Chapter 318: Chapter 265: Make the Lakers Regret

It was not yet six in the morning on June 27th in China, but Yao Ming and his family were already up.

"Son, you should change your shirt. Here, I’ve had this one ready for you," Yao Ming’s mother said, holding out a short-sleeved shirt.

Yao Ming quickly shook his head. "I can’t. Nike requires me to wear this one. I can’t change."

It was a white short-sleeved shirt with the Nike logo on the right side of the chest, and on the left, the word "China" printed in Chinese characters.

Just then, Yao Ming’s father, his agent Bill Duffy, and his cousin-in-law Zhang Mingji walked over. They said it was about time to go.

The group would be heading to the Capital’s CNN headquarters to connect with the live draft event.

The Eastern Team had originally wanted Yao Ming to return to Shanghai, as they had also arranged for a full live broadcast.

However, the Basketball Association took into consideration that Yao Ming was in the final, critical stages of preparation for the upcoming Four-Nations Invitational Tournament. They didn’t approve his return to Shanghai, and a trip to New York was even more out of the question.

The group got into the car.

In the car, Bill Duffy was constantly on the phone. His company’s marketing director, Bill Sanders—also a member of Yao Ming’s management team—was in New York gathering information.

"Bill, is anything confirmed yet?" Zhang Mingji asked.

Bill Duffy shook his head. "Skiles has already told reporters that the Suns will only pick Yao, but that’s not the real issue. The key is whether or not they’ll make a trade with the Lakers. Either way, they’re going to pick Yao."

Skiles had already made his stance clear to reporters that afternoon in the United States.

From any logical standpoint, the Phoenix Suns would select Yao Ming.

But the crucial question now—the one on everyone’s mind—was whether they would trade him to the Lakers after picking him.

"Yao," Bill Duffy said, looking at Yao Ming before signaling for Zhang Mingji to translate. "Nothing is certain right now, so you need to be cautious. Don’t be quick to reveal which team you’d prefer to play for. That could disappoint the fans and affect your development in the NBA."

Making a statement at a time like this would please neither side.

Yao Ming nodded, a disappointed look on his face. Since February, he had been set on going to the Suns. He felt they were the best fit for him and never imagined things would change so drastically after the Western Conference Finals.

’At least, no matter where I end up, I should still be the number one pick.’

The car arrived at the CNN headquarters. National Team head coach Wang Fei arrived at the same time, along with numerous domestic reporters.

Xu Jicheng, Zhang Weiping, Su Jun—Yao Ming was familiar with all of them.

Everyone was whispering amongst themselves, exchanging whatever information they’d gathered, but none of it was confirmed.

A trade of this magnitude would be a blockbuster. No information would leak before it was official.

Meanwhile, the reporters’ eyes were all fixed on one person.

David Griffin.

He was the man the Suns had sent to China to communicate with the Basketball Association and the Eastern Team, tasked with clearing all obstacles for Yao Ming to join the NBA.

He was here today as well, and had even prepared a number 11 Suns jersey and a draft hat for Yao Ming.

Many reporters had already questioned him, but he remained tight-lipped and said nothing.

But if the trade really went through, the jersey and everything else he had prepared would be for nothing.

The Lakers, on the other hand, hadn’t sent anyone at all.

"I think even if the Suns do trade him, they probably won’t do it live at the draft," Xu Jicheng said in a low voice. "They’ll likely wait until free agency opens. That would be the most logical move."

"What’s logical got to do with it?" Su Jun shook his head. "It doesn’t matter when they trade. The key is whether the two teams can even agree to a deal. After all, O’Neal is already in Phoenix."

News of O’Neal showing up at Chen Yu’s clinic seemed to confirm that he had made a complete break with the Lakers.

Zhang Weiping sighed. "I just spoke with Yao Ming. You can tell he’s pretty nervous. This isn’t something we can control. And when you think about it, either team is a good option. He’ll be developed as a core player wherever he goes, and that’s what matters."

Fans in China had been debating it heatedly for days. But in Zhang Weiping’s view, either outcome was a great one.

It was certainly better than going to a weaker team.

Everyone nodded, waiting anxiously.

The news from the United States wouldn’t arrive until after 7:30.

A small, simply furnished office was where Yao Ming would soon witness the draft.

There was no live video feed, only an audio link from the draft venue. They could hear David Stern’s voice.

At 7:30, Yao Ming, his parents, National Team head coach Wang Fei, and a female reporter from CNN entered the office to await the final result.

Off-camera stood his management team and the Chinese reporters. The office door was open, and the hallway outside was also packed with people.

David Griffin stood by, holding the jersey and cap with a silent smile. Even he didn’t know yet what was happening back in Phoenix.

Unlike Yao Ming, who couldn’t watch the live video, Chen Yu had it much easier—he had the television broadcast.

They had been up late the night before, however. When Chen Yu woke up, he was surprised to find he had somehow ended up sleeping in Ronaldo’s room.

Thankfully, the guy was still dressed, or Chen Yu might have thought something had happened between them.

