As July rolled in, the trade talks surrounding Zhao Dong reached a fever pitch.
Wells had rejected most offers outright—those teams either lacked financial muscle or the roster strength Zhao Dong demanded. At this point, three teams remained in serious contention: the Trail Blazers, the Lakers, and the Heat.
The Lakers were willing to go all-in. They had even agreed to break up the legendary O'Neal-Kobe partnership. One of them—and virtually everyone else on the roster—was available as trade bait. The remaining star would pair with Zhao Dong, and the Lakers promised to pour in massive money to build a championship-caliber lineup.
The Trail Blazers went even further. They were offering their entire roster as trade chips, allowing the Knicks to pick whoever they wanted. Paul Allen, desperate to land Zhao Dong, even privately promised Knicks owner James Dolan that he could lend him working capital—a tempting proposition for Dolan, who was strapped for cash.
The Heat were also aggressive. Though owner Micky Arison had taken financial hits like Dolan, his shipping empire remained stable. With Arison's backing, Pat Riley matched the Blazers' offer—if Zhao Dong wanted Miami, the Heat roster would be gutted to make room for him.
"Zhao, that's it. The decision's yours—Trail Blazers, Lakers, or Heat," Wells said over the phone, leaving the choice entirely in Zhao Dong's hands.
"I'll call you when I've decided," Zhao replied calmly.
But calm was the last thing anyone else felt.
The 2000 Sydney Olympics were just two months away, set for September 15th to October 1st, and Chinese media—especially CCTV—was already in full Olympic hype mode. Yet Zhao remained unhurried, infuriating the teams involved.
Without Zhao's trade finalized, none of the other teams could move forward with their own deals. Several general managers were losing sleep.
Tim Duncan and his agent Charles Banks were equally restless. Banks was so stressed he'd developed cold sores; Duncan was so distracted he'd even stopped going fishing.
In San Antonio, Gregg Popovich was still trying to keep his franchise cornerstone. He personally flew to Duncan's hometown again, sitting in Duncan's living room with a new contract.
"Tim, we're serious about building a contender. Here—three years, thirty-three million," Popovich urged, sliding the papers over.
But Duncan only glanced at Banks, who shook his head almost instantly. The Lakers and Magic had already offered far richer contracts.
Meanwhile, other teams were circling. The New Jersey Nets, despite making Yao Ming their untouchable cornerstone, were also chasing Duncan in hopes of pairing him with Yao for a title run.
But Duncan turned them all down. He was waiting.
"If Zhao Dong stays in the East, I'll stay in the West. If he goes West, I'm heading East," Duncan explained to Banks. He had no intention of being in the same conference as Zhao—it would only make his road to the Finals harder.
But Zhao still hadn't made his choice, and Duncan's patience was wearing thin.
The trade rumors had already leaked to the media, sparking chaos across the league. Players on the Lakers, Heat, and Blazers—including team cornerstones—were now in constant fear of being traded.
The OK duo was especially rattled.
Shaquille O'Neal, vacationing in Miami, ignored the bikini-clad women flocking to him at the beach. The thought of being traded gnawed at him. Superstars didn't get traded unless their teams doubted them, and Shaq hated the idea of being seen as expendable.
Kobe Bryant was even more on edge. He loved Los Angeles. New York's bright lights held no appeal for him. His sneaker deal with Adidas had only a year left, and the brand was already struggling financially. If he became a trade chip, it might hurt his marketability—he needed stability to secure his next big contract, possibly with Nike or Zhao Dong's Zhao Sports brand.
But this was Zhao Dong. No one dared to oppose a trade for the league's top player. Kobe could only wait helplessly.
Front offices weren't much better off. Rumors were dividing locker rooms, and the longer Zhao Dong delayed his decision, the worse it got. If the trade collapsed, the backlash could cripple team morale for an entire season.
Even Wells was anxious, bombarded with calls from GMs daily. But he didn't dare push Zhao—one wrong move could ruin everything.
Zhao Dong, however, remained cool and methodical. He sat in his study, roster sheets spread out before him, calmly analyzing his options.
The Lakers were the most appealing in terms of immediate success. One of the OK duo would remain, giving the team enough core talent to rebuild quickly. Their owner wasn't the richest, but the Lakers had strong revenue streams and were willing to pay the luxury tax.
The Heat had deep pockets, but their roster was a mess. Alonzo Mourning's kidney issues made him unreliable, and a complete rebuild would be required—a long, grueling process.
The Trail Blazers were intriguing but risky. With Rasheed Wallace gone to the Bulls, they had no real star power. Last season, they'd shocked everyone by reaching the Western Conference Finals, but they were swept effortlessly by the Lakers. The roster was aging, and a rebuild was inevitable.
The biggest advantage of this team was simple: the owner was filthy rich and willing to spend.
Zhao Dong knew Paul Allen was chasing one thing only—a championship. The billionaire wanted to cement his name in NBA history, and his only requirement for a trade was clear: the post-trade roster must be good enough to compete for a title.
