Chapter 58: Draft Night

On June 25, Brooklyn's Barclays Center was bustling with excitement. As New York's rival, the Nets made sure to outperform the Knicks in every possible way.

"Hmm, hmm," Jake hummed a little tune to himself in the draft room. After a year of experience, he was no longer the rookie who was so nervous he had to run to the bathroom during last year's draft. Now, he felt comfortable, almost relaxed, as he prepared for the evening. If the setting allowed, Jake would have loved to indulge in a hot pot meal. The draft room was filled with his team members. On Jake's left was his deputy general manager, Divac, followed by assistant general manager Peja, his financial director, assistant Ajiali, and a few scouts, including Schmitz, who sat near the end of the table. On Jake's right was Coach Malone, along with a group of assistant coaches, trainers, and analysts. Miller, who had just started working with the team, sat quietly in the corner.

As everyone awaited the start of the draft, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stepped up to the podium amidst cheers.

"Ahem." Silver cleared his throat, smiling as he addressed the crowd. "Welcome to the 2015 NBA Draft! Tonight, we introduce a new generation of young talent into the league. Let's get started." Silver grabbed the first envelope handed to him. "With the first pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Karl-Anthony Towns from the University of Kentucky!"

Towns stepped up to the podium, donning the Timberwolves cap handed to him and beaming as he took a photo with Silver. After the formalities, Silver returned to announce the second pick.

"With the second pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select D'Angelo Russell from Ohio State University!"

The announcement caused a stir among fans in the stadium. Lakers fans in particular seemed disappointed, as most predictions had expected a contest between Towns and Okafor for the top picks. Russell's appearance seemed unexpected.

Watching the big screen, Jake smirked. 

"What?" Malone, sitting beside him, asked, confused.

"Nothing, nothing," Jake quickly dismissed. 

The draft continued as expected. "With the third pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select Jahlil Okafor from Duke University!" The draft proceeded smoothly through the top three picks. But when it came to the fourth, chaos ensued due to a trade involving Jake's team, the Sacramento Kings. Originally, the Knicks held the fourth pick, but the Magic traded up, selecting Mario Hezonja from Croatia.

"Is the report ready?" Jake asked, turning to Peja.

"All set, just as we planned," Peja whispered.

"Great," Jake said, handing the prepared envelope to the league staff.

Adam Silver returned to the stage. "Before I announce the next pick, we have a trade. The Sacramento Kings have traded their 2015 fifth pick, Ray McCallum, and their 2016 second-round pick from the Celtics to the Miami Heat in exchange for the Heat's 2015 tenth pick, 40th pick, and a protected 2017 first-round pick."

The deal sent murmurs through the crowd.

"In the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Kristaps Porziņģis from Latvia with the fifth pick!"

Porziņģis, towering in height, took the Kings' purple cap, placed it on his head, and walked onto the stage for his photo op.

Jake watched from the conference room as the Latvian prospect stepped onto the stage. A butterfly effect had been set in motion, sending New York's unicorn south to Miami.

The draft continued.

"With the tenth pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat select Devin Booker from the University of Kentucky!"

Cheers erupted, and Booker became the third lottery pick from Kentucky that year. After hugging his family, Booker donned a Miami Heat cap and waved to the crowd.

Meanwhile, in a Sacramento bar, a few veteran fans were watching the draft on TV.

"Another guard?" one of them said, confused. "Shouldn't we be focusing on the frontcourt? Why so many guards?"

"Relax, Jake's got a plan," another fan replied confidently.

The rest of the first round followed historical trends, with the San Antonio Spurs selecting Kevin Rooney at pick 26. But Jake's heart skipped a beat.

"What?!" Jake exclaimed, staring at the screen. It was showing Rooney's highlights, but Jake couldn't believe it.

A memory flashed through his mind—months ago, he'd casually mentioned to Spurs GM Buford that they should look for a replacement for Splitter, suggesting Rooney as a potential high-quality center. Did his offhand remark actually influence the Spurs' pick?

The ripple effects didn't stop there. The Warriors, who had been hoping to grab Rooney, were forced to take Montrezl Harrell with the 30th pick, someone they hadn't originally considered until now.

"Harrell on the Warriors?" Jake muttered, stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

"What's wrong, Allen?" Malone asked, noticing Jake's sudden excitement.

Jake was still processing how his seemingly casual conversation had triggered a chain reaction, reshaping the draft.

The second round of the draft began, and the Timberwolves selected Cedi Osman at 31. Without Harrell on the board, the Rockets opted for Hernangómez, who had originally been projected to go later.

"It's all mixed up!" Jake whispered as he frantically recalculated what was left on the board.

With the 39th pick, the Hornets selected Richaun Holmes from Bowling Green State University. Jake let out a sigh of relief.

Finally, the 40th pick came around. "With the 40th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat select Josh Richardson from the University of Tennessee."

Jake smiled. His plan was coming together.