As the draft came to an end, tension instantly began to build among the teams.
The reason was simple—this year's free agency market was simply too tempting.
Unlike previous years, a wave of All-Star players led by Kevin Durant opted out of their contracts to test free agency.
This year's class included the Kings' top two stars, Durant and Butler; the Celtics' franchise player Irving; the Raptors' core Leonard; and the Warriors' second option, Klay Thompson.
Beyond them were players like Kemba Walker, Russell, Al Horford, Middleton, and Kristaps Porziņģis—names hovering just below true All-Star status.
It was no exaggeration to say that every general manager in the league was itching to make a move.
This was shaping up to be a year of massive realignment. Anyone could see that once-dominant teams like the Kings, Warriors, and Spurs had reached critical crossroads.
Do they grit their teeth and keep pushing to stay competitive, or do they pull the plug and begin a period of laying low to wait for the right moment?
It was truly a choice between heaven and hell.
"Jeff Van Gundy, what are your thoughts on the upcoming changes to the league landscape?"
With the Kings firmly securing the championship crown, Chen Yilun's name had long since broken free of the basketball world, becoming a true phenomenon-level star. As a result, ESPN specially produced an offseason program dedicated to covering all the major developments.
"At this point, it's basically certain that the Kings are entering a transitional phase,"
Jeff Van Gundy said calmly in the studio, dressed in a light beige suit.
"Durant's camp has been openly flirting with other teams on the free agent market lately, yet the Kings and Chen Yilun have shown no reaction at all. That alone tells us that Durant and the Kings have already reached a peaceful separation."
Speaking of this, Jeff Van Gundy couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
"You really have to admire Chen Yilun's magnanimity here. Durant was able to leave the Kings so smoothly, and even now there isn't a single negative voice about him in Sacramento. That doesn't happen by accident—it clearly reflects the efforts made by Chen Yilun and the rest of the Kings' management."
Those words hit at the heart of the matter.
A player of Durant's caliber is someone any team would normally do everything possible to keep.
To use a slightly imperfect analogy, Durant is a nuclear weapon in basketball terms. Put him on any team, and that team instantly becomes playoff-caliber.
Historically, whenever players of this level leave their original teams, it's almost always accompanied by power struggles and behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Teams try every possible way to squeeze out the last bit of value.
For someone like Durant to leave in his prime without bringing back any tangible return—and for the team to harbor no resentment at all—that truly qualifies as a rarity in league history.
"At this point, Durant's departure is basically a done deal. As for Butler, his stance is still somewhat ambiguous,"
Jeff Van Gundy paused before continuing.
"Although Butler previously expressed an interest in staying, judging by the current situation, there's a very high chance he'll be leaving as well."
"Jeff, why do you say that?"
Mike Breen, his longtime partner, asked at just the right moment.
"First, look at Butler and his team's attitude toward the Kings,"
Jeff Van Gundy said, picking up the thread smoothly.
"The logic is simple. Butler and the Kings go way back, and their previous cooperation was largely positive. If Chen Yilun truly wanted to keep Butler, he could've used his Bird Rights to extend Butler before last season's trade deadline. There was no need to wait until now."
"On top of that, there's been almost no indication that the Kings are actively pursuing a renewal with Butler."
"From both an emotional and practical standpoint, that's not how you treat a key contributor. And once his bargain contract ends, Butler is eager to secure a major payday."
"As a player, Butler has essentially collected every honor there is—except leading a team to success as the unquestioned centerpiece."
"And those are exactly the things Sacramento can't offer him. So their parting ways was only a matter of time."
While the discussion in the studio was heating up, the atmosphere in a Sacramento conference room was just as tense.
"I still think this is a huge loss,"
Anjali, now the president's assistant, was the first to speak.
"We're really just letting Durant and Butler walk? With nothing in return? What does that make us—just a stopover?"
"I wouldn't put it that way,"
Seeing the meeting heading toward a stalemate, and with Chen Yilun still silent at the head of the table, Graham thought for a moment before speaking.
"Butler may have been acquired via trade, but he's clearly chasing a big contract and a higher status. And right now, he's a completely unrestricted free agent. We can't force him to do anything."
"But we can't just watch him leave either," Anjali shot back. "If we try to trade for other players in the future, they'll see us as nothing more than a transit station—no loyalty at all."
In truth, Anjali's concern mirrored what many general managers around the league were currently doing.
The logic was straightforward.
When players wanted to leave, teams weren't necessarily trying to extract maximum value. What they really wanted was to send a signal: players who come here don't just walk away easily.
"There's no need."
Just as the meeting was about to deadlock, Chen Yilun finally spoke.
"When it rains, it rains. When someone wants to leave, that's not something we can stop. We might as well do them a favor and send them off properly."
"But—"
Before Anjali could finish, Chen Yilun raised a hand to stop her.
"The way other teams in this league operate won't do. It needs to change."
As he spoke, Chen Yilun slowly stood up from his seat.
"We need to make one thing clear to the league. If this is how we treat those who leave us, then the treatment for those who are willing to stay with us should be self-evident."
"How could people whose entire national history doesn't even add up to the length of a single dynasty understand our philosophy?"
"Have you ever heard of spending a fortune just to buy a horse's bones?"