"What is all this supposed to be?"
Chen Yilun watched as one name after another flashed across the big screen. After a quick glance, he dropped his gaze and started fiddling with his phone.
From the tail end of the lottery all the way to the end of the first round, there wasn't a single player who really caught his interest.
So Chen Yilun took full advantage of the downtime and openly slacked off.
But as the draft crept toward the end of the first round, he finally pulled his attention away from his phone.
"With the 27th pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Jordan Poole from the University of Michigan!"
"Who?!"
Chen Yilun, who had just taken a sip of water, instantly choked.
"Cough—cough—cough!"
The sudden fit of coughing drew everyone's attention in the meeting room.
"What happened?"
Graham, who was sitting closest, hurried over and patted Chen Yilun on the back.
"Drank too fast?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
Chen Yilun waved him off while coughing.
"I'm just surprised the Lakers actually took Jordan Poole."
This was really bizarre. The guy who was supposed to end up with the Warriors somehow got scooped up by the Lakers instead.
"No idea if that's a blessing or a curse."
Poole being drafted by the Lakers meant that the Warriors' future franchise darling had inexplicably landed with a rival team.
At the very least, one thing was certain: by going to the Lakers, Poole neatly avoided the infamous beating that awaited him in the original timeline.
But whether this would ultimately help or hurt his development? That was something only history could answer.
After all, even though Kerr's coaching ability was heavily questioned after the collapse of the original five-star Warriors, there was no denying that Poole's rise—from a late first-round rookie to a serious contender for a max contract—was closely tied to the system Kerr built.
He even flashed All-Star–level play in his most recent season.
Poole undeniably benefited from Kerr's system.
So the real question was: could Poole still fulfill that potential with the Lakers?
Only time would tell.
"Interesting… really interesting."
Watching Poole grin at the camera on the big screen, a Lakers cap perched on his head, Chen Yilun felt a strange, mischievous sense of amusement.
History had a funny way of playing tricks.
"With the 28th pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select Keldon Johnson from the University of Kentucky!"
Just like that, Keldon Johnson—nicknamed the "Ford Mustang"—was taken by the Warriors.
To be fair, Johnson really did fit the Warriors' framework. Or rather, he was the type of player who could fit into almost any team.
As a die-hard Spurs fan in his previous life, Chen Yilun had always liked Keldon Johnson.
On the court, he was endlessly energetic, always running, never tired, and willing to make any sacrifice for the team.
Whether it was decisively giving up his status as the team's top option after Wembanyama arrived, or generously handing over his jersey number to Chris Paul when the veteran joined the team, Keldon had always put the team first.
This carefree, straightforward kid had long been a favorite among Spurs fans.
"Hope you do well."
Chen Yilun murmured softly as he watched Keldon's highlight package on the screen.
That said, with Keldon joining the Warriors, Ding Yanyuhang—who was already struggling for minutes there—would likely see his playing time shrink even further. And next season just happened to be Ding's contract year.
If he still couldn't produce, the poor guy might be staring unemployment right in the face.
After the Bulls used the 30th pick to select Kevin Porter Jr., the first round of the draft finally came to an end.
"Any news?"
As Adam Silver stepped off the stage, Chen Yilun turned to Graham.
"There are a few teams willing to talk trades, but none of the offers look particularly good."
Graham walked over and began explaining.
"Per your instructions, we've put all of our second-round picks on the market. The problem is, those teams aren't very willing to trade future assets with us."
The league never lacked smart people. The rising value of second-round picks was practically a given, and general managers were no longer eager to casually move them.
"There is one offer that looks decent, though."
Graham glanced at the notes on his phone.
"Dallas is willing to trade their 37th pick for our 41st pick plus the 55th pick."
"What do you think?"
Chen Yilun gave it a brief glance.
"I think it works."
Graham answered almost immediately.
"Our 55th pick and the remaining 50th pick, even packaged together, would probably only get us a future second-rounder—and not even a good one. Those late picks are basically dead weight for us."
"No matter how we use them, we lose value. If Dallas is willing to take one of those late picks off our hands, that's already a win. On top of that, we move up four spots."
"Sounds good."
Chen Yilun smiled and nodded.
"Go ahead and handle it your way."
As Graham turned and headed off to make preparations, Chen Yilun felt an unexpected sense of comfort settle in.
This was nice. Under his gradual adjustments, the Kings were becoming more and more orderly.
Coming from a business family, Chen Yilun's ultimate goal had always been to build a complete, reliable management team.
From the looks of it, his people had done well during this stretch. Starting next season, he could slowly delegate more authority, content to sit back and focus on steering the overall direction as president.
"Boss, there's a small thing I'd like to discuss with you."
While Graham was out making a call, the current general manager, McNair, walked over to Chen Yilun.
"If it's just a small thing, then you, the big-shot GM, can handle it yourself."
Chen Yilun replied without even looking up.
"It's not exactly that small."
McNair glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention, before continuing.
"When I was scouting various colleges, I came across a kid. His potential isn't anything special, and the scouting department thinks he'll probably go undrafted. But I feel like there's something there."
"His defensive instincts, his grit—he feels like a decent lottery ticket to hold onto. So if you haven't already planned something for the 50th pick, I'd like to use it to take him."