Mountain Peak System: a Path to NBA-Chapter 418 - 139: When the Noise Dies Down (6000-word - , pleading for subscriptions and monthly votes!)_2
"What about Jarrett?"
"Jarrett is a rookie we picked ourselves. Without any surprises, a mid-level contract of around four to five million US Dollars should satisfy his appetite."
Kohan sighed heavily and said, "You can always count on your own kids, unlike those mercenaries who often threaten the team."
Then Kohan talked about the team’s general manager, Mulin.
"Chris is good at everything, just too naive. Once the Messiah clause is announced, we’ll have to prioritize renewing Messiah’s contract. How can we manage to keep all the championship players?" Rovai said.
"Chris is too sentimental, which is why I hesitate to entrust all the power to him." After giving Rovai a meaningful look, Kohan continued, "The Warriors’ market value is likely to surpass the Lakers next season, second only to the Knicks. I’m not reluctant to spend money... but we must ensure we get our money’s worth."
No more words were needed at that moment.
The president Loei, who had always been at Kohan’s service, instantly understood what Kohan meant.
At the victory ceremony, watching the ever-enthusiastic crowd, Qin Yue was curious...
When 29-year-old Michael Jordan won back-to-back championships for the Bulls, how did he feel back then?
But regardless of how Jordan felt at that time, Qin Yue just wanted a good sleep right now.
Playing into June for two consecutive years — after the excitement, every Warrior player unanimously felt how exhausted their bodies were.
And...
Some physical fatigue is destined to not be alleviated through short-term rest.
...
After unleashing during the finals and breaking free from that mad state, the utterly exhausted Qin Yue didn’t wake up from his slumber until the afternoon of the next day.
That evening, at the team’s championship party, Mulin, the only staff member granted entry, eagerly approached Qin Yue and discussed the upcoming draft.
"Mike has communicated with me. He believes the team urgently needs to bringing in an inside player who can alternate with Troy, has playmaking abilities, and can shoot from outside."
Given that the Warriors’ salary cap isn’t as favorable as when Qin Yue was first selected, the Warriors are in need of quality "rookie contracts" to complement the existing roster.
So, Qin Yue took the Warriors’ draft list from Mulin.
And then...
He found out that, aside from Marc Gasol and Josh McRoberts, Sun Yue’s name was also there.
Historically, being selected by the Lakers in the 2007 draft, Sun Yue wasn’t just relying on the China market.
Qin Yue was well aware of Sun Yue’s impressive data during physical tests.
Especially his time in the four-point drill within the three-second zone; if Qin Yue remembers correctly, Sun Wukong’s results ranked among the top five of his class.
The Lakers believed Sun Yue’s model and lateral movement ability had the potential to make him a great perimeter defender, prompting them to use a second-round pick to bring him in.
However, the Warriors’ inclusion of Sun Yue in the candidate list...
The main purpose was to please Qin Yue.
Without being confident that he could convince Sun Yue to focus entirely on basketball, Qin Yue didn’t want to give Sun Wukong an easy way in.
Qin Yue knew how much Kobe took care of Sun Yue and even after the Lakers won the championship in the future, when commenting on Sun Wukong, Kobe said, "I don’t think there’s any player in our team who’s unnecessary. Every time Sun defends me with all his strength in training, he’s helping the team."
In Qin Yue’s view, if someone like Kobe couldn’t successfully train Sun Yue, how could he ensure Sun Yue would grow better in Oakland?
And after learning that Qin Yue didn’t plan to give Sun Wukong a pass, Mulin breathed a slight sigh of relief.
This year, the Warriors only have one first-round thirtieth pick.
According to prior draft mock simulations, Sun Yue would likely be selected in the early second round.
Since 2007 is a draft-heavy year, it’s very difficult for the Warriors to buy a pick capable of selecting Sun Yue through a cash deal.
Therefore, if Qin Yue really wanted Sun Yue, the Warriors would likely be forced to use their first-round pick to bring Sun Yue on board.
Now, having learned of Qin Yue’s intentions, a fully relieved Mulin then continued to say to Qin Yue, "Our scout in Europe suggested that Marc Gasol’s actual draft position might be underestimated.
Despite his current weight being slightly over, he is indeed a player that fits our tactical requirements.
And Josh McRoberts is a very versatile forward, especially his shooting. I believe he has great potential to be tapped in this area."
The 2007 NBA Draft...
Players capable of offering playmaking skills and shooting range; indeed, only these two exist in Qin Yue’s memory.
It’s just...
As the best defensive playmaking center in Qin Yue’s memory of the future NBA, after Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers in advance, Qin Yue understood that Lakers scouts, who have maintained long-term interest in Marc Gasol, might suggest the Lakers use a higher pick to select Little Gasol.
So...
"If we want to draft Marc Gasol, then we might need a higher first-round pick."
Upon hearing this, Mulin immediately looked troubled.
Not that he thought what Qin Yue said was unreasonable.
