The Whip of the God of Basketball

On the day of the draft on June 26, in addition to the shocking trade between the Celtics and Timberwolves, there were other transactions completed. The Milwaukee Bucks sent guard Keith Bogans to the Magic in exchange for some cash; the Philadelphia 76ers sent Patsel Morelund to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Will- Green; and the Phoenix Suns traded their 2005 first-round pick to the Spurs, who acquired Brazilian guard Leo Barbosa in the draft. In addition, there are two small short-term contract transactions to obtain cash and space, and the combined weight of these transactions is not as big as the Celtics' transaction.

So after the draft, two people's attention increased sharply. One was naturally Danny Ainge. As the man behind the deal, after the deal was completed, he was basically targeted by the media as the top player for next season. A candidate for the best manager.

In the media conference room at Madison Square Garden, Ainge was also surrounded by reporters, asking various details related to the transaction. However, although Anji completed the transaction, what exactly had he gone through before, why did the always loyal Garnett agree to be traded, and how were the Timberwolves willing to make this decision? Although Anji had a rough idea in his mind. , but he knew nothing about the details, because it was all done by Leon!

So Angie could only be vague, saying that he was happy to get Garnett, that he hoped Garnett could achieve greater success with the Celtics, what an excellent player Garnett is, etc., and then hurriedly Left to deal with the affairs of the two rookies.

Another person who has received increased attention in this draft is New York reporter Woj, because 20 minutes before the Timberwolves and Celtics completed the transaction, Woj updated the trade rumors on his official blog homepage. , Statement: According to reliable sources, the Celtics and Timberwolves have reached an agreement, and the Celtics will get Kevin Garnett.

This blog post did not receive much attention when it was first published. At that time, people's attention was on the top five draft candidates, but 20 minutes later, when the NBA officially released news that the Celtics and Timberwolves Only when the trade application was submitted to the league office did people know that Woj was unpredictable again this time. As early as last summer, Woj became famous for announcing Michael Jordan's comeback in advance. This time, he released the news of the big deal in advance, making Woj suddenly famous.

Of course Woj will not let go of this good opportunity to expand his reputation. For reporters, fame is their lifeline, just like a player's skills. The more famous the reputation, the greater the audience, and the greater the audience, the more resources they receive. More, this is a virtuous cycle.

Unlike Angie, although he was not a direct participant in this Garnett transaction, as Leon's friend, he knew many of the details clearly. For example, the tabloid that first published the rumors about the Timberwolves trading Yin and Yang contracts was written by a young reporter who Fox-Leon knew, and the subsequent letter to the league office was also written by him.

Of course, Woj would not tell anyone about this kind of thing, and as a participant, he also calculated his strength. The media people who had dinner with Leon and watched the yacht race during the Eastern Conference Finals all contributed to it more or less. The benefit they get together is that they can share Leon's scouting eyes and ears across the United States. Therefore, several newspapers in New York have conducted in-depth reports on this draft, which has also aroused strong responses among the fan groups. These newspapers have recently reported on the draft. Sales surge every day.

Woj is also ready to start in-depth follow-up reports on the Celtics deal after the draft. With his relationship with Leon, he will definitely be able to get more valuable inside information.

At around nine o'clock in the evening, the drama finally came to an end. The audience left and the staff began to clean up the temporary stands. The selected rookies went with the team managers with their vision and expectations for the future. Have a great night. And those young people who were not selected had to pack their bags and prepare to wander around the basketball circle, looking for a part-time job opportunity.

For Woj, who had spent a fulfilling night, he still felt uncontrollable excitement in his heart. He was happy that the transaction planned by his friend for more than a year was successfully completed, and he was also happy with the results of his years of hard work. Excited to finally see the rewards. He knows that after this night, he will be promoted to the ranks of the NBA's first-class reporters. Of course, his goal is far beyond that.

After returning home, Woj turned on his computer and logged into his blog, preparing to write a live account of the 2003 draft to summarize today.

At this time, his cell phone rang, and it was a text message. Woj saw on the screen that it was from Leon, and he quickly opened the text message. There was only one sentence in it: Come to Washington, bring your pen and paper.

During the draft, Woj also felt strange why Leon never appeared at the scene. He remembered that Leon had arrived in New York a few days ago. Now from this text message, it seems that Leon must be in Washington, and when he asked himself to bring pen and paper, he actually meant one thing: there is news here.

Woj has great trust in Leon. He knows that if Leon asks him to go, there must be big news. As a media person, Woj has the heart to report all big news. So after receiving this text message, he didn't care that it was already past ten o'clock in the evening. He hurriedly called the airline and booked a ticket to fly to Washington at 3 o'clock in the morning. Then he hurriedly called his wife. Say hello and drive straight to the airport.

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On June 27, the first day after the draft, transactions continued. Before the free market opened, each team would make adjustments through a series of transactions to either make room or to strengthen. The biggest trade came from the Milwaukee Bucks and Timberwolves. This was a trade that should have been completed yesterday. The Milwaukee Bucks sent point guard Sam Cassell and Irvin Johnson to the Timberwolves for Anthony. -Peeler and Joe Smith. After completing this transaction, the Timberwolves' lineup appears to be quite balanced and complete, and people can't help but look forward to their new season.

But the biggest news of the day was not the Timberwolves trade, but that Arnold Auerbach was admitted to the hospital due to a heart disease. Although Auerbach had already been admitted to the hospital on the 26th, it was not until the morning of the 27th that the news began to appear on the headlines of major media. Both Auerbach’s daughters were admitted to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington on the 27th. Danny -Ainge and Celtics owner Gloucester flew directly from New York to Washington. The Celtics stars who live in Boston or other areas also set off from their homes and gathered from all directions to Washington, D.C., to visit the originator of the Celtics.

However, Fox-Leon, who was the first to send Auerbach to the hospital, did not appear at the National Rehabilitation Hospital for the first time until Auerbach told everyone, I want to see Fox-Leon.