Chapter 175: Lakers, Cavaliers, and Mavericks Reload — The Butterfly Effect?
"Hahaha! You're telling me the NBA wants us to sing a duet at the All-Star Game?"
Taylor Swift burst into laughter as soon as Chen Yan told her about David Stern's latest "request." The idea of Chen Yan performing on stage genuinely amused her.
"Stop laughing and help me out," Chen Yan groaned. "Which part should I even sing first?"
Taylor grinned. "Sing it for me, then I'll tell you."
Chen Yan cleared his throat dramatically and began to sing.
...
...
Silence followed.
After half a minute, Taylor finally spoke, trying her best not to laugh. "Uh… the bass doesn't fit your voice, you can't really hit the high notes, and your pitch… well…"
Chen sighed. "So basically, I shouldn't be singing."
Taylor chuckled, leaning against his shoulder. "It's not that bad. With a little practice, you'll survive."
He thought for a moment. "Forget it. I'll just do the rap part."
"That's a great idea," she said brightly. "You actually have a good speaking tone—it suits rap perfectly."
With the All-Star Game barely two weeks away, it was too late for Chen to become a real singer. But rapping? That could work. Taylor even thought his deep, rhythmic voice would make the performance stand out.
"Alright then," Chen said, smirking. "Let's practice again."
"Okay!"
Taylor smiled—but before she knew it, Chen lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the bedroom.
"Wait—why are we in the bedroom? Why are the lights off? And why are you—oh my god, Chen!"
He grinned. "Practicing in bed helps develop your voice."
Taylor stared at him, speechless. "…If I weren't a professional singer, I might actually believe that."
February had always been a wild month in the NBA. The trade deadline loomed, and teams across the league began their annual midseason shakeups.
One of the most famous midseason trades in league history happened back in 1995, when the Rockets sent Otis Thorpe and a first-round pick to Portland for Clyde Drexler. Drexler joined forces with Hakeem Olajuwon, and the duo carried the sixth-seeded Rockets all the way to the championship—sweeping Shaquille O'Neal's Magic in the Finals.
And now, in 2008, the trade frenzy had returned.
On February 2nd, the NBA's official site broke major news:
The Miami Heat traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Shannon Brown, Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons, and a future first-round pick.
Shaq was still a massive name—literally and figuratively—and his move sent shockwaves across the league.
It was a deal that benefited everyone:
The Cavs got a powerful veteran to anchor their interior and mentor LeBron.
The Heat freed up salary space for a rebuild.
And Shaq escaped what he described as "Pat Riley's vampire training regimen."
"Pat Riley's the type of guy who'll drain every drop of energy out of you and call it coaching," Shaq said jokingly in a post-trade interview.
Minutes later, LeBron James tweeted:
#WelcomeShaq! Cleveland will be your home forever!
#ShaqandKing, let's reach higher together!
LeBron was ecstatic. The Cavs had lacked a true interior presence for years, and even though Shaq's numbers—14 points and 8 rebounds per game—weren't MVP-level anymore, his experience would elevate the team in the postseason.
Then came February 3rd, and the Western Conference responded with a bombshell of its own.
The Dallas Mavericks, sitting fourth in the West, pulled off a blockbuster trade with the New Jersey Nets:
Mavericks receive: Jason Kidd, Malik Allen, Antoine Wright
Nets receive: Tyronn Lue, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Keith Van Horn, two future first-round picks, and $3 million in cash
Just like that, the legendary Nets trio officially disbanded.
For Kidd, it was a full-circle moment—returning to the team that had drafted him second overall in 1994.
Nets owner Rod Thorn expressed mixed emotions: "It's hard to see Jason go. He's still one of the best point guards in the game. But this is what's best for both sides."
And as if that wasn't enough, the Lakers jumped into the mix.
They traded Javaris Crittenton, Ronny Turiaf, and a 2009 first-round pick to the Boston Celtics for veteran forward James Posey.
The Lakers desperately needed frontcourt help. Trevor Ariza had been ruled out for the season, and the team was short on versatile defenders. Posey—known for his defense, championship pedigree, and corner threes—fit the bill perfectly.
Ironically, Posey had once been considered one of Kobe's toughest matchups. Now, he'd be his teammate.
The Celtics, meanwhile, were happy to part ways. Posey didn't fit their youth-oriented approach and had seen his minutes dip. For him, the Lakers meant more playing time—and another shot at a ring.
Some fans joked, "From Kobe Killer to Kobe's bodyguard—what a plot twist."
In this alternate timeline, Kobe hadn't yet paired up with Pau Gasol, and there was no Garnett-to-LA fantasy move in sight.
Even if the Lakers wanted to create a superteam, the league wouldn't allow it. Kobe, Garnett, and Gasol together? That would've been the NBA's endgame.
Interestingly, Crittenton, who in another timeline would become infamous for his gun altercation with Arenas, was now headed to Boston instead of Washington.
Maybe this change would rewrite that tragedy. Maybe not.
Chen Yan, hearing all this, couldn't help but smile at the chaos.
Across the league, every contender was scrambling to strengthen their rosters.
But in Phoenix?
No panic. No trades. No gimmicks.
The Suns were already first in the Western Conference, their chemistry clicking like a symphony.
As Chen Yan put it to a reporter later that night:
"We don't need to trade for reinforcements. We are the reinforcements."
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