Chapter 29 29th

On the 29th, while learning how to take care of his baby, Su Feng watched the 2002 NBA draft at home.

Because there weren't any players in either the first or second rounds who were particularly suitable for the Raptors this year...

So, after discussing it with Davis, Su Feng suggested that Davis sell off the Raptors' second-round pick directly, to help the Raptors' owner, Chad, who was about to open his wallet next season, stop the bleeding.

As for the Raptors' first-round pick this year...

Su Feng suggested that Davis use the pick to trade for Lu, whom he had long admired.

There was no other way. If it were in previous years...

You'd say that a player of Lu's caliber wouldn't deserve a first-round pick at all, right?

But in this life, after Yao Ming entered the draft early...

Before this year's draft even started, NBA scouts had pessimistically dubbed it the smallest draft in NBA history.

Huh?

You say the NBA scouts were wrong again?

Hey, wake up!

It looks like there are some good inside players like Nene, Gooden, Wilcox, and Stoudemire at the top of the 2002 draft...

But apart from these few, can you even name most of the players?

In addition, several good international players in the second round will have to wait a few years before they can join the NBA.

So, this time, in Su Feng's opinion, the scouts really weren't wrong.

You know, after winning the lottery this year, the Rockets' biggest desire was to trade their lottery pick.

However...

As NBA general managers become more and more shrewd, when trying to sell the lottery pick...

The Rockets' front office sadly discovered that no team was willing to trade with them.

Even Baylor, who was always known for raising blood pressure...

Saw through the Rockets' intention to rob them.

Therefore, Su Feng was also curious to see who the Rockets, with the number one pick, would choose in this draft.

And the facts proved once again that night...

No matter how many times the 2002 draft was replayed, Yao Ming was the undisputed number one pick.

Because in this life, without Little Yao...

The Rockets looked left and right at the draft, but couldn't find a player they liked.

So, in desperation, the Rockets had to choose Jay Williams from Duke University.

In Su Feng's previous life, he was a tragic figure who, in pursuit of excitement, sped down the highway on a heavy motorcycle...

As a result, he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a roadside telephone pole, tearing the ligaments in his left knee and severely damaging three nerves in his left leg...

He nearly had to have his leg amputated for life.

However...

Before that tragedy happened...

Williams was indeed the best guard in the 2002 draft class.

During his rookie season, the 188 cm tall guard once scored 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists in a game against the league's top point guard, Kidd.

And as Battier's underclassman, Williams was also recognized as the best college player in the United States before the draft began.

It's just, who knows if this guy will have bad luck again in this life.

Anyway, watching Williams, who was so pleased with himself after putting on the number one pick hat...

Su Feng always felt that even if this guy didn't encounter that accident again, he would still cool off sooner or later.

And after the Rockets took Williams with the number one pick...

Now it was the Bulls' turn to be troubled.

Because they had originally planned to select a guard in this draft, but what other choices did they have at this time?

Finally, after some difficult choices...

Dajuan Wagner, who would originally be selected by the Cavaliers with the sixth overall pick, entered the Bulls' front office's field of vision.

Because on the court, he was so fast that he could often complete raids in the blink of an eye...

So many reporters who had seen him play live often compared him to Iverson.

However, in Su Feng's opinion, the reporters who were hyping Wagner as being comparable to Iverson had definitely not seen Iverson play live.

Because if they had even a single peanut, they wouldn't be this drunk.

Well...

Now...

The Bulls might as well have tanked for nothing for another year.

Because in this world, not every small player can weave through the NBA's jungle of muscles as freely as Iverson, that freak.

In addition, Su Feng knew very well that Wagner was able to receive so much attention in his student days mainly because he was a second-generation player.

In the NBA, due to their unique advantages, second-generation players are able to obtain far more resources off the court than other players who grew up eating dirt.

Like Kobe.

And like Klay and Curry.

