Little Downey scratched his head. He noticed something from old Nelson's few words, and immediately asked a question.

In a blink of an eye, I saw old Nelson shaking his head in a very lonely way:
"No more, no more for now, next season, we will defend!"

"This is going back to the old business, and it really needs a big change."

……

Lin Xing thought that the Warriors were just a matter of exchanging a little bug for Mourning.

The season is over, and he has not left the Bay Area, just waiting for the dust to settle.

But he didn't expect that during the days of waiting in the Bay Area, the first thing he heard was the news that Luke Longley had left Chicago.

"The transaction has been completed, and the official announcement will only be made after the trade market opens after the draft."

Downey Jr. called Lin Xing and told Lin Xing about it.

To say that Lin Xing was surprised would not be enough.

Because he knew that once Mourning came, Langley's position would become very awkward.

Last season, Langley, as the main center of the Warriors, had 7.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.4 blocks, playing the peak personal performance of his career.

In this era when centers are scarce, it would be too extravagant for Longley, who is 26 years old and 2 meters tall, to just stay in the Warriors as a substitute with such performance.

Not to mention the warriors, even Langley himself would not agree.

What Lin Xing wondered was why the Warriors let Langley go to the Bulls. Isn't this an enemy?
However, Lin Xing understood what the Nelsons thought when he saw the bargaining chips that Langley had exchanged.

"Byron Russell is the No. 20 pick in the first round of this year's Bulls. This deal is so profitable!"

No matter how great Langley's value was, it was at most worth one of the above two.

But in the end, the Warriors got Byron Russellga in the first round. I don't know if Downey Jr.'s negotiating ability is superb, or the Bulls faced the temptation of Longley and went all in directly.

When talking on the phone with Downey Jr., Lin Xing didn't ask much.

He just asked, "Is it compensation for me that you actually got Byron here?"

In the NBA, the friends and brothers of the head star are very important.

Take the Warriors as an example. Dale Demps can stay in the Warriors because of his success in licking Lin Xing.

In fact, the same is true for Xiaochong, they are all brothers, regardless of superiority or inferiority.

But now, the Warriors are going to send Xiao Chong away.

If it is emotional and reasonable, Lin Xing has to find another brother to come back.

However, on the other side of the phone, Downey Jr. denied it: "No, it has nothing to do with you, we just need a three-pointer who can defend and shoot three-pointers."

This explanation makes sense.

Because of Lin Xing, Byron Russell is now more than just a perimeter defender.

He can shoot three-pointers, and he is very accurate. He didn't get many opportunities in the Bulls last season.

But with a 37.6% three-point shooting rate and 1.3 three-pointers per game, it is already considered a high-yield and high-quality three-point output in the 90s.

So next, Lin Xing's doubts became——

"Why do we need a three-pointer who can defend and shoot three-pointers? Don't we have Chris (Mulin)?"

"He's getting old..."

With Downey Jr.'s short explanation, all Lin Xing's questions were answered.

Lin Xing was still happy about the arrival of Byron Russell.

After all, the two had cooperated very well during the NCAA.

And, the personal relationship between the two, if you say they are brothers, is a little bit worse, but they are good friends for sure.

No one wants to play buddy basketball, and if you can't play buddy basketball, playing buddy basketball is fine.

However, Lin Xing was still a little worried about Langley going to the Bulls.

"It's all right now. The Bulls got the big center they wanted, the supporting point of the triangle offense. Will Danzi rise next season?"

But on second thought, Longley went, but Rodman didn't.

Without Rodman, is Longley alone really enough for the Bulls?

Anyway, Lin Xing is not very optimistic...

In this deal between the Warriors and the Bulls, Lin Xing’s remaining question is——

"By the way, who are you going to choose for the No. 20 pick in the first round?"

As soon as this question came up, Downey Jr. on the other end of the phone smiled: "Why, are you still interested in this matter?"

"Ask, just ask."

