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Chapter 280 - 140.2006 NBA Draft_3

Chapter 280: 140.2006 NBA Draft_3

Aldridge was the one with the highest call for the number one pick, no one else was even in the same conversation.

The Knicks Team got the second pick, but they had traded away several draft picks or the rights to swap picks when acquiring Eddie Curry. The Chicago Bulls couldn’t wait to use the second pick to choose LaMarcus Aldridge.

During the trial phase, the Chicago Bulls claimed they did not want a scoring inside player as they already had plenty of scorers. People thought they meant they wouldn’t choose Bargnani, but actually, they didn’t want Aldridge either.

However, grabbing Aldridge was the choice that maximized the value of the second pick; there were plenty of teams eager to trade with them.

Soon after, with the Hawks team using the third pick to select Duke University’s swingman Shelden Williams, the Chicago Bulls completed a trade with the Trail Blazers. Getting the fourth pick, some cash, two future second-round picks, and the signing rights for Victor Claver, the star player from the Russian Central Army team, they chose their preferred defensive power forward Terrence Thomas with the fourth overall pick.

Finally, when it came to the fifth pick, the Celtics team took the stage and selected Adam Morrison.

Zhang Yang smacked his lips at this result. Just as the media had predicted and without Joe’s boss intervening, the "Contemporary Bird" was ultimately chosen by the Celtics team. He felt a bit regretful that none of the other owners had the vision of their team’s owner.

Since the entry into the draft month, Boston was crying out online every day for the Celtics team to pick Morrison. If Morrison fell to the fifth pick and the Celtics team didn’t choose him, Ainge would definitely be criticized to the point of resigning in disgrace.

Bird’s position in the hearts of Boston fans, none of the stars in the history of the Celtics team could compare, not even Russell.

For the next dozen draft picks, Zhang Yang was yawning. He had no recollection of many of the players who came on stage, nor even their names. The talent pool of the ’06 class was truly the most barren in recent years, only slightly better than the class of ’00.

Eventually, at the twentieth pick of the first round, Zhang Yang perked up.

Their team’s first target, Sasha Vujacic, had been selected earlier in the lottery zone, so their next choice was a point guard.

Jordan Farmar was passed over after the first trial and not invited back for a second tryout.

The targets were narrowed down to Rajon Rondo and Kyle Lowry.

Three minutes later, Stern returned to the stage and read out, "From the University of Kentucky, Rajon Rondo."

Zhang Yang slapped his hands and stood up, startling the little Goku next to him, who also stood up and started clapping.

Zhang Yang couldn’t help but admire the general manager who had the guts to take risks on Kemp and Payton; his methods were indeed wild!

In 1989, when Kemp entered the draft, nobody thought highly of him.

He had graduated from high school in 1988 and was supposed to go to the University of Kentucky, but he got expelled for stealing, and then he loitered in a trade school for a year without playing any significant games, because the trade school was not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. By the time he entered the draft in 1989 at the age of 20, the NBA also did not recognize his college status, marking him as a high school student. Bickerstaff boldly drafted him.

Prior to the ’90 draft, Payton was not a hot pick for the top three selections. Despite winning the title of "Best College Player in America," he was too skinny. At the age of 22, standing 193 centimeters tall, but only weighing 82 kilograms, teams doubted whether he could withstand the intensity of NBA games.

Dennis Scott, Mohammed Lawal, Kendall Gill, all were more suitable choices, and their abilities deserved top three picks... Their rookie season performances were indeed better than Payton’s, with two averaging over 15 points and one averaging 11+3+3.

But Bickerstaff went against popular opinion and choose Payton, forming the "Glove and Rain Man" duo.

Over on their Bobcats side, during several trial meetings, including Jordan, they felt it was more appropriate to select Lowry.

After all, their team’s key players were young and not as adaptable as those mature stars.

Moreover, there were going to be significant role player changes this year. Selecting a backup point guard similar to Felton’s style would mean less time needed for both the three main cores and either the staying or newly arriving role players during the adaptation phase; they wouldn’t have to adapt to two point guards with different play styles.

There was also the fact that they tried out Rondo three times, and during the second one, Rondo almost got into a fight with Zhang Yang... If it wasn’t for Zhang Yang pinning Rondo down on the floor, a fight would have actually broken out.

Not choosing Lowry, Zhang Yang felt a bit regretful; having two little cannons by his side would have been reassuring.

But Rondo wasn’t a bad choice either! He just didn’t know how much of Coach Rondo’s basketball IQ the current Rondo possessed.

After the 20th pick, Zhang Yang’s expectations for the second round weren’t as high. Among the big men they had worked out, only Ryan Hollins might fall to the 50th pick... In his memory, Hollins was a successful player who played in the NBA for 10 years, but his memory of Hollins wasn’t because he was great, it was because he played dirty, disgustingly dirty.

Choose him then. If Bowen dared to lay hands on their players, let Hollins deal with Bowen... The thought was even a little exciting.

Perkins, although he also looked like the type to engage in such things, was after all a candidate for the main center position and couldn’t be treated like expendable.

Soon, the draft moved on to the second round, and just when Zhang Yang thought they were going to pick Hollins, at the 40th pick in the second round, a trade occurred! And it involved their Bobcats!

The Bobcats traded away Brezec, the 50th pick in the second round, and a 2007 second-round pick to get Nazr Mohammed and the 40th pick in the second round from the Spurs!

Subsequently, with the 40th pick in the second round, the Bobcats selected Paul Millsap, who was unanimously praised by Zhang Yang, Gerald Wallace, and Okafor!

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