Chen Yilun stood on the second floor, looking down at the lively scene below, an unconscious smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"There are a lot more people coming for tryouts this year."
Peja sighed beside him.
"Any news from Vlad?"
Chen Yilun asked suddenly, still watching the young prospects below.
"He called me yesterday,"
Peja replied. "Utah's already started having him get to work."
Just a few days earlier, the Jazz had officially dismissed their general manager, Dennis Lindsey.
At the same time, Divac had stepped down from his position as the Kings' general manager and immediately taken office with the Utah Jazz.
To pry Divac away, the Jazz had spared no expense.
Not only did they give him the promised GM position, they also added a compensatory role as Vice President of Basketball Operations.
That put him on the same level as O'Connor, and half a step below Starks.
Divac's departure caused a noticeable stir within league circles.
After all, Divac had been a diehard lieutenant under Chen Yilun for years. Once Chen Yilun became president, Divac was effectively the Kings' second-in-command.
For him to leave the Kings at this point was seen by many as a major blow to Chen Yilun's team.
Others believed it showed that Chen Yilun's group wasn't as united as it appeared.
The departures of Blackstone and Divac were even viewed as warning signs that the Kings' front office was starting to crack.
"Don't worry about what people are saying."
Chen Yilun turned to Peja. "We just need to take care of our own business. By the way, has anyone been reaching out to us lately?"
Front office jobs in the league were always a game of musical chairs. With Divac gone, the Kings' GM position was now vacant. The remaining executives had only just been promoted last year, so there was no way they could jump again so soon. That meant the only option was hiring from outside.
"How could they not?"
Peja laughed.
"Haven't you been ignoring calls lately? My phone's practically exploded. Everyone's trying to feel things out through me. Our GM position is a hot ticket."
"Enough of that."
Chen Yilun waved his hand and looked back down. "Let's watch the tryouts first."
...
...
"Damn, this is packed."
Mikal Bridges shrank his neck slightly, intimidated by the dense crowd around him.
"So this is Sacramento's foundation?"
Standing next to him was his Villanova buddy, Dante DiVincenzo.
"The strongest team in the league right now, and the best destination for rookies. Of course everyone's squeezing their way in, desperate to join the Kings."
As he spoke, DiVincenzo nodded his chin toward one direction.
"That guy should be our competition."
Following his gaze, Bridges immediately spotted a tall, slender figure in the crowd.
"He looks really familiar… who is that again?"
"Him?"
DiVincenzo stared at the man for a moment.
"Missouri's Michael Porter Jr."
"That's him!"
At the mention of the name, Bridges instantly remembered.
The superstar from Nathan Hale High School, a protégé of Kobe Bryant; the 2017 McDonald's All-American MVP; Missouri's prized freshman—Michael Porter Jr.
"And over there."
DiVincenzo pointed to the other end of the court, where someone was having their height measured.
"If I'm not mistaken, that's Jaren Jackson Jr. from Michigan State. The one doing the speed test next to him is Alexander from Kentucky."
"And over there—damn! Who's that? Never seen him before!"
Luka Dončić looked around the busy gym, everyone absorbed in their own tasks. Not knowing where to go, he simply started wandering around.
"Luka, right?"
A woman with a graceful figure suddenly walked up to him with a smile.
"I'm Anjali Ranadivé, the team's assistant general manager. Welcome to the tryout."
As she spoke, Anjali openly extended her hand toward Dončić.
Back in 2018, Dončić hadn't yet filled out or put on weight—he was still a fit, good-looking young man. Naturally, Anjali had a very positive first impression of him.
"Thank you for the invitation,"
Dončić said in his distinctive, European-accented English. "Where should I go for the tryout?"
"Come with me."
Anjali smiled brightly and gestured for him to follow.
With Anjali at his side, Dončić quickly became the center of attention.
"Who's that? Why is the boss's daughter personally greeting him?"
"You don't know him? Luka Dončić! Came over from Real Madrid—the king of Europe!"
"He's entering the draft this year too? That's a serious rival for domestic players."
"Not necessarily. Plenty of European guys can't adapt. Could end up another bust."
"Who's got the top three picks this year?"
Watching Dončić go through his tryout, Chen Yilun suddenly asked.
"First pick: Suns. Second: Hawks. Third: Grizzlies."
Peja replied smoothly.
"Got it."
Chen Yilun turned and started to leave.
"Not staying to watch a bit longer?"
Peja asked, looking at his retreating back.
"No need."
Chen Yilun didn't even turn his head. "I've already seen most of the ones I wanted to see. Send me all their reports tonight. I've got some things to take care of."
With that, he ignored Peja and walked straight back to his office.
Every year before the draft, Chen Yilun felt something strangely familiar.
Wave after wave of young talents poured into the league, all fighting desperately for a place of their own.
After resting for a while in his office, Chen Yilun made a phone call.
"What are you plotting again, kid?"
The moment the call connected, a wary voice came from the other end.
"Sir, that really hurts your junior's feelings."
Chen Yilun laughed. "Can't I call you just to chat?"
Buddenholzer replied flatly, "Who would believe a hyena like you calls just to chat? Get to the point."
"Who are you planning to take with that second pick?"
Seeing Buddenholzer wasn't in the mood for small talk, Chen Yilun got straight to it.
"My pick? What are you after?"
Buddenholzer frowned deeply.
In the league, it wasn't strange to ask around about draft plans—but asking him so directly was a bit much.
Even so, he answered, "Nothing's set yet. We'll probably take whoever's left after the Suns—Ayton or Bagley."
Ayton and Bagley were both red-hot prospects, widely seen as the hope for reviving North American interior dominance.
"I saw a kid during tryouts today,"
Chen Yilun said without hesitation. "Luka Dončić. I'm very high on him, but he won't fall to my pick."
Lowering his voice, he added, "You still have a chance, senior brother. Don't say I didn't look out for you. This Luka is different. If you miss him, you'll really regret it."