36: 025: New Iron Triangle 36: 025: New Iron Triangle Inside the Palace of Auburn Hills arena, people did not witness the moment when trade rumors turned into reality.
Until David Stern took the stage again, the trade between the Warriors and the Magic had not materialized.
After hearing what Eric had said, Roger glanced at Stern on the stage.
Stern happened to lock eyes with Roger, revealing an almost imperceptible smile.
Although he knew his name would be called next, Roger couldn’t help but clench his fists.
The dream of having David Stern call out his name at the draft was about to come true.
Stern opened the envelope belonging to the Mavericks, this was the first time David Stern would read such a unique name at the draft:
“With the fourth pick in the 1993 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select…
Roger, from Block High School!”
The entire arena erupted in shock.
Jack McCloskey, the general manager of the Timberwolves who had forged the Detroit Bad Boys, widened his eyes: “Damn, what the hell just happened!?”
The Timberwolves had already decided to take Roger with the fifth pick.
Maybe Christian Laettner didn’t like Roger, but McCloskey didn’t think that mattered.
Magic and Skyhook didn’t like each other at first either.
In ’81, Magic even publicly said, “Because of that guy, I have to change my playing style.
When he’s gone, you’ll see the real show.”
Even when it reached the point of publicly demanding the other to leave, they still won championships together.
Some things are skin deep, not heartfelt.
We’re all adults, there’s no need to talk about likes and dislikes.
So, McCloskey had already set his sights on Roger.
Moreover, he had turned down trade offers from the Bulls for him.
Given that the Mavericks, with the fourth pick, did not want a guard, the only obstacle for the Timberwolves was the Warriors, with the third pick.
Seeing the Warriors select Hardaway, McCloskey felt Roger was a sure thing.
Yet, Roger was precisely picked by the least likely team, the Dallas Mavericks!
This is the NBA Draft, where you never know what incredible decisions the other side will make.
McCloskey’s mind went blank.
By the time he snapped back to reality, Roger had already made his way to the stage, donning the Mavericks’ cap.
In that moment, McCloskey felt like he was watching his own wife get into bed with another man: “Why with him?
When did they get together!?”
Stern shook hands with Roger with a smile: “Congratulations, truth.
You’ve opened the door for Chinese players to enter the NBA.
You’re going to be a legend.”
Roger nodded politely: “Thank you, sir.”
After speaking, Roger looked towards the restless stands.
Making it to the NBA, his dream had finally come true!
Below the stage, Eric Fleisher and Lu An shook hands: “Congratulations, sir.
You won’t have to worry about Roger’s new sneakers anymore.”
Lu An, with moist eyes, looked up at Roger on the stage.
This strong man, who had never been defeated by life, finally cried.
Of course, he was well aware that behind those countless flashbulbs were the nights when Roger practiced until he was exhausted yet still persevered.
He was glad that Roger’s efforts had finally paid off.
After stepping off the stage, Roger immediately faced an interview by CBS host Steve Jones.
“Congratulations on becoming the first high school rookie since 1975, and even at a higher pick than expected, the fourth overall.
But a year ago, you couldn’t even make the high school varsity team.
So Roger, how do you feel now?”
“I’m delighted I was able to discover my talent and work hard to turn it into what it is now.
As for the fourth pick, it’s a pretty good spot.
But I will prove that I am better than Webber, Bradley, and Penny.
The best guard from the ’93 draft, there is only one.
With my current value, I could exchange countless Pennies.”
Although he mentioned all the rookies selected before him, it was clear that he was taking a jab at Penny more than anyone else.
That was Roger’s little retort to Penny.
Roger didn’t care whether he was the third or fourth pick, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care about provocation from others.
Afterward, Steve Jones asked one last question: “Do you have anything you want to say to the Dallas fans?”
“It’s time for everyone to pay attention to Dallas again!”
Well, Roger felt that statement was a bit fake himself.
Because he knew he wouldn’t actually be reporting to Dallas at all.
The task of getting Dallas back in the spotlight should be left to that tennis genius from Germany.
The Chinese tennis prodigy couldn’t help with that task.
After the interview, Roger immediately took off the Mavericks’ cap, a look of excessive indifference crossing his face.
This scene was captured by many reporters, who became excited.
They even came up with the headline for the next day’s newspaper: “Dallas is unlucky enough to acquire another talented player who can’t play ball.”
The reason was that last year, after the Mavericks selected Jim Jackson, Jackson did not play for the first 120 days of the season.
Because what he wanted was a six-year, $21 million contract, whereas the Mavericks were only willing to offer four years and $10 million.
An outraged Jim Jackson vowed that even if he didn’t play, he would never accept an offer so far below his expectations.