Yawning, Chen Yu got up, kicked Ronaldo awake, and turned on the TV.

Ronaldo got up, looking dazed. He groggily fumbled his way to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of liquor.

"Put it down."

Chen Yu’s voice came from behind him. Ronaldo jumped, suddenly wide awake. He turned his head in a daze, rubbed his eyes, and finally recognized Chen Yu. After looking around, he asked, confused, "Chen, this is my room. What are you doing here?"

"I’d like to know that myself," Chen Yu said, picking up the phone to order food from the front desk.

"Care for a drink?" Ronaldo asked, raising the bottle with a grin.

Chen Yu waved him off, gesturing for him to put it back, his eyes fixed on the television.

The live feed had started.

Ronaldo dejectedly put the bottle back. He glanced at the TV, then lay back on the bed. "Chen, are you guys going to trade the first pick?"

"I don’t know." Chen Yu found his phone. He had a lot of texts, but none from Brian. He also didn’t know how yesterday’s chat between Hardaway and O’Neal had gone.

’I thought about calling to ask, but then decided against it.’

’I’ll find out soon enough anyway.’

Before long, a white-haired Stern appeared on the screen.

Every media camera was trained on him, trying to read something in his expression.

But they found nothing.

He took his place at the podium and faced the cameras. After a brief opening address, the Phoenix Suns logo appeared on the electronic screen behind him right on cue.

This confirmed that the number one pick belonged to the Suns.

"No trade, then?" Ronaldo asked curiously.

Chen Yu shook his head. "That screen isn’t set in stone."

On the television, Stern paused for about three seconds. Chen Yu’s heart skipped a beat. He had a strong premonition: ’The trade is done.’

’Otherwise, Stern would have just announced the pick.’

Sure enough, the next moment, Stern looked up at the camera. "Before the selection of the first pick in the draft, the Phoenix Suns have traded their 2002 first-round pick, along with Hakeem Olajuwon, Tom Gugliotta, and Teylon Hill, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Shaquille O’Neal."

The announcement made the broadcast host scream.

Gasps and a wave of commotion could even be heard clearly from the live audience.

Chen Yu’s heart hammered in his chest. The trade had actually gone through.

’Just last night, Brian had called him, asking for advice on what to do.’

’What on earth happened in the last few hours?’

Stern’s expression remained unchanged as he continued, "With the first pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select... Yao Ming, from Shanghai, China."

「Meanwhile, at the CNN headquarters.」

Yao Ming and everyone else present heard Stern’s announcement of the trade between the Suns and the Lakers as it happened.

Shock!

Beyond his shock, a hint of disappointment flickered in Yao Ming’s eyes. He only snapped out of it when Wang Fei and the female CNN reporter started congratulating him.

Just then, Stern announced the Lakers’ selection.

’As expected, it was me.’

The second-hottest prospect, Jay Williams, was a guard, whom the Lakers had no need for.

The reporters in the room were all stunned.

"It really happened."

"That’s ruthless. They even gave up Olajuwon."

"Yeah, and Gugliotta, the former Wolf King! This is practically a frontcourt swap between the two teams."

"I wouldn’t say that. I feel like the Suns still came out ahead. Look at Olajuwon’s age, and Gugliotta—the Suns have been trying to dump his contract for a while. I think O’Neal must have forced his way out, which is why the Lakers accepted this package."

"Forget all that. I used to think the Suns had no vision when it came to trades, but now they look pretty damn sharp."

Meanwhile, Yao Ming was already connected to the live feed and giving his interview.

Not far away, David Griffin glanced at the jersey in his hands, sighed, and silently turned to leave.

「In Chen Yu’s clinic in Phoenix.」

O’Neal, Jordan, and Hardaway were all watching the live broadcast together.

The three of them had already known this was coming, so the result wasn’t a surprise.

"So, does this mean Patrick has to play second fiddle to me?" O’Neal asked, a strange expression on his face the moment the trade was confirmed.

’I’ll definitely be the starting center, so Ewing will have to slide into the power forward spot.’

"Yeah!" Jordan’s eyes lit up. "Let that bastard be your sidekick! Make him do all the dirty work!"

’That guy actually had the gall to gloat in front of me when he won his championship.’

Hardaway smiled but said nothing, though a hint of worry appeared in his eyes.

Ewing was a year older than Olajuwon, and now that Gugliotta and Teylon Hill were gone, they really had no one left at power forward.

Unlike Olajuwon, Ewing was practically ready to retire on the spot.

That meant the Suns’ power forward position was going to be a huge problem next season.

But that was a problem Hardaway couldn’t solve; it was up to the front office to worry about. He had a feeling Brian had more trades in the works.

Just then, on the television, in the studio of TNT Television, which held the broadcast rights, Charles Barkley was passionately pounding the table and defending his good friend, proclaiming that the Lakers would regret trading O’Neal.

O’Neal grunted in satisfaction. ’That’s right,’ he thought. ’Let the Lakers regret it.’