Chapter 77: The Roster is Set
Days without games are boring, but time keeps moving forward.
After completing the trade with the Nets, Chen Yilun’s offseason work was gradually coming to an end.
During this time, he flew to Las Vegas to watch a game featuring Ding Yanyuhang.
Maybe it was just bad luck, but right after that game, the Kings were eliminated in the semifinals.
In the end, the Spurs won the Summer League championship, with Kyle Anderson taking home the Finals MVP.
“He looks good! It hasn’t been that long since we last met, but it feels like you’ve already put on some muscle.”
In Ding Yanyuhang’s hotel room, Chen couldn’t help but feel pleased as he looked at him.
“Chen, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to improve myself.”
Compared to when they first met, Ding Yanyuhang’s mental state had improved a lot.
In the Summer League, he had broken into the team’s rotation, averaging around 12 points per game.
The league’s evaluation of him was steadily rising too, and some teams were even willing to offer him a two-way contract.
“What are your plans next?” Chen pulled out an ashtray and lit a cigarette.
“I’ll go back to China for a while to rest. Then it’s the national team training camp.”
Ding Yanyuhang replied honestly.
“That’s good. You’ve still got time. Play well in the Asian Championships and you’ll open even more doors.”
Chen encouraged him.
At that time, the basketball atmosphere in China was buzzing. Thanks to the earlier friendlies, Chen had put in a lot of work, and both the young players and veterans like Lian had gained plenty of attention.
“Alright, I won’t keep you from resting.”
After finishing his cigarette and exchanging a few casual words, Chen got ready to leave.
“Keep working hard—the future of the national team depends on you guys.”
...
As time went on, the players gradually started returning to the team.
“Not bad, not bad. Could’ve been worse.”
Looking at Rudy Gay, who had just come back from vacation, Chen gave him a quick once-over. Thankfully, he hadn’t completely let himself go—he was still in decent shape. With some preseason training, he’d be ready.
Divac had also dragged Nikola Jokić back from Europe.
The little big man had been put through two months of brutal training under Divac, shedding another layer of fat. When he saw Chen, his eyes went wide.
“Boss, I’m begging you, get him off me! I can’t take it anymore!”
If not for the huge size difference between them, Chen might have thought Jokić was about to grab his leg and cry.
“Alright, alright, don’t stress.”
Seeing Jokić on the verge of a breakdown, Chen said, “I’ll give you two days off. Divac won’t bother you again.”
As soon as Jokić left, Divac appeared out of nowhere.
“Boss, I’m telling you, this kid’s a genius!”
He waved his arms excitedly. “I’m not exaggerating—at his current level, he’s already close to where I was back in my day. And this is only his second year!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’ve worked hard too.”
Chen nodded. “You know what? Don’t come to work for the next two days either. You’ve been grinding all summer. Go home and rest.”
“Boss!”
Right after Chen finished with Divac, Greg Oden walked in.
“I’ve been working on my mid-range this summer. Now I can shoot from a step inside the three-point line!”
“Really? That’s awesome! Look, Coach Chip is over there—go take some shots and let him fine-tune your form.”
By now, Chen was starting to feel more like the team’s head coach than anything else. Every little thing—whether from the players or the management—ended up reported to him.
Finally, after sending everyone off, he was about to rest when Mike Malone walked in with the roster.
“Yilun, it’s time we lock in the roster for next season.”
Flipping through the sheet, Malone said, “First, the backcourt. CJ is definitely our starting point guard. LaVine has made big improvements this summer. I’m thinking about moving him into the starting lineup.”
“LaVine works!”
Chen nodded without hesitation.
“Good. That kid always wanted to be a 3-and-D, but we pushed him into a ball-handling role. Now that Devin’s here, we can move him back into his comfort zone.”
“Forwards are straightforward—it’s definitely Gay and Thaddeus Young.”
Both were making tens of millions a year, so they were obvious starters.
“And for center, we’ll go with Jokić.”
With that, Chen confirmed the starting lineup.
“Perfect! Exactly what I had in mind. Hey, don’t leave yet!”
Malone stopped him as he tried to slip away.
“What about the bench?”
After a long back-and-forth, the roster for the new season was finalized.
Starting lineup: CJ McCollum, Zach LaVine, Rudy Gay, Thaddeus Young, Nikola Jokić.
Bench: Greg Oden, Otto Porter, Devin Booker, Ben McLemore, Omri Casspi, and Josh Richardson, who was still developing in the G League.
Although they had lost their core, DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings’ new roster looked much more balanced.
The interior would be entrusted to Jokić, giving him the freedom to showcase his creativity, while Thaddeus Young would cover his defensive weaknesses.
Off the bench, although Booker and Ben were both shooting guards, Booker—being a versatile Kentucky product—could easily handle ball-handling duties when needed.
“I don’t know why, but…”
After finalizing the roster, Malone looked at the sheet in surprise.
“This lineup actually looks better than last season’s!”
“Of course it does!”
Chen grinned with pride.
“We’re stronger, Mike. You know our goal is the championship. The owner won’t give us the luxury of time.”
“Here’s a reminder.”
Chen looked at him seriously.
“Forget the finances—I’ll never hold you back. But you must guarantee the results.”
“We cannot do worse than last season. We have to go further if we want to shut the boss up!”
Seeing Chen’s serious look, Malone straightened up and replied firmly,
“Rest assured! I’ll lead this team and deliver results!”
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