On June 19, 2002, Chicago, the last training camp before the draft, most of the team's general managers and scouts were present.

Qiao Hai is naturally no exception.

On the court, a big man of 2.26 meters was shooting, holding the ball in his right hand, and with a slight jump, the basketball was pushed out.

Swish!

The ball went in......

"This big guy has a really soft touch."

"With a height of 2.26 meters and a projection that reaches far beyond the three-point line, another super center is coming."

"It's a pity that he doesn't belong to us anymore."

In the corner of the arena, the general managers of several eastern teams discussed the big man on the field, and the corner of their eyes faintly glanced at Qiao Hai on the other side.

"You said that China Qiao went to the rocket this time, can it still succeed?"

"It's hard to say, he's the general manager this time, not the head coach."

……

Da Yao was still shooting, but Qiao Hai had already set his sights on the other side.

He saw Tyshawn Prince.

To the naked eye, Tyshawn Prince has an excellent arm span, hanging straight down his side, and with a pair of long legs, he looks like a gibbon.

Looking at his reach and leg length, Prince's predicted pick is unlikely to be at the end of the first round.

The key problem is that his body is too thin, and many people are not optimistic that Prince will be able to adapt to NBA-level confrontations.

Qiao Hai will not have this doubt, he knows very well that Tyshawn Prince will be a top wing defender, such a player, he must choose.

A second-round pick, Qiao Hai has multiple targets.

Luis Scola didn't show up, but he was Qiao Hai's first choice in this position, because Scola was the best partner for Yao Ming, who had been proven to be the best partner.

However, Matt Barnes and Rasol Butler were both there.

Qiao Hai looked at it for a while, and then realized that Yao Ming had finished the public trial and walked to the sidelines.

Qiao Hai got up and walked towards Da Yao's position.

"Yao Ming!"

Da Yao turned his head and saw Qiao Hai, he immediately showed a smile: "Hello, Qiao Hai." ”

"How's it going, does the tryout feel okay?"

"Not bad." Da Yao's social style is very peaceful, and no matter who he talks to, he will give people a sense of approachability.

Of course, Qiao Hai will not feel this way, in the basketball world, Qiao Hai's status is much higher than that of Da Yao, he just feels that communicating with Da Yao is not so tiring.

"Are you confident in the draft?"

Qiao Hai made a little joke.

Da Yao smiled: "Then I have to ask you." ”

Qiao Hai stretched out his hand to reach Yao Ming's shoulder, but he couldn't reach it, and finally could only pat Da Yao's arm helplessly: "Prepare your luggage, report to Houston in July." ”

Da Yao changed his face: "It's going to be reported in July?" ”

"Aren't you playing Summer League?"

Da Yao smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I can't fight, can I ask for leave." ”

Seeing that Qiao Hai still had questions, Da Yao continued: "The national team has a game, and it may have to be trained. ”

Qiao Hai was silent for a while, and could only shake his head helplessly.

"Alright then, you can skip the summer league, but you have to rush back from the pre-season training camp."

Da Yao smiled: "That's for sure." ”

After finishing the conversation with Da Yao, Qiao Hai turned his head to look at the field again, and after watching Rasol Butler's attack for a while, Qiao Hai watched the trial of Amal Stadamayer and Kaloon Butler for a while.

Then there was a new idea, to trade forward with the 15th pick in the first round to see if we could trade a top pick to pick Smalls or Caron Butler.

Thinking of it, Qiao Hai's idea immediately became - fly back to Houston as soon as possible, and then ask the team for a price, Qiao Hai still has a lot of chips in his hand, as long as a team is willing to trade, he has enough chips.

……

People came and went outside the United Center, and when night fell, Qiao Hai had already asked a special car to pick him up.

Like the Grizzlies, the Rockets are not a rich team, but as a team with a history, the Rockets still have a lot of big team to travel.

Private car transfer, as well as special person to book air tickets.

For example, just now Qiao Hai decided to go back to Houston, and the ticket was immediately booked.

Outside the door, Qiao Hai waited for the special car.

A strong man walked by his side, two meters tall, scolding while walking, and a small agent next to him trembled.

"What bullshit, second round guarantee? Do I need it? Can I still be defeated? ”

Qiao Hai glanced at it and felt that the back of this strong man was very familiar.

When he walked to a flower bed, turned around sharply, and kicked the car parked on the side, Qiao Hai took a fixed look, and then realized that this thing was indeed an acquaintance.

"Not a single first-round guarantee? Why, did I have a poor tryout? It must be that you didn't do your best to sell, right, I wanted to fire you a long time ago! ”

Qiao Hai remembered that Boozer's agent was the famous Rob Pelinka, and now he doesn't know why it was a small white man, Qiao Hai looked at it carefully, and he didn't know it.

Perhaps history proceeded like this, and it was precisely because of his dissatisfaction with the agent in front of him that Carlos Boozer replaced Rob Pelinka.

But now, Qiao Hai has decided to change history.

"Darryl, go tell that noisy guy that the Houston Rockets are giving him a first-round guarantee."

Darryl Morey glanced at Boozer, nodded, and quickly walked over.

……

"First-round guarantees? Houston Rockets? ”

Looking at Carlos Boozer, who was surprised not far away, and his agent who was trained so much that he didn't dare to come out, he was also very surprised.

Of course, slowly, when they recognized that the one not far away was Qiao Hai, the surprise turned into surprise.

……

On the way back, Qiao Hai had been thinking about one thing.

"Darryl, what kind of inside partner should you find for a big man like Yao?"

"A coolie who can do the dirty work, like Hollis Grant next to Shaquille O'Neal."

Qiao Hai was not satisfied with this answer, he felt that what Yao Ming needed was not a simple coolie blue-collar worker, otherwise why would Scola become Yao Ming's good partner?

Of course, extending from Scola, Qiao Hai feels that Carlos Boozer will definitely be a better inside partner next to Yao Ming.

"Accurate mid-range shooting, very stable in the lower game, able to play singles in the low post, strong rebounding ability, extremely high quality of blocking and dismantling, such a big forward, do you think he is suitable for Yao?"

Qiao Hai asked again without giving up.

Morey's answer was ambiguous: "It's hard to say, maybe it's a good fit, maybe it's not good." ”

No matter what Morey says, he has already made up his mind, Boozer is a must, the problem is that Tyshawn Prince is also a must, but Xiao Si and Kaloon Butler can let it go.

But even so, Qiao Hai has to work hard to get another first-round pick.

Back in Houston, Joe Hai began his busy work......