Because their fathers had all played in the NBA, they were not only able to receive professional basketball guidance earlier than others when they entered their growth period, but they were also more likely to be favored by the media and scouts in terms of gaining attention.

Of course...

You still need to be strong yourself to forge iron.

After all, not every second-generation player in the NBA can surpass their father.

At the draft site, after learning that his son had been selected by the Bulls, Milt Wagner, a former Lakers legend, was overjoyed.

Because before the draft, Little Wagner's projected ranking was between 6th and 10th, so Old Wagner's mood at this time was roughly the same as if his son had accidentally been admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University.

And after the Rockets and Bulls selected the two best guards in this draft, the Warriors' choice with the third overall pick was more interesting.

Because no matter how you look at it, Mike Dunleavy was selected at this spot...

It's all because he has a father named Old Dunleavy.

In Su Feng's previous life, as the third overall pick in the 2002 draft, and Williams' and Boozer's college teammate, if Su Feng remembered correctly, Little Dunleavy played in the NBA for a full 15 seasons.

As a white shooter, his shooting skills were excellent, and his basketball IQ was also good.

However, due to his poor physical fitness, he was often bullied by his opponents on the court.

And in front of the TV, after watching the Rockets, Bulls, and Warriors' choices...

Su Feng felt that the worst "top three picks of the same year" in NBA history had been born tonight.

Because, generally, in the NBA draft, at least one of the top three picks can still play well.

But these three guys this year...

Even if you add them together, they probably wouldn't be worth one of Little Stoudemire's legs!

Fortunately, the Nuggets didn't raise Su Feng's blood pressure any further with the fourth overall pick.

As a power forward with some shooting range, Drew Gooden, who had assisted King James for many years in Su Feng's previous life, was selected by the Nuggets.

And then, with the fifth overall pick, Baylor, who had seen through the Rockets' intention to rob him before the draft began, proved with practical actions...

That he was indeed the Baylor in Su Feng's memory.

Because...

Su Feng could at least understand why the Clippers weren't willing to gamble on Stoudemire, who was a high school player.

But, to not choose Nene and Wilcox behind him, and instead choose Nikoloz Tskitishvili...

In Su Feng's opinion, wasn't this the legendary situation where there were three correct answers out of four, but you just happened to choose the wrong one?

In Su Feng's previous life, Tskitishvili's most glorious moment in his NBA career was probably the moment he was selected in the draft.

Because his career-high season average was only 3.9 points...

He was returned to Europe after playing in the NBA for only a few years.

In addition, in Su Feng's original timeline, Tskitishvili was also one of the classic cases of being overhyped by the media.

Not hyping or blacking, okay, even without the heavenly eye, Su Feng knew that Tskitishvili couldn't make it in the NBA.

Because of his shoulder width and his anxious model, Su Feng really didn't know how the media hyped him into the next Nowitzki.

And just as Su Feng was complaining about the mysterious operations of these NBA front offices, with the sixth overall pick...

The Cavaliers made a choice that Su Feng never expected.

Because they, like the Bulls, had planned to choose a guard to continue tanking, so that they could choose the son of destiny, King James, in the summer of 2003...

After their target Wagner was cut off by the Bulls, they finally made the decision that it was better to gamble than to choose a finished product.

"Don't forget, the number one player in the NBA right now, Su, he's a high school player!"

In the Cavaliers' forward operations conference room, after someone suddenly mentioned this in the crowd, the Cavaliers' decision-makers no longer hesitated.

They selected Amare Stoudemire with the sixth overall pick.

In Su Feng's eyes, the only bright pearl in this draft without Yao Ming.

"Hiss, although Cleveland is a bit small, but..."

At this time, Su Feng's heart, which had been half-hooked away by Riley before, was suddenly attracted by the Cavaliers' future framework.

Because Su Feng knew very well that the Cavaliers would definitely have to tank next season with just Stoudemire.

And as long as they resolutely tanked, Stern would definitely send them the trump card of James.

Therefore...

