Chapter 365: Training Camp
“Thump, thump, thump.”
A series of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed through the stairwell.
“This is a monopoly! This is backroom manipulation!”
Kerr practically roared as he stormed into Myers’s office.
“DeMarcus Cousins! The former number-one center in the league! And he just happily runs off to Sacramento on a five-million-dollar deal?! I don’t believe it!”
He paid no attention to the displeasure flickering across Myers’s face, continuing his tirade without pause.
“I’m reporting this to the league. There’s no way Chen Yilun and Cousins don’t have some kind of under-the-table agreement! They’re absolutely colluding in secret!”
“Alright, that’s enough.”
Seeing Kerr about to keep going, Myers finally cut him off.
“This has already been investigated.”
Once Kerr’s emotions eased slightly, Myers continued.
“The moment Chen Yilun submitted the contract, league executives and the Players Association jointly investigated the authenticity of the signing.”
“The final conclusion was that Cousins signed voluntarily. And there were no under-the-table deals whatsoever between Chen Yilun and Cousins.”
Even as he said it, Myers couldn’t help clicking his tongue inwardly.
“This really isn’t as complicated as you think. Cousins was chasing a max extension, but no team wanted him. On top of that, the Wizards stabbed him in the back earlier. So he decided to get revenge on the entire league.”
Myers’s words hit Kerr like a sledgehammer.
“Then…”
Kerr held it in for a long moment before forcing out a question.
“The league can’t stop this signing? This is blatant robbery. It’s a devastating blow to every other team.”
“How exactly would they stop it?”
Myers spread his hands helplessly.
“Cousins is a completely unrestricted free agent. If he’s willing to take that little money, who can force him not to go? This isn’t like the Paul trade, where the league still had some say.”
“There’s nothing we can do.”
Myers let out a long sigh.
“With Cousins pulling a move like this, all our efforts just look like a joke now. The Kings’ dynasty is completely unstoppable.”
“Is there really no way at all?”
Kerr asked, still unwilling to give up.
“I’m a general manager, not a magician.”
After being pressed again and again, a trace of irritation finally surfaced in Myers’s tone.
“I don’t see a single weakness in this Kings team. Unless some miracle happens and they collapse from the inside, I don’t see any possibility at all!”
Similar conversations were playing out in front offices all across the league.
Those once lofty executives were genuinely panicking now.
The Kings and Chen Yilun weren’t even pretending anymore—they were openly stepping on everyone else as they marched toward that long-vacant throne.
...
...
“Bang!”
Gay muscled through the crowd, leapt high, and hammered the ball through the rim.
“That was nasty, Gay!”
Siakam, who had been knocked back a couple of steps, rubbed his chest with a wince and joked half-seriously.
“What’s going on with you today? It’s just a scrimmage and you’re going this hard. Did your wife make you sleep in a separate room last night or something?”
“When am I ever not nasty?”
Gay dropped down from the rim and casually tossed the ball to Siakam.
“I need to train hard this summer and get my competitive form back.”
“What’s up with Gay today? He’s never this intense in games.”
Sitting courtside, VanVleet stared at Gay in surprise and muttered.
“It’s because Cousins is coming back.”
Oden said in a muffled voice beside him.
“Even before Cousins left, Gay was already the locker-room leader. He probably slacked off too much before. Now he’s afraid Cousins will laugh at him when he gets back, so he’s rushing to get back into shape.”
After thinking it over, Oden couldn’t come up with any other reason that would make Gay so eager to restore his form.
They were at the offseason training camp organized by Gay.
Most of the Kings’ young players attended this camp, along with some players who were close friends with Gay.
Normally, though, Gay only ran basic drills. Even during scrimmages, he avoided taking the lead whenever possible.
He called it giving the young guys a chance to show themselves.
“Yo, yo, yo! Gay, what’s this—having a second youth or something?”
A hearty laugh rang out from the entrance of the gym.
“Sorry I’m late!”
CJ jogged over to the bench with a huge duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
“So, how about it? Room for one more?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!”
Facing a former Western Conference All-Star, the young players hurriedly made space.
This was one of the first-generation Chen Yilun-system players—and a standout graduate at that.
Yes, the league now had so-called Chen Yilun-system players: guys who had broken out under Chen Yilun’s guidance with the Kings. Many players around the league took pride in that label.
“Nope! First come, first served, got it? Don’t think your bigger salary means you get to push people around.”
A slightly cynical voice suddenly chimed in.
CJ looked over in surprise, then broke into a grin he couldn’t suppress.
“Damn, you’re here too!”
The speaker was none other than one of the Kings’ former standouts, Ben McLemore.
“Make some room, make some room!”
CJ dropped his bag on the floor and squeezed in next to Ben.
“So, how’s Toronto treating you? Settled in alright?”
“What’s there to settle into?”
Ben, now firmly established as the Raptors’ starting shooting guard, waved it off.
“Once winter hits, it’s freezing to death. Sacramento’s way more comfortable.”
“Life really is unpredictable. Never thought Cousins would come back. Wonder if he’ll even adjust.”
Once old friends got together, the topic inevitably drifted to the trade from a couple of days ago.
“This time, Cousins isn’t exactly coming back in glory. I heard he doesn’t even have a starting spot.”
CJ said with a hint of emotion.
Back then, the two of them were just bag carriers behind Cousins and Gay.
Now, they were both starters on their respective teams.
Meanwhile, their former leader Cousins had dropped to the bench.
“I actually kind of envy Cousins,”
Ben muttered, pursing his lips.
“No matter how good it is out there, it never feels as happy as when we were all playing together back then. If I could go back to Sacramento now, I wouldn’t even mind coming off the bench.”
Just as the two were reminiscing, Gay’s team finished beating Siakam’s squad.
“Sub, sub!”
Gay laughed as he wiped the sweat from his face, immediately spotting the two chatting together.
“CJ’s here? Perfect—both of you, get in! Let me see if you’ve made any progress these past two years!”
CJ and Ben exchanged a look and stood up side by side.
“Careful with all that talk. Ever heard the saying ‘young legs don’t back down’? Let us have a go at you!”
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