At this time, Li Cheng was sitting on the plane to New York, and Li Cheng and Osborne had nothing to talk about during the long journey. To put it bluntly, this guy Osborne is just a program, but this program is contained in the flesh, and it looks like a normal person.

Li Cheng was sitting by the porthole, and he was looking at the white clouds outside the window in a daze.

The Pacers have changed a lot this summer, purging a group of veterans and welcoming a group of youngsters. I just don't know what this very young team can achieve in the following season.

The Pacers' rebuilding speed this time can be described as rapid, and the force of their rebuilding this time can also be said to be earthquake-magnitude. Larry Bird is playing a big game, and the beginning of his qiē operation starts on the day of this year's draft.

After the NBA Finals, the NBA 07-08 season is completely over. After the Celtics won the championship, Li Chengcheng stepped on a plane to China. For Li Cheng, he is unaware of the NBA transactions that took place this summer, but it does not mean that the NBA trade market will be calm this summer.

There are no heavyweight free transfers this summer, and all the superstars are still under contract. But there are still a few teams that have garnered a lot of media and fan attention this summer, and the most important of them is the Indiana Pacers.

Indianapolis isn't a big city, but the city's teams have been in the spotlight since Reggie Miller because of their strong prowess.

After Miller's retirement, many thought the Pacers would be in a long period of rebuilding. This period is at least 5 years, but the appearance of that Chinese has upset the speculation of the outside world.

In the summer of 2007, the young man named Li Cheng was swept away by Philadelphia like garbage. Then Larry Bird brought the Chinese to Indiana.

At the start of the season, the Chinese was just as outside commentators had guessed - useless.

But Li Cheng suddenly exploded in the middle of the season, and his strong rise was like a bright star, instantly lighting up the entire Indiana sky. In the end, it even lit up the sky of the entire American basketball world.

Originally, it was believed that if the Pacers were to rebuild, they would have to build around O'Neal Jr. And O'Neal Jr.'s frequent injuries have caused the Indiana to lose faith in him, and the core of the Pacers has fallen to Danny Granger.

But Granger always gave people the feeling that he was out of breath, his talent was limited, so the height he could reach was also limited.

But Li Cheng's appearance has given the Pacers a perfect team building core, and coupled with Li Cheng's performance at the Olympics this summer, everyone is even more convinced of this.

However, Larry Bird locked the core of the team building on Li Cheng early, so he asked Reggie Miller to teach Li Cheng, and everything he did was to build the team around the core of Li Cheng.

It can be said that Larry Bird's setup has started since he brought Miller to Li Cheng.

27 June 2008. In Madison Square Garden, New York, another draft is about to begin.

Lee was drafted here last year and then swept away, and this year Larry Bird and Pacers general manager David Mowee and Pacers head coach Jim O'Brien came to New York with a smile on their faces.

At the start of the draft, Bird and Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard have been whispering, which has left the general managers of the other teams all speculation.

Everyone knows that Larry Bird's relationship with Kevin Pritchard is extraordinary. This year, the Pacers got the No. 19 and No. 34 picks, and their second-round picks were relatively high, but the No. 19 picks in the first round were a bit behind.

"This thief wants to change the No. 13 sign of the Trailblazers?" Someone speculated.

"Probably not, what's the difference between the No. 13 sign in his hand and in Priston's hand? These two guys are wearing the same pair of pants. ”

"Now David Mowei's rights have basically been set aside. Sooner or later, Priston will work with that Bird guy. ”

"Hell knows what they're thinking, neither of them got a top sign anyway, let them go! What else can they make? ”

"Bird picked up a Chinese last year, which really made him a lot of money!" Someone said sourly.

"Isn't it? Who knew then that the Chinese had such potential? Look at Los Angeles this year signed with the Chinese they chose last year. I think they're just dreaming. ”

The uniforms of the teams were all talking, and Bird and Priston were always talking and laughing in the corner.

Soon the draft began, and Stern stood on the stage and announced with a smile on his face the Chicago Bulls' choice to get the No. 1 pick this year, and sure enough, they chose Derrick Rose of the University of Memphis.

Saw Derrick Rose on stage. The corner of Pat Riley's eyes jumped unconsciously.

Last season, Pat Riley was shameless, but he still didn't let the Heat get a first-round pick.

It's the Chicagoans who have been oscillating between swinging and rushing to the playoffs. With only a 1.3% chance of winning the top pick, it has to be said that it is a kind of irony for Pat Riley.

Since then, the draft has been carried out in an orderly manner, and during the draft process, the general managers of each team have been on the phone, and they are all brewing about the trade and what kind of backup plan they want to start after the player they want to select is selected by another team.

The draft went on quickly, and Stern glanced at the note in his hand and read with a smile, "Sacramento's twelfth pick is -- Jason Thompson, a senior at Rhett University!" ”

Hearing Stern's name, Priston let out a soft breath and said to Larry Bird, who was beside him, "The person you want was not chosen. ”

Larry Bird laughs: "The first step of the plan has been successful. ”

Priston nodded.

After Jason Thompson's comments, Stern quickly reported the Portland Trail Blazers' pick, which holds the No. 13 pick.

"Portland's thirteenth choice is Robin Lopez, a sophomore at Stanford University!"

Robin Lopez, who was in a hurry at this time, was suddenly stunned, and then stood up in ecstasy.

Originally, the experts' prediction of his rank was around 20, but I didn't expect it to be improved so much. Before this, the Trailblazers had never promised him to choose him! Lopez was a little confused, but he quickly rushed to the stage and rushed in front of Stern.