On paper, Zhao's best chance at another ring was with the Lakers. After the trade, they'd still keep one of the OK combination, most likely Shaquille O'Neal.
But that wasn't what Zhao wanted.
He didn't want to join forces with another superstar. Truth be told, he didn't even want to play with an All-Star. Winning alongside O'Neal would be too easy—half of their combined strength could crush the entire league.
And for Zhao, a title earned that way meant nothing.
With that mindset, the Lakers instantly became his last choice.
Between the Heat and the Trail Blazers, Miami had the obvious edge. It was a big market, and Pat Riley's coaching credentials were untouchable. Zhao also knew Micky Arison personally, whereas he'd never met Paul Allen.
But Zhao had already dominated the Eastern Conference for four straight seasons. This time, he wanted a new challenge—the Western Conference.
And he wasn't going to decide immediately. He would wait, dragging things out to see which team had the patience and sincerity to last until the end.
Time flowed slowly for Zhao Dong, but for the rest of the league, each day felt like a year.
At 8 a.m. on July 6, Zhao's phone rang.
"Zhao, man, for the love of God, make a decision already!" Shaquille O'Neal's booming voice came through, equal parts begging and frustrated.
Zhao laughed. "Shark, relax. You're on vacation, not me. Why are you stressing over my deal?"
"I'M your bargaining chip, don't you get it?" Shaq sounded downright aggrieved. "You go to the Lakers, I go to the Knicks. Boom—problem solved. I just made your decision for you!"
Zhao chuckled again, teasing, "Don't worry, Shark. Whether you're in L.A. or New York, you'll still be dunking on people. Just enjoy your vacation."
"You're such a jerk!" Shaq roared before slamming the call shut.
Seconds later, he was on the phone with his agent, David Falk—the same man who represented Jordan. Shaq ordered him to send a message to the Lakers front office: strengthen the roster or I'm demanding a trade.
The message hit hard. Jerry West immediately called Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
"Jerry, we have to back out," West said grimly. "If we keep dragging this out, Shaq and Kobe's loyalty will crumble, the locker room will splinter, and we'll lose control of this team."
"Why hasn't Zhao made up his mind yet? What the hell is he waiting for?" Buss growled, clearly annoyed.
West snorted. "Who knows? Zhao's a freak—a damn basketball psychopath. His strength's insane, but so is his patience."
Buss sighed. "Fine, Jerry. We'll pull out. Call Shaq and Kobe. I need to calm them down before this blows up in our faces."
The Lakers officially became the first team to bow out. Despite having the dominant OK duo, their desire to chase Zhao had always been lukewarm, and Shaq's warning sealed it. They shifted focus to other trades to strengthen their roster.
The Nets were next to retreat, switching their full attention to recruiting Duncan.
That left only two teams still in the race: the Heat and the Trail Blazers. Both continued calling Wells almost daily, and their owners personally contacted Zhao every few days, trying to build rapport.
On July 10, the Heat finally gave up.
The free agency freeze had lifted, and other teams were snapping up top-tier talent. If they waited too long, even if they landed Zhao, there would be no pieces left to build a contender.
Wells relayed the updates to Zhao later that day.
"The Lakers, Heat, and Nets are out. If you don't decide now, no team will have time to build a proper roster around you," Wells said.
Zhao smiled faintly. "Then talk to the Trail Blazers and the Knicks."
The decision sent shockwaves through Portland.
The Trail Blazers front office exploded with excitement.
"Marvelous!" one executive shouted. "This is it—we're going to win a damn championship!"
Owner Paul Allen was ecstatic, pacing his office with an uncontrollable grin. "This is great news! Lucky doesn't even begin to describe it!"
For Allen, money was never the issue—only a championship mattered.
Back in New York, Ernie Grunfeld sat silently in his office, a heavy expression on his face.
He was the man who had brought the undrafted Zhao Dong into the NBA, turning him into the Knicks' cornerstone and building a dynasty of four straight championships. Trading away the greatest player in basketball history felt like tearing his own heart out.
But he had no choice. James Dolan had no ambition left. The Knicks were nothing more than his personal ATM now, and Ernie had to follow orders.
He sighed, looking over the Trail Blazers' trade package.
"Damon Stoudamire? The aging Pippen? This isn't even close to Zhao's value…" he muttered bitterly.
But Zhao wanted Portland, and the Knicks couldn't stop him.
Besides, when Zhao first came to New York, they hadn't paid a single asset for him. Getting nothing in return as he left felt… poetic, in a way.
The deal was finalized in record time.
The Knicks traded Zhao Dong and Shawn Marion to the Trail Blazers in exchange for:
Arvydas Sabonis (1 year left, $11.2 million)
Scottie Pippen (1 year left, $13.75 million)
Portland's unprotected first-round picks for 2001 and 2002
The salaries matched almost perfectly—Sabonis and Pippen's combined $24.95 million against Zhao's $24.42 million next season.
