After Tang Zhou left the team, the Kings quickly returned to their rhythm on the court. By the time January rolled around, the event Chen Yilun cared about most during the regular season was fast approaching—the All-Star Game.
Whether his young players could make the All-Star roster would have a huge impact on the team's flexibility and bargaining power in the summer.
At this point, it was almost certain that Kevin Durant had locked in his spot as a Western Conference All-Star starter. In the West, only Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook—who was putting up a historic triple-double season—were ahead of him in fan voting.
Interestingly, since Durant hadn't defected to another team, his relationship with Westbrook, while slightly awkward, was nowhere near as hostile as in the original timeline.
Jimmy Butler had also secured his place as an All-Star reserve.
The real point of intrigue was Nikola Jokić. In the final year of his rookie contract, he was hovering on the edge of All-Star contention. Considering he made the All-Rookie First Team in his debut season, if Jokić could make the All-Star team or earn another All-NBA selection this year, he would not only secure full Bird Rights but also qualify for the Designated Rookie Extension clause introduced in the summer of 2016.
That would allow Jokić to sign a five-year supermax deal with the Kings worth up to 30% of the salary cap.
Fortunately, under the leadership of Durant and Butler, Jokić had been focusing more on his playmaking ability, even if his offensive production had dipped. Perhaps influenced by Rudy Gay, even in his contract year, Jokić remained calm—never forcing shots or demanding more touches. As a result, while his per-minute efficiency had improved significantly, his overall stats had actually declined slightly.
For Chen Yilun, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Jokić's development had already far exceeded expectations, and frankly, giving him a supermax worth 30% of the cap would have bankrupted the team overnight.
Managing Jokić's minutes and determining the right terms for his extension had become one of Chen Yilun's biggest priorities this season.
"So CJ's really leaving?"
Malone, sitting across from him, finally spoke up.
"What else can he do?" Chen Yilun said lazily. "You planning to pay the luxury tax yourself if he stays?"
"Maybe it's for the best," Malone said after a moment's thought. "His development no longer fits the direction we're taking as a team. Honestly, I was thinking—if he'd stayed in Portland instead of coming here, once those four starters left, he might've found his perfect situation there."
Hearing that, Chen Yilun shot him a look.
What, you a mind reader now?
"Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about. The real question is—who's going to handle the ball after CJ's gone?"
"We don't have a true primary ball handler right now," Malone muttered, thinking it over. "The only ones with a shot at being the main guy are Murray and that VanVleet kid. But between the two of them…"
He shrugged dismissively. "Even if they get the chance, I doubt they'll make it count."
It wasn't that Malone looked down on Jamal Murray, a late first-round pick, or Fred VanVleet, an undrafted free agent. On the contrary, he'd given them both chances to prove themselves early in the season off the bench.
But both had fallen short. After almost giving Chen Yilun a heart attack from frustration, he'd sent the pair down to the G-League to get more seasoning.
"We'll see how things play out after the season," Malone said, straightening his jacket. "No need to rush a replacement. Booker or Richardson can handle some of the ball-handling duties—and worst case, we've still got Butler."
At that, Malone couldn't help but sigh.
Butler really was invaluable—wherever the team had a gap, he could fill it perfectly.
This year's All-Star Game carried special weight for Chen Yilun. After all, the team was finally stacked and stable. As the saying goes, "What's the point of success if no one gets to see it?"
He couldn't help but think, I've come this far—don't tell me I can't show off a little?
But it wasn't just Chen Yilun preparing earnestly; the entire league was buzzing with anticipation for this year's event.
Traditionally, the head coaches of the top-seeded teams in each conference were selected to coach their respective All-Star squads.
The Kings had firmly held onto first place in the West, which meant Malone had secured the spot as the Western All-Star head coach.
The situation in the East, however, was much more complicated.
After last season's dramatic Finals comeback, the Cavaliers' morale had dipped. They currently sat third in the East, with the Wizards and Celtics battling for the top two spots.
And as if Washington's climate had rejuvenated him, DeMarcus Cousins—who was supposed to struggle with injuries this season—was not only healthy but thriving, becoming the Wizards' backbone. With Cousins holding down the paint, Washington's backcourt duo had become even more explosive than in the original timeline.
Meanwhile, the Celtics, led by Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford, had transformed into a genuine Eastern powerhouse.
...
Isaiah Thomas made a quick feint, shaking off Kyle Lowry's defense.
Realizing the danger, Lowry turned and sprinted after him—but how could the slower Lowry catch up to the lightning-fast Thomas?
Thomas burst down the court, caught Horford's inbound pass, and immediately rose for the jumper.
Lowry arrived a heartbeat too late, forced to watch helplessly as the ball left Thomas's fingertips.
"Beep!"
The buzzer blared, drowning out the sound of the ball swishing cleanly through the net.
TD Garden erupted in celebration.
Isaiah Thomas, the hero of the moment, sprinted toward the bench and threw his arms around Coach Stevens.
"We're going to New Orleans together!" he shouted in his ear.
With that game-winning shot over the Raptors, the Celtics had leapfrogged the Wizards to claim the top spot in the Eastern Conference—earning Coach Stevens the spot as the East's All-Star head coach.
Everything was set. All that remained... was the All-Star Game!
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser