Chapter 79: Change Lineup

After the call with Wilkes, Jake stretched and went to his room to finally catch a few hours of sleep. He hadn't had a chance to rest since CJ's injury sent him into a whirlwind of hospital visits and trade inquiries. After a short nap, he got up, determined to keep the team on track.

"Mike," Jake called out as he found Malone in the gym, overseeing training. He knew it would take some time for a new point guard to join, even if the backup was secured. "How's the team holding up?" Jake asked, rubbing his tired eyes.

"It's okay. CJ's injury is tough, but it's not career-ending. The team's in decent spirits," Malone replied, watching the players on the court. "With Gay stepping up, there's no panic."

"Good to hear," Jake nodded, looking over the training session. "How are we adjusting tactically?"

"No need to rush. We're adapting," Malone said, pursing his lips thoughtfully. "We've got Devin in CJ's spot. He might not be the playmaker CJ is, but his outside threat makes up for a lot."

"What about the bench?" Jake asked.

"See that player?" Malone pointed toward the court, and Jake squinted to recognize him. "Hey, isn't that Richardson?" Josh Richardson was bringing the ball up the court, organizing the offense smoothly.

"After CJ went down, I called the team and brought him up right away," Malone said with a grin. "I've been training Josh's ball-handling since he joined us, just in case. I had a feeling he'd be useful for this."

"Ball-handling? But isn't he a forward?" Jake looked surprised. Richardson was originally drafted to strengthen their forward lineup, and he'd been developing with the Stockton Kings in the G League.

"Always good to be prepared," Malone replied with a sly smile. "He had decent ball-handling when he joined, so I sent him to the G League to hone it."

"Oh, by the way, I got the Hawks to agree on Schroeder," Jake added.

"Schroeder, huh?" Malone mused. "I don't think we need him right now. The team isn't falling apart, and if your contact's right, they'll probably raise the price."

"We can hold off then," Jake agreed, raising his hands in surrender. "I'll tell Atlanta we're holding off."

Seeing Jake's willingness to consider his advice, Malone felt reassured. A general manager who listens to feedback and collaborates? That was a dream for any coach. Jake's leadership—both competent and open to input—made for an easy partnership.

Soon, the Kings headed to Orlando with their adjusted lineup. The storyline quickly took a surprising turn.

"Am I seeing things?" Reggie Miller commented from the studio. "This Kings team looks even scarier with the new lineup!"

The revamped Kings, with Booker in the starting lineup, were firing on all cylinders. The Magic, caught off guard, realized their defense wasn't holding up. Booker's ball-handling shifted the offensive dynamics, allowing the Kings to run more straightforward yet devastating plays. If opponents double-teamed Jokic, he'd set up a high screen, giving Booker or Gay a clear shot. The league was taken aback by Booker's impact; his scoring ability made the Kings' offense far more dangerous.

When the game transitioned to the bench, the Kings had one more surprise in store.

"Wait, is Richardson playing point guard?" Magic head coach Scott Skiles exclaimed, watching the Kings' lineup in disbelief. A 6'5" Richardson, handling the ball, wasn't something they'd anticipated. Skiles' backup guard, Shabazz Napier, struggled against Richardson's size and strength. Richardson called for spacing and posted up against Napier without hesitation.

"Who is this number 0?" Skiles asked, clearly bewildered.

"That's Josh Richardson, a second-rounder. He's been in the G League and is debuting today," the Magic's general manager explained.

"A second-round pick? Another one from Jake?" Skiles muttered, studying Richardson as he took a deep jump shot—a rookie mistake that missed the basket. Skiles sighed in relief, noticing Richardson's shooting form was still rough around the edges.

"Keep an eye on him, though," Skiles said to his assistant coach. "The Kings might be grooming him for a role like Livingston's."