Chapter 345: The Aftermath of the Championship
“Day after day, all I want is to take a couple of days off. Why is that so hard?”
Chen Yilun jogged into the conference room, travel-worn and dusty.
“There was really no other choice, boss. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the nerve to call you back.”
After all, it had only been a few days since the team won the championship. Even the celebrations around Sacramento hadn’t fully wrapped up yet. For Prince to summon Chen Yilun back at a time like this could only mean something big had happened.
Everyone from the team’s front office was already seated in the conference room.
“Vlad, I hear your stock’s gone up lately?”
The moment he sat down, Chen Yilun smiled and teased him.
“Boss, at a time like this, can you not joke around?”
Divac said with a bitter smile. “Don’t you know my level? I can’t prop up an entire front office on my own.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself.”
Chen Yilun rolled his neck and continued, “You’ve done really well these past two years. While I was out there fighting on the front lines, you stayed behind and kept everything in order. That’s the only reason I could run around so freely without worrying about things at home.”
Those words were like a shot of adrenaline for Divac.
“But all I do is paperwork! I’m terrible at player trades and rookie scouting!”
Before Chen Yilun arrived, Divac had been quite confident in his own eye for talent.
But nothing hurts more than comparison.
After becoming Chen Yilun’s right-hand man, Divac finally realized just how big the gap between them was—purely in terms of judgment alone, it was like being twenty Pejas apart.
So over the past two years, Divac had deliberately pulled back from external affairs, focusing entirely on internal management and on developing Jokić.
He had already resigned himself to being Chen Yilun’s deputy for life. He never imagined that one day Chen Yilun would suddenly tell him he was going to another team to take full control.
Inevitably, panic set in.
“Boss…”
Divac spoke hesitantly.
“What if I turn them down? It’s just a general manager position anyway—the title doesn’t even change. Things are comfortable here…”
He couldn’t continue.
Because Chen Yilun was staring at him with clear displeasure.
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
Chen Yilun slammed the table. “You get a chance to go out and take charge, and you’re not happy about it?”
He looked at Divac with a righteous, no-nonsense expression.
With Anjali present at today’s meeting, there were many things Chen Yilun couldn’t say outright.
“But given the current situation, this move would be a huge help to his broader strategic layout across the league.
Aside from Blackstone, another team had now invited management from the Kings system to step in.
That was exactly why Chen Yilun treasured this opportunity so much. He couldn’t wait to push Divac out there.
“This is just my personal suggestion—purely from a friend’s perspective.”
Chen Yilun glanced at Anjali, who was fiddling with her phone, and continued.
“Going to Utah would definitely be better for your personal development. Of course, that’s just my opinion. Whether you go or not is entirely up to you.”
With that, Chen Yilun smoothly changed the subject.
“Alright, let’s talk about something else.”
He spread open his notebook.
“Free agency is about to begin. We need to start moving.”
At his words, everyone else put aside what they were doing and listened closely.
“The two most important issues.”
Chen Yilun looked at the notes in his notebook. “First, Kevin Durant officially becomes a full unrestricted free agent this year. Second, Booker’s contract extension needs to be put on the agenda.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Divac, who was still a little distracted.
“Vlad, no matter what, you’ll help me wrap these things up first, right?”
Divac immediately nodded. “Of course, of course!”
Chen Yilun looked back at his notes and continued. “Durant is someone we absolutely have to keep. I think he’ll be willing to re-sign as well. After all, a dynasty opportunity delivered right to his doorstep—he wouldn’t turn that down.”
As a commercial league, after decades of careful cultivation by countless powerful figures, the NBA had long since become a highly professional business operation.
As a result, most players now treated basketball as a job.
Basketball is basketball no matter where you play it—whoever pays more is where you go. Who would deliberately go against money?
In this kind of environment, only a very small number of players, under very special circumstances, would be willing to sacrifice part of their salary to join a specific team.
Right now, the Kings had exactly those conditions.
Back-to-back championships had pushed the Kings’ reputation in the league to its peak.
The years may look the same, but the people always change.
The league is like a car constantly moving forward, and players are merely passengers—or parts—along the way.
Aside from a handful of once-in-a-generation talents, most people eventually fade into the corners of history.
But now things were different.
A new dynasty was rising. As long as you joined the Kings, you had a chance to leave your own mark in league history along with the team.
That kind of glory was an irresistible temptation for any player.
It was like buying a tailor-made luxury suit just to show it off.
And as one of the primary architects of this budding dynasty, Durant naturally had no intention of leaving Sacramento.
The dynasty was one step away from being complete—there was nothing that could make him leave now.
That was why, in these negotiations with Durant, the Kings actually held the advantage.
The real issue that needed close attention was Booker’s extension.
This year, Booker was eligible to sign a five-year contract, starting at 25% of the team’s salary cap in the first year, with 8% annual raises.
“What’s Booker’s attitude?”
Chen Yilun leaned forward and looked toward Divac.
While Booker could technically sign a deal of that size, given the Kings’ current financial situation, there was no way they could offer him something that big.
Last year, Jokić had been talked into accepting a salary just over twenty million. Naturally, Booker—who hadn’t even made an All-Star team yet—would have to be valued along similar lines.
Otherwise, uneven salary distribution could cause serious problems.
“No major issues.”
Divac picked up the thread.
“Booker’s camp has been in contact with me the whole time. During the season, they already made it clear that as long as we can guarantee his future minutes and starting role, they’re willing to give up part of his salary.”
“Good.”
Chen Yilun glanced at Divac with a look of approval.
“Then we’ll handle it that way. And the rookie tryouts—are they all arranged?”
“Don’t worry, everything’s taken care of.”
Peja spoke up. “The invitations have all been sent out, and everyone has accepted.”
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