The Trail Blazers chose Lopez, and there was another murmur off the court.

"They didn't pick Rush?"

"It shouldn't be!"

And Suns general manager Lance Blanks glanced imperceptibly in the direction of Bird and Priston. Then he let out a soft breath.

"What kind of medicine is in that old fellow's gourd?" Lance couldn't figure it out, but he made his choice based on the results of the previous discussion.

"The Golden State actually chose Anthony Randolph? They still didn't pick Brand-Rush. ”

"Look at Phoenix's choice, if Phoenix doesn't pick Brand, then I'll take Brand away." The general manager of Philadelphia rubbed his palms and said.

However, Philadelphia's two years may have been really unfavorable, and just before Philadelphia's No. 16 pick, Phoenix selected Brand-Rush.

Brand Rush breathed a sigh of relief, and he could barely accept the No. 15 rookie position!

The next choices were as expected, with Philadelphia choosing Speights and Toronto choosing Hibbert. Washington chose Hicks.

Finally it was the turn of the Pacers, and for this team that had great luck last summer, and the team that must make big moves this year, everyone unconsciously turned their attention to Stern on the stage. Everyone wonders what choice the old fox Larry Bird will make.

"Indiana's choice for the nineteenth place is the big forward from the Congo - Sergi Ibaka!"

Ibaka was completely surprised, he never thought he would be selected so early. He thought he would be drafted at the end of the first round or the second round! He is ready to slowly climb up from the bottom, just like last year's Chinese Li Cheng.

But now it's been chosen so early? And it's on the same team as the guy you admire so much?

Ibaka felt like Lady Luck was smiling at her, and it was a great feeling.

Ibaka grinned and walked onto the stage, and then Larry Bird took the Congolese man with a smile on his face.

At this time, the supersonic general manager in the audience smashed his fist on the wall next to him. "Damn Larry Bird, he picked Ibaka so early. Isn't he afraid to choose an African and let him lose all his money? ”

Then he forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart and said to the assistant beside him: "Go and prepare for the deal, don't mention Ibaka." Trade Jermaine and use Ibaka as an add-on. ”

Soon the assistant returned, and the general manager of the supersonic company asked, "What chips did that guy offer?" ”

It's just their first encounter, as long as Larry Bird relents. The superSonics will continue to make deals. They certainly won't reveal their main target, but they will get Ibaka through other means. And Jermaine O'Neal is nothing more than an excuse for the supersound! The supersonic won't swallow a player like O'Neal Jr.!

"Mr. Bird said he wanted Kevin Durant."

"Damn it!" The general manager of the supersonic, don't look over and don't speak. Larry Bird: There's absolutely no point in trading!

……

"It was so unexpected. Bird would choose such a guy, and it seems that Jermaine O'Neal is bound to be sent away. ”

"This old bird is very determined to rebuild. None of them seemed ready to give Jermaine any chance. ”

"Look again! What the Pacers will look like next year will have to see what kind of trade the old bird holds behind him. ”

"I don't know, but I think it's going to be very surprising. Jermaine's deal, in particular, will be absolutely shocking. ”

"I really hope Larry makes a few loss-making deals this summer, otherwise Indiana will be a big problem this season." Angie, the general manager of the Celtics, frowned and said.

Li Cheng's performance last season has already made many teams feel in crisis, and this is definitely a super talented player. He almost toppled the mighty Celtics alone, and if he were given some good help, the Pacers would be terrifying.

Then in the second round, the Pacers used their No. 34 pick to take Mario Choning from the University of Kansas.

Larry Bird chose to leave the god operator speechless for a while, and Pat Riley looked at his No. 35 pick and could only sigh helplessly. The cultivation of the god operator is still very good, at least he didn't directly explode swearing.

Soon the draft will be over, and the teams will be at war all summer.

In the course of the season, it is mainly the battle between the players of the various teams, which is a hard-fought battle on the field. And in the offseason, it's the battle between the general managers of the teams, it's a war without gunpowder, and sometimes a team tends to change drastically this summer.

As a team progresses through the season, as long as they don't suffer major injuries, their overall structure will not change, and their strength will not be affected too much. And in the offseason, the managers of each team only need to have the advantage in one move, and the result is often a salary draw. Maybe some teams will be in a slump.

That's the case with New York's players, Black Hole, who pay the third-highest salary in the league but only get the title of fish belly. They did so poorly in the offseason that even though they were rich, they never managed to do well.

After the draft, the teams fell into a period of dormancy.

Because the transfer window doesn't open until July 10, the league won't approve anyone's deal until then. Therefore, the media can only do some chasing after the wind and shadows, and as for the real dry goods, they will not be reported in detail until the day the transfer window opens on July 10.

In about half a month, the walker fell into complete silence. It's as if they've completed this summer's reinforcements after taking out Ibaka and Qian Moning in the draft.

The Pacers' moves this summer will definitely not be that simple, at least they have to deal with Jermaine O'Neal, otherwise O'Neal Jr. will definitely be a big obstacle to their rebuild.

Although O'Neill Jr. is now a little more depreciated than in the previous two years, his value is still very high.

The Pacers have Li Cheng and will never keep the previous team leader. And the absolute core of the previous team, O'Neal Jr., will not be willing to be a second-in-command by Li Cheng's side. He can't even be the second in charge, because everyone knows that Li Cheng and Granger wear the same pants, and Li Cheng will never watch his friend succumb to little O'Neill.

The NBA has been full of trade rumors lately, but there is no transfer information about the Pacers.

Is it true that the walker doesn't move? (To be continued......)