The Best Point Guard

Soon, it was time for the 15th pick.

It was the Bobcats' turn.

The Bobcats' war room was a scene of chaos.

The Bobcats' general manager said to Jordan, "Let's pick a Point Guard! Both Rondo and Lowry are great options."

Jordan shook his head. "We already have Felton, and he's got a lot of talent. He just hasn't reached his full potential yet. In fact, he was already a solid starter last season. Point Guards tend to mature late, so there's no need to rush. Let's grab a big man first."

"Cedric Simmons from North Carolina!!"

Jordan made his decision.

The Bobcats' general manager rubbed his forehead, thinking, 'Maybe we should just rename the team the University of North Carolina's NBA affiliate.'

He knew nothing about this big man, but he had to follow his boss's orders.

And so, the Bobcats made their decision and selected Simmons.

They were carrying out Boss Qiao's North Carolina agenda to the letter.

Having a boss with such a strong alma mater complex was exhausting for the staff.

At last, it was the Knicks' turn.

Everyone was eagerly awaiting the Knicks' selection.

But the Knicks' war room was quiet. They were waiting for Su Xi to make the decision, including Isaiah Thomas.

Su Xi hadn't expected Lowry and Rondo to fall to the 16th pick. In his opinion, Rondo should have been selected in the top ten. But now, both of them were available to him.

He was holding two scouting reports.

He was torn.

Finally, he said to Isaiah Thomas, "Let's let God decide who we pick."

He tossed the two reports into the air.

Just as everyone was waiting for them to fall, Su Xi had already made his choice. "We're taking Lowry."

Isaiah Thomas looked at the two papers on the floor and said, "You made the decision before the papers landed, but Rondo's sheet is face up. Does that mean God chose Rondo?"

"No. In the realm of basketball, I am God. I choose Lowry."

Su Xi answered Isaiah Thomas.

It was a statement of supreme arrogance.

Thomas was left breathless, but he quickly carried out the decision. The Knicks selected Kyle Lowry.

Kyle Lowry looked completely stunned. It was totally unexpected. He'd never even had a workout with the Knicks, but now he had the chance to join the team. As he put on the Knicks cap, Madison Square Garden Arena erupted in cheers, because everyone knew Su Xi had entered the war room tonight.

This meant it was Su Xi's decision.

And if Su Xi made the decision, it was guaranteed to be the right one.

This was a consensus not just in New York, but throughout the entire basketball world.

So, at this moment, many people were envious of Lowry, including those who were picked before him.

Lowry excitedly shook David Stern's hand. During his interview, he was very candid. "I hope I don't hear any news about being traded," he said. "I love the Knicks so much. I'm ready to dedicate all of my talent to the Knicks and Tony Su."

Su Xi was watching on TV.

When he threw the two scouting reports, the first name that came to his mind was Kyle Lowry, so he chose Lowry.

Even though Rondo was excellent too.

But he wasn't a good fit for the Knicks.

The Knicks already had Su Xi, so playmaking wasn't as crucial. Besides, the Knicks needed another explosive point guard.

That's why he chose Lowry.

Su Xi, of course, wouldn't trade Lowry. He would even give Lowry a major role and invest heavily in his development.

Because in the new season, Su Xi would have to play shooting guard.

He hated hearing those commentators talk about how amazing Jordan's 10 scoring titles were.

In his opinion, winning a scoring title wasn't difficult.

He planned on winning one next season.

So, the team would naturally need a new Point Guard.

Crawford couldn't distribute the ball, Nate Robinson was even worse, and Gary Payton was too old, so Lowry was just right.

Back in the Bobcats' war room, the general manager sighed when he saw the Knicks' pick.

But Jordan just laughed. He said, "The Knicks are just making a desperate move. Their point guard roster is already overcrowded."

Just then, the general manager said something that made his smile freeze: "What if Little Sheep Su Xi plays shooting guard next season?"

