Chapter 600: Chapter 433 Losers’ League_2 Chapter 600: Chapter 433 Losers’ League_2 “`
Three years had passed, and the final blow had never come.

Finley had realized that blow would never come.

Therefore, after saying goodbye to the Suns, Finley had his agent proactively contact the Supersonics and signed a 2-year, $4 million contract with them.

It was another pain-free, risk-free choice.

Presti found himself puzzled, why had things gone so smoothly?

Of course, he hoped the Supersonics would become a dynasty under his watch, but he wanted his name to be the first mentioned when people talked about the architect of the dynasty.

But last season, Yu Fei had single-handedly saved the Supersonics.

This summer, it was Yu Fei again who had reminded Presti to keep an eye on DeAndre Jordan at the draft–indeed, they really had drafted this problematic rookie.

Childress’s departure could not be said to be Presti’s dereliction, but the follow-up work was his responsibility.

And that follow-up work was easily completed.

One Childress had left, but there was a queue of veterans waiting at the door, eager to buy a ticket on the “Chosen One’s” bandwagon.

When the presence of one man could represent an entire team, what was the meaning of management’s existence?

Presti believed he still held power in his position, but the issue was, even if Yu Fei wasn’t in that position, he still had these powers. He could choose not to use them, but he couldn’t be without them.

That was the problem.

How to deal with a player who vastly surpassed the management became a matter of study.

As the best development from the Spurs lineage, Presti greatly admired the Spurs’ team-building model. It was a family model, where management was like the elders, and the players were capable and obedient youngsters.

In reality, this was a variant of the NBA’s ancient patriarchal model, where managers employed a warm and gentle method to manage the team, but they were still patriarchs.

Tim Duncan could accept this because, before his father passed away, he had entrusted him to Popovich.

Once Duncan had accepted, the rest of the Spurs had no choice but to accept the so-called Spurs’ concept of “We need earnest trainees, go home after the games, and honest players,” or else get out.

To Presti, this seemed as unreal as a soap opera.

But Seattle wasn’t San Antonio.

Yu Fei certainly wasn’t Duncan.

Presti could almost foresee the scene when he and Yu Fei had a disagreement, and neither would yield, Yu Fei could directly bypass him and seek Clay Bennett’s counsel.

For Bennett, Presti was an expert he hired, while Yu Fei was the one who made him big money. It was clear who to back.

Presti’s brainstorming halted at this point, and he put away those thoughts.

After all, these worrisome illusions hadn’t happened yet.

He shouldn’t assume what would happen if they did occur.

Then, from Las Vegas where he was consulting, George Karl gave Presti a call.

“Sam, I’ve heard about Michael Finley, congratulations, after signing him, our roster depth looks even better!”

Presti gave a wry smile. Had it really been him who signed Finley?

The most significant thing Finley had said to him before signing was “I know I can be a help to Frye.”

Look at his attitude, so self-aware.

Everyone who came to play in Seattle knew who was in charge.

“I’m also glad he could join us.”

Presti responded perfunctorily.

Karl went on, “After signing Matt Barnes and Michael Finley, we’ve got reliable backups for the two and three positions, do you know what the last step is?”

“Strengthening the point guard position?”

“You’re smart, kid.”

Karl played on a joke popular with Team USA.

Since Yu Fei called Curry “kid,” the players on Team USA started calling each other “kid.”

Presti said, “I had thought about acquiring the signing rights to Goran Dragic from San Antonio, but they were determined to keep the Slovenian’s rights.(1) Now, there aren’t many suitable point guards left on the free market.”

(1)Because the Spurs lacked a point guard, Dragic would stay with the Spurs.

“There is one,” Karl said, “Tyronn Lue would be a good fit.”

Since Tyronn Lue was close to Yu Fei, he had also been cleared out by Jordan after Fei was traded to the Bucks. Over the years, he had fed Howard and lobbed to Yao Ming, spent a few stable years in Atlanta, but as a short, speed- and hustle-reliant NBA point guard, once over 30, those talents helping him stay in the NBA would be taken back by time.

This year, Lue was 31 and had once again become a drifter, now virtually an unnoticed remnant on the free market.

“Is this Frye’s idea?”

Presti asked.

“You know, Frye is someone who holds onto the past,” Karl said, “but this isn’t about him, it’s my idea, we need a steady veteran to stabilize our backcourt.”

Tyronn Lue had no past connections with Karl, so Presti could be sure this was Yu Fei’s idea.

But since Yu Fei had Karl approach him, it showed he still respected the management.

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There’s a distinction between a player meddling in management’s recruitment and the coaching staff advising management on signings.

The former represents a player overstepping boundaries, a symbol of the player-GM, while the latter is simply fulfilling their duties.

Presti had no choice.

Tyronn Lue was an inconsequential figure, his coming or not wouldn’t affect the grand scheme in Seattle, but this face had to be given.

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