"It's okay to tell you a few words, our first target is Kevin Garnett..."

"KG? He won't fall into this position, will he?"

"That's hard to say, what if he falls? Of course, we have other targets. The second target should be Greg Ostertag, and the third target is Michael Finley..."

Lin Xing was really taken aback by these names.

Needless to say, there is nothing wrong with the Warriors' draft vision.

As far as those three names are concerned, no matter who is chosen, it will be a success.

……

Before the draft, the Warriors and Hornets reached a deal about Mourning.

The reason it took so long is because this time they have a competitor.

This competitor is none other than Pat Riley, who had previously intended to take over the Warriors.

Riley, the old fox, immediately found a new home after being rejected by old Nelson.

He reached an agreement with the Heat and turned around and became the Heat's president of operations and head coach.

When it came to the Heat, Riley's first step was also to rebuild the team.

He despises the two cores of the Heat at this time, Glenn Rice on the outside and Kevin Willis on the inside.

It is very difficult to change the core, mainly because you can't find a suitable one.

Just at this time, Mourning and the Hornets had a falling out.

Riley took a look, isn't this the fifth center Mourning outside the four major centers?

He immediately thought of creating another Jagged Legion in the Heat, so he asked Mourning.

With competition, Mourning's asking price will naturally rise.

The Warriors really don't want to spend too much for Mourning, who is destined to leave the Hornets, so Downey Jr. and the Hornets have been grinding for a long time.

In the end, Riley withdrew first, and the Warriors officially won Mourning.

The final deal was as follows -

The Warriors sent Tim Hardaway, Josh Grant and the Warriors' completely worthless second round this year, and got Alonzo Mourning from the Hornets.

It's not a one-for-one exchange, but the two that ended up being taken together are not worth much.

Lin Xing, after he got feedback from Downey Jr.

The first reaction was not to breathe a sigh of relief and say: Mourning is finally here.

Instead, a question arises: Riley, the old fox, withdrew from Mourning's competition, so who will his target be?

Right around the time the Warriors completed the Mourning trade, Miami, Riley organized a draft workout.

The object of the trial training was Kevin Garnett, who he was very optimistic about before.

……

Time flies, and it's the day of the draft.

New York fans booed after David Stern's long prologue at the Madison Square Garden Theatre.

In the private room in the stands, Timberwolves' new general manager, Kevin McHale, confidently wrote Joe Smith's name on a small note.

As a result, the small green house was boiling, and Joe Smith put on the green hat of the Timberwolves and went on stage excitedly.

"Joe Smith, the undoubted ceiling rookie of this NCAA session, his talent is almost overflowing,
The choice of the Timberwolves is okay, but the problem is, they should think about how to deal with the big men in the team..."

In Oakland, Lin Xing held a farewell party for Xiao Chong.

Almost all of Kidd, Payton, and Warriors teammates participated.

While enjoying the delicious food, they also turned on the TV, broadcasting the ongoing draft in real time.

Lin Xing sneered when he heard that Joe Smith's talent was almost overflowing.

Joe Smith has talent, but to say it overflowed would be a joke.

But what makes Lin Xing even more unbearable is the last sentence of the explanation——

It's time for the Timberwolves to think about how to deal with the big men in the team. It's true that Lin Xing can't help it.

He burst into laughter, and like the draft commentator, he also wondered how Kevin McHale would deal with the Timberwolves' big men.

Sean Bradley, Donyell Marshall, Christian Laettner and Tom Gugliotta.

Add in Joe Smith, it's really the top five of death.

With these five big men, the Timberwolves have to get rid of at least two big men before the lineup can be opened.

What Lin Xing didn't know was that the Timberwolves had finished cleaning up the inside.

And the one who helped was precisely the warrior he belonged to.

"The Timberwolves drafted Joe Smith, and it's time for the 76ers..."

The 76ers did not hesitate and took Jerry Stackhouse directly.

