Three contract offers landed on Zhou Yuan's desk.
They came from the Houston Rockets, the Chicago Bulls, and the New York Knicks.
Let's start with the Rockets.
Before drafting Yao Ming, the Rockets' financial situation was a complete mess, and their market value was pitiful.
But once Yao entered the league, everything changed. The huge Chinese fanbase sent the Rockets' value skyrocketing, and owner Leslie Alexander made a fortune.
Now, however, Yao was plagued by injuries and already approaching the end of his career.
Alexander wanted Zhou Yuan.
He wanted to pair Zhou with Yao to create the "Heavenly Dynasty Duo."
That gimmick alone would let the Rockets make a killing in the Chinese market.
The one-year, $2 million contract they offered Zhou Yuan could be earned back in minutes.
They'd squeeze out the last bit of Yao's commercial value while hyping Zhou at the same time.
A win-win for them.
Zhou Yuan sneered.
As someone reborn from a past life, he utterly despised the Rockets.
Joining them? Impossible.
Not in this life.
The Bulls' offer was much lower—just one year, $1.2 million.
Their franchise player, Derrick Rose, the No. 1 pick, was already showing his brilliance.
He was clearly their absolute core.
As for Zhou Yuan?
Yes, he hit a miracle shot in the Finals. That showed confidence, a strong mentality, and nerves of steel.
But in the end… he was still just a lottery ticket.
A player who had taken exactly one shot in his NBA career.
Signing him on a minimum contract was like buying a scratch-off.
If it paid off, they'd hit the jackpot.
If it didn't, the loss was minimal.
Compared to that, Zhou Yuan leaned heavily toward the Knicks.
For one, they offered him $3.5 million for a single year—true sincerity.
Two, New York was the biggest city in the world, with the league's hottest market and the brightest spotlight.
Three, their so-called franchise player was David Lee. At best, he was an All-Star caliber guy.
Zhou Yuan could seize the stage quickly and become the real core.
Yes, the Knicks had been a mess under James Dolan's ownership.
But in terms of profitability, they were always No. 1 in the league.
The market was simply too massive.
Even if the team was garbage, the money kept flowing.
If Zhou Yuan led them into the playoffs—or even the Finals—
with New York's backing, his endorsements and future mega-contracts would explode.
Salary? That was pocket change.
All signs pointed to New York as the best choice.
The only thing that worried Zhou Yuan… was James Dolan himself.
The man was a master at squandering talent and ruining teams.
Since the 2003–04 season, the Knicks hadn't sniffed the playoffs.
Basketball was a team sport. If Dolan kept stirring up chaos with his impulsive moves, Zhou Yuan alone might not be able to drag the Knicks to the championship stage.
Still, Zhou was confident.
He believed he could convince Dolan to listen to him in roster decisions.
What stung Zhou Yuan, though, was the Lakers' silence.
Even though he had no plans to stay, the fact that they didn't make an offer right away made the cold-blooded nature of the business league crystal clear.
That game-winning shot had brought endless glory to Los Angeles.
For a brief moment, he was the darling of the city.
The management praised him to the heavens.
But the moment the season ended?
Not even a minimum contract.
They had burned the bridge as soon as they crossed it.
…
Inside the Lakers' GM office.
Mitch Kupchak sat there, torn.
Should they offer Zhou Yuan a deal?
His tryout numbers had been terrible.
On top of that, he was Asian, with a weaker physique, unlikely to handle the brutal NBA competition. At best, he'd just be another benchwarmer waving a towel.
If the Lakers hadn't been desperate in Game 7, Phil Jackson never would've put Zhou Yuan on the floor.
And that miracle shot? He never would've gotten the chance.
From a pure ability standpoint, the Lakers could completely ignore him.
But from an emotional standpoint, they owed him at least a minimum contract.
Kupchak rubbed his forehead. It was a real headache.
"Listen to me—sign him."
Phil Jackson's voice was firm.
"To pull down that rebound over Perkins, to calmly dribble baseline, then turn and sink a fadeaway over Garnett for the win… you think that was luck? No. He's hiding something. His potential is much greater than it looks."
Kupchak hesitated for a long time, then shook his head.
"No. Several contracts are expiring. We need every bit of flexibility to keep the championship roster intact.
If we give Zhou Yuan a deal, that's one less chip to maintain the core."
"I'll call him myself and explain the situation."