That day, facing Bird's outrageous demands...

Knowing the opportunity was fleeting, Mullin, until the end of the meeting, felt an urge to put Bird on a pyre and burn him alive.

"If you want to burn me on a pyre, there's no need."

"Why?"

"Because I'm Larry Bird, and the manner of my death is for me to decide."

"..."

"Moreover, this trade is a loss for us... You are using two insignificant role players to take away an All-Star small forward from me, and he just scored 15 points with 5 steals in a game."

"Larry, Michael and Adonal are not insignificant role players! They're important to us. Besides, you're also taking off with our four draft picks."

"But I also have to add a player to balance the salaries in this trade; can't you be more understanding?"

In November 2005, even though after the "Palace of Auburn Hills incident" he returned...

Having been away from the court for nearly a year, Ron Artest showed good competition status on the court, but due to always feeling unsupported by the team, conflict between Artest and the Pacers' management was inevitable.

Historically, after a period of fermentation...

The Pacers eventually traded with the Kings, swapping Artest for another All-Star small forward, Peja Stojakovic.

However, due to issues like injury risks...

Peja was not as wonderful as Pacers' fans imagined.

But at the inception of the trade, this All-Star for All-Star trade was considered perfectly fair and indisputable.

And this...

Was why Larry Bird dared to make such exorbitant demands in front of Chris Mullin at this moment.

After all, Bird was never one to suffer losses.

Even in front of Mullin, an old friend, Bird would not let him take Artest for nothing.

...

First, personally witnessing the Messiah with "The Dunk" shatter the Knights in Cleveland...

Then, after an unpleasant night with the team in Miami, upon returning to Oakland, Little Deng Liwei saw the news of the upcoming trade between the Warriors and Pacers.

Previously, while the Warriors' GM Mullin would in the future trade off Little Deng Liwei, Murphy, and others in that trade involving Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington, happily accepting the big gift packages sent by Bird...

At the moment, for Mike Dunleavy, who didn't know what would happen in the future, when he saw the news, he felt a sudden melancholy.

Because, he had finally seen that damned glimmer of hope...

Since entering the league wearing the hat "Can become the third pick all thanks to Old Dunleavy," Little Deng Liwei never had such a moment.

This moment was named:

He finally met someone who could appreciate his off-the-ball movements and basketball IQ.

In the Warriors' new system, alongside Qin Yue, Little Deng Liwei undoubtedly enjoyed an extremely happy half month.

Even if at the preseason training camp, Qin Yue had been a bit harsher, he might have had to switch to playing in the WNBA...

But compared to the respect and recognition on the court...

In Little Deng Liwei's eyes, what did that one kick really count for?

Yet, those wonderful days were about to end.

And...

Such good times were unlikely to come again.

So, even though he was prepared for the possibility of being traded, Little Deng Liwei still did not want to open the news he saw the day he returned to Oakland.

"You didn't read the news before you started packing and came over to say goodbye? Mike, I suggest you take a good look at the content of that news."

"Hmm?"

[Latest news, the Golden State Warriors have reached a trade agreement with the Indiana Pacers.

In this trade, the Golden State Warriors will send Michael Pietrus, Adonal Foyle, and their first-round draft picks in 2006 and 2008, as well as their second-round draft picks in 2007 and 2009.

And on the Pacers' side, they will send All-Star forward Ron Artest and Anthony Johnson to Oakland to balance the trade salaries.]

Four draft picks.

Pietrus plus Foyle.

The Warriors got Artest and an unknown from the Pacers.

On the day the trade was completed, this inherently hard-to-evaluate trade sparked a lot of discussions.

Pacers fans felt they were robbed by the Warriors.

"They used only two role players to take away our All-Star small forward?"

Meanwhile, Warriors fans thought Mullin must have taken some kickbacks in this trade.

"Why does Ron Artest require four draft picks from us?"

The fact was, it was a trade neither side was very satisfied with.

But since it could be accomplished through Bird and Mullin, there had to be a rationale behind it.

"Ron's heart is no longer with us, and the Warriors are willing to trade four draft picks, so we can look more long-term.

Michael Pietrus is a quality wing 3D, and Adonal Foyle can also help Jermaine (O'Neal) confront Shaq in future games."

Actually, compared to the historical trade where the Pacers got Peja from the Kings...

If you only look at the result, Bird could describe this trade as a sure win.

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