The rest is just noise

Detroit Pistons Draft War Room

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

Although Iverson and Camby are recognized as the top two, with the Spurs selecting Iverson, the Rockets were unable to decisively announce Camby's name.

Because their inside line is good enough.

Joe Smith, Rick Schmitz, Divac... When you have so many big men, do you still want to choose another big man? Even if this person suppresses next year's No. 1 pick in this year's NCAA, Ty

Tom Duncan?

Of course the Rockets want to trade down in order to get back players who are more suitable for the team.

But the Pistons' pick is "too low". With the seventh pick, it's difficult to select one of the top six players in this draft. Even if they do, it may be the lowest pick.

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

Monroe's application was quickly frustrated. Just when he decided to keep the No. 7 pick for himself, the phone rang again.

"Hello, who's there?"

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

Monroe was slightly surprised: "I didn't expect you would still have time to call me."

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

Monroe and Louis had a successful cooperation, so he was not very vigilant.

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

“Absolutely reliable.”

"tell me the story."

"It's like this. I want to select a certain player, but our pick is too late and a bit unsafe. I hope to improve our pick from No. 10 to No. 7, and I need your help."

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

"The Pistons can have my friendship, which means you can have my professional advice when drafting."

"Louis, this is not enough."

"Then I'll bring along the 19th pick of this year's first round. Do you think it's enough?"

Monroe believed that if Louis was really sincere in making a deal with him, even if he was a little greedy, the other party would agree.

"You have to give me another future first-round pick."

"Are you asking for too much? Uncle Monroe, I really want to make a deal with you."

"Louis, you should know the value of the No. 7 pick. If I don't ask for enough, it will be a dereliction of duty on my part. I can't compare with the top or the bottom."

"Well, I'll add a first-round draft pick next year, and that's okay, right?"

"I think it's okay."

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 great. The No. 10 pick was exchanged for the No. 7 pick, which actually matched the No. 19 pick and next year's first round. If Kobe didn't play well, who could bear the responsibility?

"Do we really need to go to this point for a high school student?" Kurt Rambis felt that Louis was too sensitive. "I don't think the Spurs would go out of their way to get the No. 8 pick for Kobe."

Louis snorted: "If everyone thought like you, it would be much easier to build a good team. If we really want to get Kobe, we have to put in enough effort to ensure nothing goes wrong."

After that comes the second overall selection.

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

According to Louis' estimation, Camby can probably be exchanged for anyone among Ray Allen, Stephon Marbury, and Antoine Walker, plus a considerable number of draft picks.

This is definitely when Marcus Camby’s trade value is at its highest.

Canby's momentum is bigger than Louis imagined.

Rick Pitino said: "He is a shot blocker, very fast, has elite low-post skills, and if that's not enough for you, he can also support it and is a very reliable core to build the team. In my opinion,

Come on, he should be the number one pick."

Such an evaluation may seem outrageous to later generations, but considering Camby's performance in college, it is not incomprehensible.

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

Facing Kentucky, which is known as the all-around team, Camby made 9 of 18 shots and scored 25 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks.

Afterwards, Julius Erving was invited to evaluate Camby.

Dr. J also raved about Canby.

All these things have only one direction, which is to increase Camby's value infinitely.

After that, the first variable in the draft came.

The Toronto Raptors, who held the third overall pick, did not select the highly anticipated Sharif Abdul-Rahim or Ray Allen, but instead selected Stephon Marbury.

Seeing this scene, everyone believed that the Menglongs would definitely trade with the Rockets.

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

By selecting Marbury with the No. 3 pick, the Menglong are tantamount to seducing the Rockets into trading with them.

The Vancouver Grizzlies then selected Antoine Walker with the fourth overall pick.

Angie called Louis to consult before making this choice.

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

In Louis' impression, Raheem is a swingman at the third or fourth position like Wayman Tisdale who can score points, but he can only score points and cannot be expected to win.

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

Afterwards, the Kings, who had the fifth pick, selected Raheem with great excitement.

They believe that the tragedy of Tisdale will not happen again and that Raheem will become a great player.

With the sixth overall pick, the Timberwolves naturally selected Ray Allen.

Then, came the seventh pick of the Detroit Pistons.

Monroe called.

"Louis, who do you want to choose?"

"Kobe," Louis said, "Kobe Bryant."

Monroe asked in surprise: "That high school student who is eager for quick success?"

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

Monroe still couldn't believe it: "You spent so much effort to change our No. 7 pick just to select a high school student?"

"Believe me, if I don't take your No. 7 pick, some team will use the No. 8 pick to select him."

“Is Atlanta that crazy?”

"It's hard to say."

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

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

A very strange atmosphere entered the Lakers' draft war room.

Everyone has no objection to this result, but they just feel that they don't have to pay such a high price.

After a small celebration with his family, Kobe went on stage to shake hands with Stern and then accepted an interview with Greg Seger.

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

"I think Kobe will be a superstar."

As one of the rare black fathers who never misses his child's draft, Joe's words reveal a strong sense of confidence.

"Just like Earvin Johnson and Larry Bird, he can make the teammates around him better." Old Joe praised his son vigorously, "At the same time, he also has the offensive ability of Michael Jordan.

The team that selected him will definitely not regret it."

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

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

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

"Yes, we have an agreement with Detroit."

"Um..."

"Well..."

West covered the phone and said to Louis, "It's the Spurs' general manager Gregg Popovich calling. He wants to use the eighth pick plus additional draft picks 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 anyone to do this for a high school player.

Thinking back to the Lakers' original plan, if they did nothing and just waited for Kobe to fall to the tenth pick, then they would have to watch Kobe go to the Holy City.

Louis' caution prevented this outcome.

Now, Louis opened the Coke and said frivolously: "Do you want to trade for Kobe with the eighth pick plus draft picks? Well, if the Spurs are willing to trade Allen Iverson's signing rights + the eighth pick + future draft picks,

Maybe I will consider Kobe’s signing rights.”

West said Louis' offer with a stern face, and in exchange for a polite "goodbye" from the other party, there was no further follow-up.