The Mavericks started off tough enough, signaling that if Roger didn’t sign, so be it, after all, they held the rights to sign Jackson.
Other than signing with the Mavericks, Jackson had no other choice; it was a test to see who could outlast whom.
But after the Mavericks gloriously lost 50 of the first 54 games of the season, they just couldn’t hold on any longer.
If the team broke the NBA record for most losses, it would be a devastating blow to the team’s market.
Eventually, the Mavericks compromised and signed a contract with Jackson, hoping that this prodigy could save the day; thus, Jim Jackson’s rookie season came to an abrupt end after just 28 games.
People joked that the Mavericks had picked a prodigy who couldn’t play ball.
At this point, seeing as Roger seemed to have little interest in Dallas, the reporters thought that the Jim Jackson-style tragedy was about to recur there.
As for the fans of the Mavericks, they were dumbfounded.
The team already had a Jim Jackson, and now they had brought on Roger.
Was Roger supposed to ride on Jackson’s back as the fifth position, joining forces to be the fifth-best center in the league?
But soon, David Stern announced a piece of news on stage:
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here to announce a trade that just took place.”
Magic fans held their heads in their hands; was their team really about to trade Webber for Hardaway?
O’Neal, on the other hand, was overjoyed, dancing with happiness.
Had the Magic finally made the trade?
But they quickly realized that this trade had nothing to do with the Magic at all.
The bewildered Dallas fans became confused again because, as they were ready to watch and eat popcorn, they saw…
the Mavericks’ logo appear on the big screen!
“The Dallas Mavericks have traded Roger to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Horace Grant, B.
Armstrong, and future first-round picks from ’95 and ’97!”
After Stern finished speaking, the staff immediately brought a Bulls cap to Roger.
Jack McCloskey, general manager of the Timberwolves, glowered at Krause with hate; that fat man really deserved to die.
He knew that Roger had once turned down a workout invitation from the Bulls, but he didn’t expect that without a workout, Krause would still decisively decide to go all in!
Krause breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Roger put on the cap of the Bulls.
When the Timberwolves refused to trade with him, he felt utterly hopeless.
Thankfully, the Mavericks accepted the Bulls’ trade offer, allowing the Bulls to snag Roger just one spot earlier than expected.
In the eyes of the Mavericks, they urgently needed to produce results, so they needed experienced veterans.
Grant was one of the three most important players on the Bulls, with champion blood coursing through his veins, and Armstrong was the same.
Their contributions were bigger than what the stats showed.
With them to support Jim Jackson, the Mavericks could look forward to challenging for the playoffs next season.
Even if that didn’t work out, even if these two competent veterans couldn’t improve the team’s record, the Bulls still gave them two first-round draft picks.
Now with Jordan possibly retiring and Grant leaving, the Bulls’ performance will definitely plummet.
Surely no one really thinks that guy could lead the team to any significant success, right?
By then, those two draft picks would become extremely valuable!
On Krause’s end, he had to fully prepare for the possibility of Jordan’s retirement.
In his mind, Roger, Kukoc, and Pippen were the Bulls’ hope for rebuilding, the new big three for Chicago.
Anyway, Grant only had one year left on his contract, and since the team didn’t want to renew it and negotiations had already collapsed, it was better to trade him while they still could and maximize benefits.
As for the draft picks, Krause firmly believed that his newly-assembled Bulls trio could achieve something in ’95 and ’97.
Even if the results weren’t great, the ’94 draft pick they retained could wait for players like Grant Hill and others.
Krause had always been decisive at the draft, ready to bet big on anyone he was convinced of.
In the ’87 draft, Jordan nearly killed Krause because he used the team’s eighth overall pick and a future first-rounder from ’89 to get Seattle’s fifth spot.
In the end, with that high pick, he drafted a guy who had only started playing basketball in his junior year of high school and whose name had barely been heard before.
Even the selected player was surprised: “My draft position can be this high?”
The selected player was Scottie Pippen, and even though Jordan nearly insulted all the direct female relatives in Krause’s family over that decision, it turned out to be an incredibly smart draft.
He made a winning bet.
Now, in 1993, it seemed Krause was making a similar bold bet.
In ’87 he picked Pippen for Jordan, and in ’93 he picked Roger for Pippen.
He believed that he would succeed once again.
At that moment, it wasn’t just the fans who were shocked, but the reporter Steve Jones, who immediately ran up to Krause: “Jerry, the Bulls haven’t even worked out Roger, yet you’re willing to dismantle a dynasty to get him!
Can you give us a reason?”
Krause smiled slightly: “Breaking up a dynasty?
No, no, no, I’m building a new one!”
Having said that, Jerry Krause proudly lit a cigar.
That moment, he felt he resembled the legendary Auerbach to a great extent.