North Carolina No. 100 became the No. [-] pick, and Stackhouse was a little unhappy because he failed to copy Danzi [-]%.

However, the praise of the draft commentary is still coming.

"Jerry Stackhouse's draft pick is even higher than his senior. Does it mean that he can surpass his senior in the future?"

In the Bay Area, Lin Xing shook his head: He can't beat the iron, let alone other things.

After the 76ers, the Pistons went cold, and they selected Rasheed Wallace, who was not predicted to be in the top three.

In the Bay Area, Lin Xing looked confused: Here, Tianzun went to Detroit ten years earlier?

After that, the Clippers chose Antonio McDyess, which was still the same as history, and then made a deal with the Nuggets.

Antonio McDyess traded Randy Woods for Rodney Rodgers and the No. 13 pick.

After that, it's the choice of bullets.

Bone Crusher missed the trade of Xiao Chong, and the fifth pick was held in his hands.

In the absence of a trade, he can only select one of the few guards among the popular rookies in this position, the flying mouse Damon Stoudemire.

A core lineup of Damon Stoudemire + Uncle Huo + Webber was formed.

There is nothing to mention about the next few choices.

The Grizzlies selected Brian Reeves, and the Raptors selected Sean Lespeter as a substitute in the absence of the mouse.

The Nets selected UCLA's Ed O'Bannon, and then it was the Heat's turn.

"In the 1995 NBA Draft, the ninth overall pick in the first round, the Miami Heat chose Kevin Garnett from Farragut High School in Chicago!"

With a bang, not only Madison, but even the small party held by Lin Xing were all exclaimed.

"Kevin Garnett, a high school student?"

"The Heat used their lottery pick to draft a high school kid? Are they trying too hard?"

Riley is very hardworking, but Lin Xing also knows that Riley is right.

"No wonder Riley withdrew from the battle for Mourning. With KG and Kevin Willis on the inside, the important thing is who to take on the outside."

Sure enough, after waiting for a long time, Xiao Chong received a call at the party.

Then, he told Lin Xing with a confused face: "I got traded again."

Lin Xing's brain was quick, he guessed as soon as he opened his mouth: "You don't mean to go to the Miami Heat, do you?"

"You guessed right, I really went to the Heat!"

Glenn Rice's exchange for Xiao Chong and the Warriors' exchange for Mourning turned into a three-party deal inexplicably.

Lin Xing also sighed: "The Heat are about to rise..."

Bug + Garnett + Kevin Willis, this lineup, at least in terms of composition, has no problems.

The rest, just wait for Garnett to grow up slowly.

After the draft, Lin Xing didn't pay much attention to it. He only knew that the Nuggets chose Brent Barry and sent him to the Clippers.

Bob Sura, who had discriminated against him, went to the Cavaliers, and the Pistons took Theo Ratliff.

Coupled with the previously selected Tianzun, the Pistons were very successful in this draft.

Soon, it will be the Warriors.

KG is gone, the remaining Greg Ostertag and Michael Finley, who the Warriors will choose, Lin Xing is also looking forward to.

"With the 20th pick in the first round, the Chicago Bulls chose Greg Ostertag from the University of Kansas!"

Lin Xing smiled, he was very satisfied with the selection of the Warriors.

Although from the perspective of personal ability and future development, Finley is undoubtedly stronger, because Finley is an All-Star.

However, Greg Ostertag entered the pocket and made up for the inside line after Longley left.

Conveniently, it also weakened potential opponents.

In Lin Xing's view, this is more important.

"Without Jazz of Great Pyrenees, I'm afraid there is no threat."

Center version, it doesn't matter if you don't have a super center, at least you have to have a qualified blue-collar center, right?
The Jazz don't, so they're not a threat.

Unless, they can find a replacement.

But these days, centers are scarce, and a qualified blue-collar center is hard to find.

Not to mention a top blue-collar center like Great Pyrenees...

(End of this chapter)