The rest is just noise

The fact that Ralph Sampson is about to become a Celtic has many teams living in fear.

New York boss Sonny Weblin, who has been paying close attention to the league, said this: "A 62-win team got the best rookie in the decade. What could be more terrifying than that?"

Some people remain optimistic about the situation.

For example, 76ers coach Billy Cunningham.

He believes that Sampson's potential has yet to be developed and will not affect other teams in a short period of time.

He is right. Within one or two years, Sampson will not be a decisive force. But after one or two years, it will be hard to say.

Within days, Louis was offered his third contract.

He is still the Celtics' senior scout and assistant coach, and now Auerbach has created a new position.

Potential Development Coach.

The first potential development coach in the history of the Celtics is Louis, who will be responsible for the potential development of interior players.

He is responsible not only for Sampson, who is about to join the team, but also for people like Laimbeer.

In the 1980s, this was a creative concept.

Louis also asked the team to hire a fitness coach to serve as the team's nutritionist, mainly responsible for making Sampson's diet to allow him to gain weight reasonably.

It was a reasonable request, and Auerbach agreed.

In the NBA Finals that ended not long ago, Magic descended from heaven and played a famous 42-point game. He vented his anger and proved to the media who looked down on him that he was no worse than Bird.

In this year's Rookie of the Year voting, Bird won overwhelmingly.

The 63-3 vote spurred Magic.

What Magic didn't know was that the fact that he led the team to win the championship also stimulated Bird.

From the NCAA to the NBA, Magic's team performance has always been ahead of Bird's, which deeply troubled him.

A few days before the 1980 draft, the Celtics held a pre-draft briefing as they had done in the past.

Among the people at the meeting were Auerbach, owner Mandrian, Bill Fitch, K.C. Jones, Louis and new assistant coach Jim Rogers (Jimmy Rodgers). Rodgers was Fitch's old staff in Cleveland, the original

Assistant coach Bob McKinnon went to the Washington Bullets to find a job.

In addition to several members of the core decision-making team and the coaching staff, there were also Jan Walker, Garden announcer Johnny Most and several other figures who were crucial to the Celtics.

There is nothing to discuss about the selection of the No. 1 pick.

What they want to discuss is the 13th pick in the first round.

With the arrival of Sampson, the Celtics no longer need to strengthen their inside line, but the back line needs to be improved.

Nate Archibald is a qualified starter in most situations, but his defensive problems are not small.

Fitch prefers players who are down-to-earth and steady.

One scout recommended Ronnie Lester, whom Louis described in his scouting report as an average player.

John Kiriglia suggests trading up for North Carolina's Mike O'Colon.

"Mike is a rare tall defender who can play three positions."

He also praised Okolon's professional attitude.

Moreover, Dean Smith’s evaluation of his disciples was quoted.

"Coach Smith said O'Koren was the best defender he had ever seen."

"If I were Mike's coach, I would say the same thing for the sake of his future." Louis didn't mean to target Kiriglia. He really thought Dean Smith's comments didn't explain the problem.

Kirilia glanced at Louis unhappily.

From the first day this kid came to the Celtics, he was always against him.

But now Louis holds three positions. Although he has only been employed for less than three years, his contribution to the team has already exceeded that of some of the seniors on the team.

That's why he was promoted so quickly.

"Then what do you recommend?" Kirilia could only say.

"John, I like your idea. Swingman is indeed a talent category we need to focus on." Louis did not embarrass Kyrillia too much, "But Mike O'Koren is not the player we need. He has former

Seven’s market price, if we want to get him, we need to pay a big price."

"Besides, he is not our best choice at this position."

The 20-year-old Louis has a say in the briefing meeting that other scouts cannot match.

Although he is young, he can express his opinions in front of the senior members of the team and attract attention. This is a position he has successfully achieved repeatedly in the past three years.

John Long, Maurice Cheeks and Bill Laimbeer recommended by him have all made a name for themselves in the league. Long is the team's starting No. 2 position. Cheeks is a starting guard that the 76ers have vigorously trained.

Laimbeer also proved himself in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and it is a certainty that he will be reused in the new season.

As long as it's related to the draft, he is the authority.

Because he has never failed before.

"Lu, who do you think is the right choice?"

Auerbach asked.

"Andrew Toney from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette." This was the talent that Louis first spotted. "Although he is a 6-foot-3 (193CM) second position, he has enough endurance to play a guest role at the first position.