Huh?

Jordan stopped smiling.

Perhaps he wasn't one to smile by nature.

He always wore a stern expression.

The rest of the draft seemed to have nothing to do with him.

Until it came to their third pick of the night, the 31st pick.

By this point in the draft, the pool of talent had thinned out considerably.

The Bobcats' general manager suggested, "P.J. Tucker and Paul Millsap are both very good. I can't even believe Millsap has fallen this far. They both have a tough style of play."

"What's so surprising about that? They're both undersized big men. In the NCAA, maybe you can carve out a niche with a tough playing style, or even dominate the paint with a more developed body. But in the NBA, that won't work. There aren't that many Ben Wallaces in the world. Even Ben Wallace himself was an undrafted player. And there are even fewer Dennis Rodmans."

"We're picking a full-sized center. Paul Davis from the University of Michigan. Just listen to that name, you can tell he's destined for great things."

Jordan said firmly, "Height is the one talent that will never betray you!"

Uh…

The general manager nodded in resignation. Very well.

Another four picks went by, and neither P.J. Tucker nor Millsap had been selected.

Jordan said, "This just proves it. The guys you're so high on aren't hidden gems. They're just players nobody wants."

Just then, the Knicks announced their decision.

This time, Su Xi didn't hesitate at all.

He chose Paul Millsap.

Although he had also briefly looked at P.J. Tucker's scouting report, he didn't want to gamble. Height is a critical flaw. P.J. Tucker wasn't even two meters tall, his skills were average, and making it in the NBA would be very difficult.

Frankly, the Knicks' frontcourt wasn't really lacking at the moment.

Even with Jerome James and Tony Battie leaving.

They still had Eddie Curry, Zach Randolph, Channing Frye, and David Lee.

Millsap's role actually overlapped with theirs somewhat.

But, he could provide tactical continuity.

Su Xi hoped he could become a second Tony Battie.

And so, he chose Millsap.

Next season, he decided to have Channing Frye play the 3 position.

It was absurd, but he felt it could work.

Jordan was surprised as he watched the Knicks' pick.

Then, he glanced at his general manager again.

He had an absurd thought. 'You and Little Sheep Su Xi seem to be on the same wavelength... You're not working together, are you? You're not here to spy on the Bobcats for them, are you?'

Jordan was such a suspicious person.

But his suspicion made no sense.

Why would the number one team in the league need to spy on the third-to-last team?

Are they crazy?

Jordan put on his leather jacket, got up, and left the war room. His work was done. A relaxed smile spread across his face; he was extremely confident in his eye for talent.

As he reached the door, a reporter came over to ask him to rate the Bobcats' draft.

He said, "I give myself a 99. The only reason I'm not giving a 100 is because I don't want to get arrogant. You know, I always make the right choice."

"Adam Morrison will be the Rookie of the Year next season. I'm calling it."

Jordan's face was brimming with confidence.

This was the self-assurance of the God of Basketball.

With a swagger, Jordan left Madison Square Garden Arena.

He was full of hope for the future; the Bobcats' powerful rise was already part of his blueprint.

Su Xi left the Knicks' war room 20 minutes after him.

Because they still had the 41st pick. They selected Leon Bovis, then traded him to Houston for Stephen Novak.

Novak was a deadeye shooter in the NCAA, but his physical condition was poor, and it was thought that he would be completely unable to handle the pace and physicality of the NBA.

But Su Xi wanted to take a gamble.

It was the 41st pick, after all. If the gamble failed, so be it. It was nothing to regret.

With that, the Knicks' 2006 draft was complete.

When Su Xi came out, reporters also approached him with questions.

"This was just some minor tinkering. We're the defending champions. Defending champions don't pin their hopes on rookies. We'll just focus on developing the players we selected. We will give them opportunities and help them grow."

"If a rookie can come into the league and immediately gain experience on a championship team, that's an excellent opportunity for them."