But in pure basketball terms, Sabonis and Pippen together weren't worth even one of Zhao's arms.
The Knicks demanded the two first-rounders as a future safeguard, using Marion—who had flopped in the playoffs—as additional trade bait to seal the deal.
The Knicks received two unprotected first-round picks from Portland—an investment for the future. After next season, Arvydas Sabonis' contract would expire, creating valuable cap space. Scottie Pippen's deal was expensive, but still far cheaper than Zhao Dong's upcoming max contract.
For Knicks owner James Dolan, this was acceptable. He wasn't chasing championships anymore—just stable cash flow.
Once Dolan gave his approval, the trade paperwork landed on David Stern's desk.
---
"Trail Blazers, huh?" Stern muttered, staring at the document.
If Zhao Dong moved to the West, the playoffs would become even more brutal. A potential Lakers vs. Blazers clash in the Western Conference Finals would be a blockbuster, and a rematch of this year's Finals was almost guaranteed.
That was great for ratings.
But it would also leave the East painfully weak, making the Finals too one-sided. Stern didn't want another sweep like the Lakers suffered this year.
Then an idea sparked.
"Tim Duncan hasn't decided yet… The Nets are chasing him hard. If Duncan joins Yao Ming in New Jersey, they could go head-to-head with the Philly 76ers' Email combination in the East. The playoffs would be competitive again, and the Finals wouldn't be lopsided."
The thought settled it for him.
Twenty minutes later, Stern signed off. Zhao Dong was officially a Trail Blazer.
---
"Marvelous!"
Inside Portland's front office, cheers erupted. Paul Allen was ecstatic. "Announce it immediately! Hold a press conference—this is the best day in franchise history!"
Within ten minutes, both the Trail Blazers and Knicks officially announced the trade.
The reaction was explosive.
In New York, Knicks fans were furious.
From James Dolan down to the front office, everyone was being roasted by angry fans and sports media.
Some extreme fans even burned Zhao Dong's jersey in the streets, venting their rage.
But most Knicks fans knew the truth—this wasn't Zhao's fault. It was Dolan's decision. Zhao had brought them four straight titles. The city loved him, but they hated their owner more.
The atmosphere in Portland was the complete opposite. Fans flooded the streets, chanting Zhao's name.
Within an hour, Zhao Dong jerseys sold out citywide. Every version of his Silver Demon sneakers was wiped from shelves.
Portland hadn't seen this much basketball excitement since the Clyde Drexler era.
On the morning of July 12, Trail Blazers GM Bob Whitsitt called Zhao Dong.
"Zhao, welcome to Portland," Whitsitt said enthusiastically. "Let's talk about building a championship roster. We're ready to listen to your input."
The conversation lasted an hour, focusing on the remaining roster.
Most of Portland's key players—Damon Stoudamire, Steve Smith, Sabonis, and Pippen—had already been sent to New York as part of the trade.
The Blazers still had a handful of notable players, but Zhao quickly realized the roster wasn't great.
Damon Stoudamire, nicknamed the Flying Squirrel, was 27 and once the 7th pick in the 1995 draft. But his numbers were declining: 12.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists in 30 minutes per game last season.
Steve Smith, now 31, had been a 20+ point scorer for three seasons in his prime, but last year he averaged just 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. His defense was mediocre, and his athleticism had declined badly.
Zhao immediately thought: Against Iverson, Kobe, or Marbury, this backcourt is getting torched every night.
Key rotation players included Brian Grant, a rugged power forward, and Detlef Schrempf, the German sharpshooter.
The Blazers had some young talent:
Bonzi Wells (11th pick, 1998): Averaged 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds in 17.6 minutes last season. A solid bench scorer.
Jermaine O'Neal (17th pick, 1996—the same year Zhao entered the league): Only 22 years old, athletic but underused.
O'Neal's career had stalled in Portland.
As a high school draftee, he had barely played his first three seasons. Last year, with Rasheed Wallace leaving for Chicago, O'Neal got more minutes—12 minutes per game, 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds—but still had no real role in Coach Mike Dunleavy's system.
His rookie contract was a 3+1, and he had already exercised his final-year player option, making him a restricted free agent after the season.
GM Whitsitt wasn't sold on O'Neal's future and had no long-term plans for him. Dunleavy trusted him even less.
But because Zhao Dong's trade dragged into mid-July, Whitsitt had to be careful.
He quietly dangled a three-year, $19 million offer from the Indiana Pacers as leverage, telling O'Neal and his agent:
"Stay with us. With Zhao Dong coming, most of our main guys are gone. You'll get big minutes—maybe even start."
In truth, Whitsitt was bluffing. If Zhao's arrival meant they no longer needed O'Neal, Portland could easily rescind their interest.
But for now, it was a convenient lie to keep O'Neal on board.
-
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