He has the offensive ability that we currently lack on the back line. He can fire from any position within the three-point line, has standard shooting movements, is difficult to be blocked, and has a killer instinct..."

Bill Fitch was a little concerned: "A 6-foot-3 2?"

"I said, he can play as a guest at the No. 1 position." Louis said, "In my opinion, he is a more ferocious 'elf' on the offensive end. Moreover, he is still young and has good plasticity. I believe that under the guidance of coach Fitch,

His men must learn how to control their desire to attack. His impact in the frontcourt can bring immediate impact. I believe he is the last piece of the puzzle for the Celtics to return to the halls of glory."

The enthusiasm Louis showed for Andrew Tony was surprising.

This should be the player he admires most so far.

"If he is so good, can he still be selected 13th in the first round?" Mandrian asked.

"This is what I'm worried about." Louis explained, "Most people think he is a pocket two position, but any experienced scout can see that his ball-holding ability is enough to play the one position.

, he produced good statistics in a weak league, but the competitiveness of his league will affect how scouts evaluate him."

Louis affirmed: "I believe that I am not the only one who 'discovered' him."

"So, we're going to trade?" Auerbach asked.

"It's best that way," Louis finished.

Although many people on the team had doubts about Andrew, no one raised any questions.

The only thing that can be said is that Andrew is too short as the second position.

In the days that followed, Auerbach repeatedly watched the video of Andrew's game at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette sent by Louis.

He didn't like the videotape, but it was the only way he could understand Andrew.

He really saw the "killer nature" described by Louis in the video tape.

This point is even more tangible in Louis' scouting report.

"He's killing his opponents all the time."

"Confident in his abilities, he attacks with an attitude of contempt every time."

"Once it gets hot, he turns into a butcher."

It’s hard to describe this feeling, but anyone who has watched Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s games will understand it. When Jordan met the so-called “Jordan Terminator”. When Kobe was irritated and grinned and forgot where the passing button was, it was

How to punish your opponent.

That's how Andrew plays.

He is a bit more cunning than these two.

The attitude of Jordan and Kobe when they slaughtered their opponents was "I have to kill you today", while Andrew's attitude was "How dare you stand in front of me at your level?".

Auerbach was convinced he saw the same thing as Louis.

So he started preparing a trading plan.

Indeed, we cannot expect others to be fools, waiting for a piece of good meat to fall into their mouths.

On the day of the draft, teams were constantly trading.

The Celtics were eager to trade their top draft picks, so they called the rival Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for their eighth pick in the first round.

This proposal was quickly rejected by the other party.

Although Auerbach valued Andrew very much, he was lucky enough to think that Andrew's pick would not be that high, so he settled for the San Diego Clippers, who had the ninth pick.

After discussions between the two parties, the Celtics traded the 13th pick of the first round and two future second-round picks to the Clippers for the ninth pick of the first round.

At the beginning of the draft, Larry O'Brien immediately announced: "The Celtics selected center Ralph Sampson from the University of Virginia with the first pick in the first round!"

Watching that young 7-foot-4-inch monster stand up, the history of the NBA will also usher in a new page.

It is a pity that the Celtics were not able to win Andrew Toney as expected.

Just a little worse!

The 76ers, one pick ahead of them, made the first move with the eighth pick and brought Tony back to Philadelphia.

That's what Louis and Auerbach worry about.

Tony is undoubtedly a piece of real gold wrapped in rust, but scouts who can discern people are by no means unique to Boston.

The 76ers' Jake McMahon also has him on his radar.

The Celtics, who failed to adopt a more aggressive strategy on the trading floor, could only watch their beauty fall into the arms of their mortal enemy.

Auerbach immediately started preparations.

He traded the ninth pick of the first round from the Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Celtics traded the ninth pick of the first round for "Iron Man" Randy Smith (SG/SF).

This person is the NBA record holder for consecutive appearances before A.C Green.

Although he is now at the end of his career, he still averaged 20 points per game for the Cavaliers who were in a bad situation last season. This can be regarded as Auerbach's back-up if he can't get Andrew Toney.

Although they did not acquire Sampson and Tony at the same time, the Celtics' harvest in this draft can also be regarded as a fruitful return.

They also strengthened their weakest interior and back lines, plus existing candidates.

The Green Army at this time is completely different from last season.

The lineup is so prosperous that it can scare other teams.

From the moment the draft ended, the Celtics became a "win or fail" team.