You say that deciding to go to Cleveland to tutor the prince...

Isn't it great?

Moreover, leading the rise of such an unlucky city as Cleveland...

Isn't this script exciting enough?

Stoudemire inside, James outside...

Tsk!

With this lineup, as long as you train for a year, wouldn't the NBA be over?

Okay, for a moment, Su Feng admitted that he was indeed moved.

Back to the draft site.

After Stoudemire was selected, the Heat selected Caron Butler with the seventh overall pick.

And the SuperSonics selected Wilcox with the eighth overall pick.

Affected by the butterfly effect, Nene, who would originally be selected by the Knicks with the seventh overall pick in Su Feng's memory, was not taken by the Wizards until the ninth overall pick.

And now...

Su Feng was sure that the person guiding the Wizards' selections this year was definitely not Jordan.

After all, with Jordan's post-retirement IQ, how could he possibly choose the correct answer?

However, this time, Su Feng really wronged Jordan.

Because...

No matter how stupid Jordan is, he's not Baylor.

And the rankings of other relatively high-quality rookies in 2002 were not much different from what Su Feng remembered.

The Pistons selected Tayshaun Prince with the nineteenth overall pick.

An excellent 3-D player on the wing with a very long wingspan.

And originally, Su Feng had considered letting the Raptors trade up to select this guy.

But you might not believe it when I say this...

When the teams in front heard that the Raptors wanted to trade up...

They all acted as if they were about to be robbed by the Raptors.

Because the Raptors have often been able to bet on high-quality rookies in the draft in recent years...

Plus, they are inherently unpopular because they are located in Toronto, so after learning about the offers these teams made to the Raptors, Su Feng hung up the phone directly without thinking.

What are you talking about...

Using Parker plus the Raptors' first-round pick this year to trade for your draft pick?

Wake up, this is a Parker who has already left the novice village.

Also, using Jermaine O'Neal to trade?

Why don't you let the Lakers trade Kobe for Su Feng?

u1s1, these NBA team front offices may make mistakes when drafting, but they are all smarter than the next when it comes to trading.

And after the first round of the 2002 draft ended, in the second round, Carlos Boozer, another All-Star player from the 2002 draft in Su Feng's memory, was selected by the Bucks with the fifth overall pick.

As the most famous "traitor" in NBA history, considering that he had a good working relationship with Chad, the main reason Su Feng didn't consider this guy was because he didn't want to plant a mine for the Raptors after he left.

In Su Feng's previous life, because he had an outstanding performance early in his career, the Cavaliers promised him a big contract in order to keep Boozer.

However, just as the Cavaliers were happily choosing not to exercise Boozer's team option, preparing to renew his contract, Boozer turned around and immediately signed a 6-year, $68 million contract with the Jazz.

As a result, the Cavaliers' front office was severely tricked by Boozer.

And later...

Whenever Boozer returned to Quicken Loans Arena to play, he would be booed loudly.

Although, from a practical point of view, Boozer's choice was not wrong.

But in Su Feng's eyes...

In this world, people still have to talk about morality.

Therefore, this is also why Su Feng wants to tell Chad in advance that he will not renew his contract with the Raptors.

Because after Chad showed him his honest side, Su Feng's move was also telling Chad...

As long as you are willing, then you can use me to sign and trade to get back any replacement you want.

In short, not working for capitalists and talking about morality and integrity are two different things in Su Feng's opinion.

Because Su Feng doesn't want to become the kind of person he hates the most.

And from a lineup point of view, Su Feng knows very well that Boozer, a player who still needs to be leveled up, is not what the Raptors urgently need.

Under the premise that he will definitely leave the Raptors after next season, immediate combat power is what this Raptors team needs to replenish the most.

And Su Feng already has his own plans for this.

……

ps: First, a small 4000-word chapter! Please allow Qiao to sort out the plot and outline today! After all, Qiao is already a little numb just looking at the settings in my previous outline for the lineups of each team next...