The rest is just noise

Draft day, June 17, 1986

Before the 1990s, the draft was held in the afternoon, so any team that needed to trade, especially a team that wanted to trade a top pick, would usually launch an aggressive offensive on the morning of the draft.

The news that the Knicks are auctioning the second pick has spread all over the world. Unlike the 76ers, no team has ever made a breakthrough in negotiations with them.

Los Angeles and Portland gave up one after another.

Chicago and Boston still want it, and there are some teams that hold late picks and want to trade the late picks + something else for the Knicks' second pick.

On this day, Louis came to his office at eight o'clock in the morning.

Keep answering the phone, one after another.

Jerry Krause called again.

"Coach Lu, as you wish, we will trade Kevin McHale for your second pick. How about that? You should be satisfied now, right?"

It would be an understatement to say that Klaus was condescending to him on the phone, because Louis basically didn't have a good tone towards him these days.

Louis didn't know why, he just had a bad feeling and was wary of Klaus.

"I could have drafted Brad Daugherty with the second overall pick and not have to pay him $1 million a year for the next few years. Can you tell me, I gave up a potential big man in exchange for

Is there any justification for a power forward who lacks aggressiveness?"

Klaus was a little anxious and had to control his tone.

"You already have Patrick Ewing."

"I think the twin towers are a good idea, and Doherty's passing is very good. I can let Ewing play power forward, you know he can play." Louis held the phone and said, "Jerry, you

Being willing to hand over McHale is a good start, but it is not the end. This is a plan that even Philadelphia does not pay attention to. If you think this can impress me, I can only advise you to negotiate with another company. After all, the first

There's a third pick after the second pick, and I believe Dougherty will be the second pick, and you can use the third pick to draft Len Bias."

There was an uncomfortable silence on the phone.

"I never said we wanted Len Bias."

"If you want Doherty, it seems your only choice is to trade with us."

Everyone knows that the Knicks will use the No. 1 pick to select Benjamin Wilson.

Who is second and who is third, Doherty or Bias, is a question that needs serious consideration.

Bias' ceiling is higher.

But this is an era where insiders are king.

If you have to choose between a center who can definitely become a talent and other positions who can definitely become a talent, everyone will choose the center.

"Coach Lu, I think we need to think about it again."

Chicago suspended negotiations.

After a while, Baylor rushed into Louis' office and said: "Utah wants to negotiate a deal with us."

"Oh, what kind of business?" Louis asked curiously.

Baylor said bluntly: "They want to trade a future first-round pick for one of our players."

"Could it be Campbell?" Louis asked.

"No," Baylor said, "They want Antoine Kyle."

"I agree with this deal, but don't agree too quickly. Ask for as many things as possible." Louis said greedily, "Cash, draft picks, everything is good. Don't exchange one for one. Don't forget, the initiative lies with us."

.”

"certainly!"

Baylor ran back happily as if it was a festival.

Louis looked at the list in his hand. There must be a lot of transactions today.

Moreover, the Knicks will once again be the protagonist of draft day.

In the past two days, Louis carefully studied the reasons why Chicago wanted to send McHale away.

As another player whose career was indirectly changed by Louis, McHale made his debut in Chicago. Over the past few years, his progress from a substitute to a core attacker in the low post can be seen by everyone.

The Bulls drafted Barkley in 1984, and his style of play matched him.

McHale is a rare fourth position with the agility of the third position, which can complement Barkley, who has the defensive speed of the fourth position and the ball-handling offense of the third position.

This pairing should be the core of the Bulls' team building, but Krause actually dismantled them at his request. They were still not satisfied with ranking sixth in the Eastern Conference last season?

Louis was impressed by Chicago's pair of fat and thin wings.

The Bulls are considered the Knicks' bitter enemy. In several games during the regular season, the Knicks only won once.

McHale's IQ is crushing when he attacks, and Barkley's strength is crushing when he holds the ball. Neither of them can defend him.

Louis checked a lot of information and discovered a problem.

Buckley was a verbal actionist whose desire for self-gratification was greater than his desire for glory.

If you want to say that he doesn't want to become a champion, that would definitely be a bit unfair. But he really can't control his mouth. He gains weight every offseason and plays for a while in the new season to lose weight.

Such a player who can't control himself is best matched with a ruthless character who is extremely self-disciplined and harsh on his teammates.

Like OK.

McHale is not such a character.

Everyone who knows McHale always comments on him along the lines of "He can do it if he wants to."

The correct meaning of this sentence is that McHale doesn't want to. McHale doesn't care. McHale doesn't want to be the kind of person you want him to be. Basketball is not his whole life.

Know who McHale reminds Louie of?

Gong Xiaobing

He is extremely talented and can learn everything very quickly. He can become one of the top players in Asia just by playing casually, making Koreans pee incessantly when they see him.

