Reborn as Kobe

On the second day of returning to Los Angeles, O'Neal brought his agent to Jerry West.

O'Neal said in the first sentence: "I want to clarify my position in the team, I don't want to be said to be someone's vassal."

Although O'Neill had already anticipated the purpose of coming, Jerry West was still very surprised.

"Shaquille, you are the boss of the team. I don’t think anyone doubts. Why do you still say that? We are already on the right path. The next step is to establish a dynasty. Will it become a dynasty team Don't you yearn for the leader?"

O'Neal snorted and said: "I hope I am the leader of the team, but I am not. I don't want to be blocked by Kobe anymore. I hope you can let Kobe go. We have Ray Allen."

The LOGO man asked with unprecedented seriousness: "Did Kobe clash with you? Did he not respect you? Or did he hinder your performance on the court? As far as I know, he has never argued with you. The position of the team boss."

"But everyone in the outside world thinks that I can't win the championship without him. I have to prove myself that without Kobe, I am still the omnipotent Shaquille O'Neal."

O'Neal vented and shouted out this sentence. Why did he leave the Magic in the first place? Isn't it because the Magic management chose Hardaway as the core and gave him an insulting contract.

Jerry West said: "I will give you an accurate answer tomorrow, I need to communicate with the boss."

O'Neal also knew what Kobe represented, and knew that Jerry West had no right to make a decision. When he got up and left, he said, "Jerry, I hope I will hear a satisfactory answer tomorrow."

After O'Neill left, Ray Allen took his agent to find the LOGO man...

At night, in Old Bath's study, after Jerry West finished talking about the situation, Old Bath fell into a long thought.

"Jerry, do you say grades are important?"

"Of course it is important. Our goal is to surpass the Celtics' total number of championships and become the league's first giant." Jerry West said firmly.

"Then tell me, is Irvin Johnson and Jordan great, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Olajuwon great? What are the conditions for winning the championship?"

Jerry West looked at Old Buss and asked, "Boss, are you going to choose the future? But Kobe bought the Rockets. Are you afraid of him leaving?"

Old Buss smiled and said: "It is precisely because Kobe used other agents to buy the Rockets, I am not worried that he will leave, because David Stern absolutely does not want to see this kind of thing, he has already been in the league. There is a gap, Mr. President will not allow him to come to the front unless the day he retires. Since he can't return to his team, then his choice is ours."

"But the other teams in the league are contacting him and they have offered many good terms."

"But Kobe refused all of them, didn't he? He is waiting for our offer. You go to Kobe. There is no need to talk about salary. He is not bad for money. You tell him that we can let him participate in team management, and I will Take out one percent of the shares in his hand and give it to his designated agent. O'Neill and Kobe are not multiple choice questions at all. Kobe can bring us billions of income and international influence. What can O'Neill bring? He will be old in another four or five years. Besides, Kobe is a superstar we cultivated by ourselves, just like Irvin Johnson, he is our banner."

Jerry West nodded and said: "Boss, I understand, I will help O'Neill find a suitable next home."

The day after the Lakers' championship parade in Los Angeles ended, Jerry West released the news that the Lakers would trade the league’s first center Shaquille O’Neal. There was an uproar in the world. For a while, almost all teams in the league were contacted. Lakers.

"Bryant, how about I trade Tim Duncan with O'Neill?"

In the Lakers general manager's office, the LOGO man is discussing with Kobe.

Kobe smiled and said: "Not very good, Tim Duncan is not for sale the Rockets."

Jerry West said helplessly: "Okay! I knew it was the result. Then who do you think the team is not tradeable?"

"Dirk, Jerry, although Mr. Bass gave me the right to participate in the management of the team, I will not affect your authority. I will only give you small suggestions on how you trade, and the decision is always yours. Because I believe that apart from Auerbach, you are the best general manager in the league." Kobe said sincerely.

Jerry West said with satisfaction: "Well, I will put Dirk on the non-tradable list. O'Neal and Ray Allen must leave. They have already stated that they do not want to work with you anymore, but I will definitely find it for you. Come with a suitable helper."

"Jerry, before the trade, I hope that the team can determine the coaches, Mr. Don Nelson has already submitted his resignation. I have a suggestion here. I think the former Trail Blazers assistant coach Rick Carlisle is very good. You can examine him."

This summer of 1999, the contracts of the 1996 Golden Generation all expired. This was a rare season in the league’s free market. The general managers of the league’s teams all started crazy operations for a while. Can handle everything before the draft.

Nelson, who is about to take office, is negotiating a deal with his son and the new Mavericks boss Mark Cuban.

"Father, I have contacted Dawson. He made it clear that Nash and Duncan are not for sale; the Lakers also rejected our offer for Dirk Nowitzki, stating that Nowitzki is not for sale."

As soon as Jr. Nelson's voice fell, Mark Cuban asked: "Why don't you contact Kobe Bryant? I hope he can play in the Mavericks. If he comes, I can promise him anything."

