Old Nelson

The Olympic Tower Building at 645 Fifth Avenue, New York City

NBA League Headquarters, President's Office

David Stern sat in his office, a cigar in hand, reviewing the league team records. His thoughts drifted to the recent call from James Dolan, leaving him conflicted about whether to give the New York Knicks another chance.

Stern was well aware that the Knicks were eyeing Lian Dao in the upcoming draft. This wasn't a secret within the league. The idea of Lian Dao joining the Knicks had the potential to invigorate the New York market significantly. Over the past few years, the influx of Chinese players into the NBA had amplified the league's influence in China and Asia, leading to substantial revenue gains. The NBA, after all, was a business league, and tapping into the vast Asian market had proven lucrative.

Finishing his cigar, Stern stubbed it out in the ashtray and sighed. He picked up the Knicks' record, placing it at the top of the league documents on his desk.

"Hopefully, the Knicks won't let me down this time," he muttered to himself, staring at the papers before him.

...

After finishing the Knicks' trial training, Lian Dao went to Memphis, Sacramento, Washington, and Indiana for additional workouts, one after the other. The workout process was quite similar to what he experienced with the New York Knicks, emphasizing both skills and adaptability.

While Lian Dao was busy with these sessions, the NBA Draft Lottery took place, bringing some historical changes. Most of the draft order remained as expected, but a significant surprise came when the New York Knicks, instead of the Clippers, secured the No. 1 pick. The Clippers ended up with the second pick, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the third pick. The Sacramento Kings got the fourth pick, while the Memphis Grizzlies landed the fifth pick.

The biggest disappointment in the lottery was for the Kings. Despite having the worst record in the league and a 25% chance of securing the No. 1 pick, they ended up with the fourth pick, leaving them frustrated. Chris Webber, who represented the Kings, could only mask his disappointment at not landing the top selection.

Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards secured the sixth pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves got the seventh, and the Golden State Warriors landed the eighth pick. The rest of the draft order followed historical patterns, with the Toronto Raptors taking the ninth pick.

As news spread about the Knicks winning the No. 1 pick, Donnie Walsh's phone started ringing off the hook with inquiries and trade offers. Grizzlies manager Chris Wallace was among the first to call Walsh.

"Hey, Donnie, how about we make a deal?" Wallace proposed eagerly.

"Oh, tell me," Donnie Walsh replied with a playful expression.

"We want the No. 1 pick you have. The conditions are up to you," Wallace offered, recognizing that Lian Dao was unlikely to fall to the fifth pick.

Walsh was surprised by Wallace's boldness and made a high-stakes demand. "I want Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay," he said, aiming for the Grizzlies' core players.

"Are you out of your mind? Trading a No. 1 pick for a leading player plus a potential rookie? Donnie, show some sincerity," Chris Wallace laughed, incredulous at Walsh's audacious demand. While Lian Dao's talent was undeniable, he was still unproven in the NBA, and the draft itself carried risks. Trading established players for an untested top pick seemed like a gamble to Wallace.

"Hey, Chris, you called me. That's my bottom line. If it's not possible, goodbye!" Walsh said, hanging up the phone.

As soon as he hung up, more calls came in, all looking to acquire the Knicks' No. 1 pick, just like Wallace. Donnie Walsh consistently demanded high returns, suggesting trading for stars from their teams in exchange for the top pick.

Most general managers were taken aback by Walsh's exorbitant asking prices. However, one or two teams did not outright reject Walsh's demands, suggesting they could negotiate further. Among these teams was the Golden State Warriors, who showed interest in discussing a potential trade.

Lian Dao, meanwhile, was unaware of the impact he had already made in the league, with multiple teams considering moves to secure his talents.

Now, Lian Dao had just finished his trial with the Indiana Pacers and was heading back to Los Angeles with his senior sister. The only team left was the Los Angeles Clippers. However, unlike the enthusiasm shown by other teams, the Clippers' trial training for Lian Dao was quite perfunctory. It was a simple affair, with only an assistant coach present, as head coach Mike Dunleavy was absent. This lack of attention and respect for a potential top pick was noticeable.

Lian Dao wasn't surprised by the Clippers' lack of interest. From the moment they sent him a trial invitation, he knew he wasn't their primary target. The Clippers were merely trying to appease Los Angeles fans, who were clamoring to "let Sickle stay in Los Angeles" after Lian Dao's victory in the NCAA championship with the University of Southern California. If the Clippers hadn't extended a trial offer, they would have faced backlash from the fans.

In essence, the Clippers were just going through the motions, and Lian Dao played along to satisfy both the fans and the media. As a result, his trial training with the Clippers was brief, and he didn't participate in some of the scheduled events. This decision sparked some controversy among the media and fans, but Lian Dao remained unfazed.

Just when Lian Dao thought all his training sessions were over, he received an unexpected call from Don Nelson, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Nelson expressed his interest in having Lian Dao visit the Warriors, and Lian Dao was eager to meet him. He had long been curious about the legendary coach.

Don Nelson, renowned for his innovative tactics, was a pivotal figure in the evolution of modern basketball strategies. Known as the "Master of Tactics and Innovator," Nelson introduced groundbreaking strategies like the run-and-gun offense, hack-a-Shaq, using ball-handling small forwards, and encouraging big men to shoot three-pointers. From encouraging the towering Manute Bol to take three-point shots to nurturing Dirk Nowitzki as a space-based power forward, Nelson's influence was undeniable, even though he never secured a championship as a coach.

Nelson's coaching style, which often broke traditional rules, fascinated Lian Dao. He admired the coach's unrestrained approach and was eager to see it firsthand. Despite Nelson's reputation for favoring offense over defense, he initially gained recognition with the Bucks for a defensive focus before shifting to an offensive strategy with the Warriors, earning them the nickname "Golden State Track and Field Team" among fans.

The trial would take place at Oracle Arena, the Warriors' home, conveniently close to Lian Dao's residence near San Francisco's Silicon Valley. As he drove past the arena, he noticed the Warriors' current logo—a muscular man with a basketball backdrop, holding a billboard that read "Warriors." To be honest, this logo was quite down-to-earth compared to the later iconic Golden Gate Bridge design.