Chapter 64: Prepare to trade

"Chris Finch?" Jake scratched his head, the name tugging at a familiar memory. Suddenly, it clicked. Isn't he the future head coach of the Timberwolves? Finch represented the archetype of a coach who had climbed the ranks through experience. He spent his playing days in the British league before joining the Rockets as an assistant in 2011. From there, he moved to the Nuggets, then the Pelicans, and eventually the Raptors. In 2021, he took over as head coach of the Timberwolves, leading a revamped lineup to the Western Conference Finals.

"Chris? He's the one!" Jake exclaimed, his enthusiasm growing.

"Wait, do you actually know him?" Peja asked, surprised by Jake's immediate agreement. After all, Chris was still relatively unknown in the league.

"Don't worry about it! He's got skills," Jake reassured him. "He developed Jaden McDaniels, the top wing defender in the league, under his system."

"Got it! I'll call him and tell him to report to the team in two days." With this move, Jake finally assembled the coaching staff he envisioned: head coach Mike Malone, defensive coach Chris Finch, shooting coach Chip Engelland, and Tang Zhou, who was still in training. The front office included Jake as the general manager, Divac as deputy general manager, Peja as assistant general manager, and Ajiali, who Jake was still deciding how to best position, also as an assistant general manager. The scouting team, too, was filled with promising talents like Smits.

To be honest, Jake didn't change much of the existing management. "Why fix what isn't broken?" he thought. As long as they were obedient and effective, that was all that mattered. This also kept the suspicions of his bosses at bay.

Once back in Sacramento, Jake found himself drowning in paperwork. "No way! Is this what being a general manager means? Who else has to deal with this much work every day?" he lamented, eyeing a pricing proposal for the upcoming season's stadium merchandise.

"You're the only one with signing authority right now!" Ajiali, holding several documents in her hands, replied sheepishly. "You were gone, Divac's in Europe, and Peja's on the road—there's no one else to sign things."

Despite being on the same level as Peja, Jake felt reluctant to give Ajiali signing power; she was a total rookie in the workplace.

"Okay, okay! Just hurry up!" Jake replied, scribbling his signature on the document and passing it to her. "This one's for the stadium ticket pricing."

Ajiali immediately handed him another document. "The financial director said season ticket prices can't change right now. We need to keep our old fans loyal. But since our popularity skyrocketed last season, regular tickets are selling out. They propose a 5% increase for those."

"5% seems a bit steep, doesn't it?" Jake glanced through the report.

"Just look at the back," Ajiali urged him, gesturing for him to turn the page.

"The data from the actuary shows that attendance from nearby cities without NBA teams surged by almost 30% last season. Even if we lose some local fans, the influx from surrounding areas will fill the gap."

Impressed, Jake looked up at her. "Nice work! You're really making strides here!"

"Thank you!" Ajiali beamed with pride. "I'm serious about learning!"

"You're getting all flustered over a little praise," Jake chuckled, finally finishing the mountain of documents before him.

"Okay! What's happening in the trade market lately? Any news?" Jake stretched, asking casually.

"Not much in the way of big deals," Ajiali mused, tilting her head in thought. "It's mostly just role players moving around."

"Oh, wait! There is something!" Ajiali suddenly recalled. "David West signed a one-year minimum salary deal with the Spurs."

"West? So, he really joined the Spurs like in the history books. They're looking rich now—GDP, Leonard, Aldridge. And with Danny Green, one of the top 3-and-D players in the league, and an All-Star like West on the bench, their fans must be thrilled!"

"Definitely! They've really opened their wallets this offseason!"

"Oh, and while you were away, Bargnani's agent reached out to see if we were interested in a tryout," Ajiali added.

"Bargnani? You mean the guy from the Knicks?" Jake's mind raced. "The one who's been a total bust since his huge contract?"

"Yep, his contract is up this year."

"Let him go!" Jake said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "We don't need any more 'projects' here." He paused, then added, "But wait—what did the Knicks do with the $20 million they saved after getting rid of Bargnani?"

Ajiali pulled out her phone to check her notes. "Oh, they signed Robin Lopez from the Trail Blazers to a four-year, $54 million deal."

"Wow, the Trail Blazers? They're really having a fire sale," Jake remarked, realizing that they had lost four out of their starting five players over the offseason. "They were a playoff team last year, and now they're down to just Lillard."

Jake thought for a moment. "I should make some moves while I can. Ajiali, spread the word that we're interested in trading our first-round pick!"