Because of Kobe's influence, Mark Cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks a year earlier than the original history.

Old Nelson sighed and explained: "I have contacted him before, but unfortunately he is not interested in the Mavericks. Now we can only contact the Spurs and the Suns to see if we can get Billups and Kidd. Up."

1999 was a draft year, even though many teams focused on the free market and O'Neal, who is about to leave the Lakers.

On June 26, at the MCI Center in Washington, DC, the much-anticipated annual NBA Draft was staged here. When David Stern announced the start, there was a huge boo in the audience as usual. For the president of the league, This has become commonplace.

This year’s draft has two yellow faces from China. One is Wang Zhizhi, the hero of the Bayi team who has just led the team to win the CBA championship, and the other is Yao Ming of the Shanghai Sharks who lost to Wang Zhizhi in the finals. .

Yao Ming really came to participate in the draft under the persuasion of Kobe. Originally, Dayao wanted to lead the Shencheng team to win a championship and then come back, but Kobe persuaded him and Kobe persuaded Yao. He could completely return to Shanghai after retiring from the NBA. The team has played for two years and it is not too late to help the team win the championship. In fact, the reason why Kobe allowed Yao to participate in the draft in advance is that he wants Yao to be trained in the top NBA tournaments as soon as possible. On the other hand, the Rockets hold the No. 1 pick for the Bulls this year when they traded for Barkley. According to the Rockets players Configuration, Kobe really has no confidence in choosing Dayao in the next few years.

When David Stern opened the Rockets draft list in his hand and read the name of this year's No. 1 player, the president who had gone through the storm still stayed for a few seconds, and then he was filled with great ecstasy.

The Rockets selected Yao Ming from China with their first pick because of Kobe’s previous strict generation, while Elton Brand, who was highly vocal before the draft, sat in the audience with a blue face. For this result, small All the players in the Green Room were a little stupefied. When Dayao stepped onto the podium, there was a warm applause.

The general manager of the Grizzlies felt like a pie in the sky. He immediately rewrote the draft goals without any surprises. With the second pick, he picked up the original No. 1 pick, Elton Brand. Obviously, this is for them. It was a big deal, so when the Grizzlies' management saw Elton Brand's angry speech on stage, they were extremely excited.

The third pick was for the Hornets. The Hornets ultimately chose Byron Davis and gave up Steve Francis.

The Clippers of the fourth pick gave up the original goal Odom and selected Francis; the Raptors of the fifth pick chose Odom, and the Timberwolves of the sixth pick Wallis Zebiak; the seventh The Wizards chose Hamilton for the pick, and the Cavaliers for the eighth pick chose Andre Miller.

After that, most of the picks didn't change much. Jonathan Bender, who was the fifth pick, was not selected by the Cavaliers until the eleventh pick.

The Lakers had the 23rd overall pick in Kobe and chose Andre Kirilenko, and Jerry Sloan could only choose Jumaine Jones.

The Rockets selected Ginobili with the 21st overall pick in the second round, and Popovich could only choose Tim Young.

On June 28, on the third day of the draft, the league's most involved team trade was born. It was also one of the most famous and famous trades in history. It was an uproar in the world.

The Lakers sent out head center O'Neal, backup guard Fisher Fisher, main power forward Barkley, main small forward Eddie Jones and Ray Allen, who was signed first and then replaced, to get Trailblazers' Rashid Wallace and Avi Darth Sabonis, Mourning of the Heat, Jaylen Rose of the Pacers, the Trail Blazers' first-round pick for next year~www.readwn.com~ The first round picks of the Celtics in 2002 and 2003, the Knicks Signed in the first round in 2001.

The Celtics sent out their own star Antoine Walker, center Ben Wallace, Danny Fortson, Kenny Anderson, and four first-round picks next year, 2001, 2002, and 2003. Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers.

The Blazers sent Rashid Wallace, Sabonis, Bunge Wells, and won the Celtics' Antoine Walker, Ben Wallace and Danny Foster in the first round next year. , Buckley of the Lakers.

The Knicks sent team boss Ewing, the 2001 first-round pick, got Eddie Jones from the Lakers, Pacers Dale Davis, Bunch Wells from the Blazers, Kenny Anderson from the Celtics and The first round of signing next year.

The Heat sent the team's boss Mourning, Ewing from the Knicks and the Rockets from the Raptors in the first round next year.

The Pacers sent off the teams Dale Davis and Jaylen Ross to get O'Neal Jr. and Fisher from the Lakers.

The Rockets sent O'Neal, the team’s first-round signing from the Raptors, and Ray Allen, who was signed by the Lakers first.

When David Stern read the transaction application, he was shocked. He could imagine how crazy the media would be after the transaction, but he still chose to pass it.

This is the biggest trade in NBA history. The Lakers trade this time is very passive because they completely dismantled a dynasty team.

Auerbach was overjoyed. Before the Celtics had almost never traded with the deadly rival Lakers, but this time in order to get O'Neal, he almost took out the biggest bargaining chip, and in the end he also got the desired result.