If he can raise his standards for himself, he should be able to become the best power forward in Asian history before Kong Yi and Rui Hachimura.

But he didn't want to.

Barkley has only played two seasons and his performance is astonishing. With his size, speed, and explosiveness, his upper limit is so high that you can't see clearly. But McHale has played for six years, and you can basically see his upper limit.

So Krause needs to find a player who can bring out Barkley's inner fire.

There are two such players in this draft.

Wilson, who was booked by the Knicks, and Len Bias.

It can be seen from his game tape at the University of Maryland that he is a "cool" player.

In the era of short shorts, few players could make themselves look cool, and Bias was one of them.

He is fearless and never flinches. He has an unusual recklessness when playing. His arrogance when dunking makes people want to rush to the scene to beat him. He has a flamboyant personality. He is a natural genius but has the attributes of a brainless New Yorker.

The street vibe of a point guard.

Louis from the future knew that this style would become very popular in the 1990s, eventually forcing David Stern to issue a dress code after Allen Iverson walked into the league wearing baggy pants and a furrow hairdo.

, curbing the expansion of street style.

If Krause regards him as a hope to save Barkley's professional attitude, then he is definitely willing to give more chips besides McHale.

In Louis' office, the phone calls went from eight in the morning to two in the afternoon.

Before the draft started, Jerry Krause was determined to trade the second pick.

He called the Blue Palace in New York again.

"If you need anything, please just say it." Louis was seriously impatient.

"Coach Lu, it's me." Klaus hated his current posture, he was too condescending, "We decided to raise the stakes, and this is our final bid."

"tell me the story."

"Kevin McHale is still the subject of the trade, and in addition, we are willing to provide two protected draft picks."

"continue."

"1988 first-round pick, top-three protected."

"1990 first-round pick, top-five protected."

"I understand, I will seriously consider it, please wait for my call."

The moment Louis/Klaus hung up the phone, his mood was different.

Klaus is like a death row prisoner waiting to be executed, while Louis is happy.

McHale has the strength of a 50-year-old superstar. Of course, this was in Louie's previous life. He was teammates with Bird, and the country bumpkin was an asshole who didn't allow his teammates to slack off.

This is also the reason why McHale and Bird have a bad relationship.

Bird was cruel to himself and to others, and McHale could never regard basketball as the only thing in his life like Bird did.

However, without Bird, he is so mediocre that it is difficult for him to be selected as an All-Star in the Eastern Conference. He has achieved nothing in six years. Let alone the top 50 players, even if they are selected to be one of the 100 greatest stars in NBA history, he may not be selected. It is not him.

He is not strong enough, but he is likely to be missed when selecting people.

This is the magic of great players. Magic saved Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after the age of 30. Bird can also improve the level of the players around him. No one knows what Pippen will develop into without Jordan's day and night training. And Drummond

De Green even said the phrase that best embodies the true meaning of "great players can make those around them as great." If you can't become better around Curry, then you are too bad.

But having said that, the ability to make people around you better is also different. Some people are equal to others, and some people have a strong need for the character of players.

Just when Louis decided to call Chicago back to seal the deal, Boston called.

The caller was Jane Walker, and Auerbach was already mad at Louis.

At this time yesterday, Auerbach personally called and wanted to trade the second pick. Louis opened his mouth and asked for three first-round picks and four first-round swaps. The old man was so angry that he hung up the phone.

"Lu, we have prepared two trading plans."

Louis said helplessly: "Please tell me."

"In the first set of plans, we send John Long, this year's No. 8 pick, the 1987 first-round pick and the 1989 first-round pick in exchange for the No. 2 pick in your hands; in the second set of plans, we send Bill...

Ranbir”

"Are you crazy?"

Walker said with a smile: "In addition to Bill, we are determined to acquire. The second set of transaction plans also includes the 1987 first-round pick and 200,000 in cash."

"You guys"

What should Louis say?

They had obviously advised them before not to choose Bias, not to choose Bias, but in the end they still dismantled their dynasty team, and prepared two very useful sets by sending away future draft picks in the way Auerbach hated most.

Attractive trading options.

"Lu, what do you think?"

If Louis makes this deal and lets the Celtics select Bias, the final result will definitely be good.

The Celtics dismantle the lineup, and then Bias will still kill himself. The Green Army's strength will definitely be greatly reduced, and the momentum of the dynasty may end here.

But no matter what, Louis will never forget where he started.

He learned a lot during his six years in Boston. People there such as Auerbach and K.C. Jones were very good to him. Although the camps are different now, he hopes that the Celtics can maintain their current competitiveness and wait for him.

Rise up and let him defeat you.

What sense of accomplishment does it feel to destroy the Celtics in this way?

Because of his own ambition, and because of Boston's kindness to him, he would not make this deal.

"You are late, Mr. Jane, the deal has been completed." Louis said calmly, "Don't think about Len Bias anymore. This is my last advice."