After the draft ended in New Jersey, Mo Ran returned to Washington with Iverson.
The first thing he did? Call his agent, Bill Duffy.
Mo was growing impatient—why hadn't the trade happened yet?
Iverson thought Mo was just waiting for the Kobe Bryant trade to go through, but in reality, Mo was waiting for his trade as well.
"Mo, listen," Bill Duffy explained on the phone. "The Vancouver Grizzlies are driving a hard bargain. They won't let you go easily."
According to the intel in Bill's hands, several teams interested in acquiring Mo were working on complex multi-team trades, involving even three- or four-way deals.
However, since free agency and the trade market had not yet opened, player-for-player trades were currently off the table.
The only way Mo could be moved at the moment would be in a blockbuster trade involving other rookies, like a potential deal for Iverson + Camby, but that seemed highly unlikely.
"If you want your trade to restart, you'll have to wait until July 1st, when the free agency market and trade window officially open."
Mo got straight to the point.
"Bill, which teams are serious about trading for me?"
Duffy paused and then revealed, "Three teams are leading the charge: the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks, and the Los Angeles Lakers."
Mo was surprised.
"Boston?!"
Weren't the Celtics all-in on guards before the draft? They had passed on Camby and selected Iverson instead.
Yet now, they were the most aggressive in trying to acquire him?
"Mo, you might not believe this, but the Celtics' so-called 'interest in guards' was all a smokescreen," Bill chuckled. "Their plan all along was to trade for you with the No. 1 pick."
"Unfortunately, they only ended up with the No. 2 pick."
Suddenly, everything clicked in Mo's mind.
It all made sense now—compared to the original timeline, the only major variable was himself.
The Celtics' draft strategy had shifted entirely because of his presence.
No wonder Auerbach never attended Georgetown games and acted indifferent. They were playing the long game, planning to snatch him via trade all along!
As for the Lakers and Knicks, their interest wasn't surprising.
Both teams had the biggest markets in the NBA and were naturally interested in the first-ever Chinese No. 1 pick.
"Jerry West has shown the most interest out of all three teams," Bill continued. "The Knicks, on the other hand, are in complete disarray. They don't seem to have a concrete trade plan—they're just throwing money around."
The Knicks were rich, but they lacked strategic vision. It was no surprise they were struggling to make a serious offer.
"So for now, Mo, be patient."
Bill reassured him that everything would be settled by July 10.
"Do I still need to report to Vancouver?" Mo asked.
"Yes, of course. You have to sign your rookie contract."
Even if Mo didn't end up playing for the Grizzlies, he still needed to go through the formalities.
July 1st, the NBA free agency period officially began.
Mo and Iverson flew to their respective cities to sign their rookie contracts.
Vancouver, Rogers Arena.
Mo Ran was personally welcomed by Grizzlies GM Stu Jackson.
"Welcome to Vancouver, Mo."
"Thanks. Vancouver's a nice city," Mo replied with a smile.
The two exchanged pleasantries, but they both knew what was really happening.
Mo was here to sign, not to stay.
A 4-year, $14 million rookie contract was placed in front of him—standard for a No. 1 pick:
Year 1: $2.3 millionYear 4: $4.1 million (team option)
It was the highest rookie contract in the class.
"Glad to be here." Mo signed with a smile.
After the formality, Mo left Vancouver, ready for whatever came next.
Meanwhile, in Boston, Iverson signed his contract and quickly returned to Washington.
Over dinner that night, Iverson teased Mo after learning about his contract value.
"Damn, Mo, you got $14 million? I only got $12.3 million!"
Iverson grinned, pretending to be frustrated.
"Man, if I had known, I would've let you take the No. 1 pick!"
"$1.7 million difference—do you know how many girls I could have had?"
Mo laughed, "No matter what you say, I'm still the No. 1 pick. That's a fact!"
Iverson jokingly responded, "If I had known, I wouldn't have passed to you in college. I should've gone solo from the Big East tournament!"
The two friends laughed it off, enjoying their final moments together before parting ways.
The NBA free agency period kicked off with a bang.
The first domino to fall? Michael Jordan.
Before renewing his contract with the Bulls, Jordan flew to New York, where Knicks owner James Dolan handed him a blank check, telling him to "fill in any number he wanted."
The Bulls, panicking, immediately responded with an offer they couldn't have imagined before:
$30.14 million for one year, making Jordan the highest-paid player in NBA history.
The big-money deals kept rolling in:
Alonzo Mourning: 7 years, $105 million (Miami Heat) – the NBA's first $100 million contract.Juwan Howard: 7 years, $105 million (Washington Bullets).Gary Payton: 7 years, $85 million (Seattle SuperSonics).Hakeem Olajuwon: 5 years, $60 million (Houston Rockets).Dennis Rodman: 1 year, $9 million (Chicago Bulls).
Mo pointed out to Iverson, "Allen, take a look at Pippen's salary."
Despite being Jordan's right-hand man, Scottie Pippen was making only $2.25 million, less than Mo's rookie salary!
Iverson was stunned, realizing how underpaid Pippen was compared to his contributions.
July 5th.
Iverson left for Boston to prepare for summer league, while Mo remained in limbo.
Before leaving, Iverson gifted Mo a pair of brand-new black and red AJ11s.
"Mo, consider this my Christmas gift in advance. I hope you enjoy Vancouver."
Mo smirked, knowing Vancouver wasn't his final destination.
July 6th – The bombshell news dropped.
The Orlando Magic refused to offer Shaquille O'Neal a contract that matched Mourning or Howard's deals.
Instead, they insulted Shaq with a 4-year, $54 million offer.
Shaq, furious, ripped apart the contract on the spot.
"You're offering me less than guys I dominated?!"
The fallout sent shockwaves through the league.
Los Angeles, Staples Center.
Lakers GM Jerry West was quick to act.
"Charlie, call Vancouver. Ask them if Shaq is worth two first-round picks."
West had finally made his move—Mo Ran could be part of a blockbuster deal involving Shaq and the Lakers' future.
The game was on.