"Of course I know Butler's potential."
Seeing Gar start to give up, Chen Yilun quickly offered him a way out.
"Otherwise, we wouldn't have put so much on the table for these talks."
"You know LaVine too. Ask your analysts how well he's played since we made him our starting guard this year!"
Chen Yilun lifted the cup in front of him and took a long gulp.
"Look at his form right now—and he's an elite dunker. I don't need to tell you how much easier tickets will sell once you have him."
"He's not bad."
Seeing Chen Yilun give him an opening, Gar took it right away.
"But LaVine at best is a solid starter. Calling him a second option is already generous. How's that supposed to trade for my team's franchise cornerstone?"
"That so-called cornerstone is only valued by your own team!"
Chen Yilun wagged his finger, pressing the point. "Sure, you made the playoffs last year, but Rose still played 51 games! I'm not convinced Butler can be your guy."
"Then what do you propose? Give me a real offer!"
Knowing he couldn't outtalk Chen Yilun, Gar threw up his hands.
In truth, even before the talks began, Gar knew he was already beaten.
On the outside, Chen Yilun was pressing relentlessly; on the inside, Jim was whispering poison into the owner's ear. To Gar's dismay, the owner actually bought it—deciding to dump Rose and Butler and go full tank mode.
Part of it was Jim's persuasion. Part of it was simply that the Bulls' record this season was terrible. Conflicts over ball usage in the locker room were getting worse. The owner was fed up with both camps chirping in his ear every day. Then Jim gave him an answer: trade them both. Cut out the headaches. Tank a season or two, then bounce back into the playoff picture. Why not?
Back and forth it went until the Bulls' owner finally chose to unload both unstable factors and stockpile future assets for a proper two-year rebuild.
So before today's meeting even started, Gar already knew he had no choice but to move Butler. And so far, the most serious offer came from the Kings.
"Here's the deal."
Chen Yilun's words snapped Gar back to the table.
"Let's both compromise. Three first-round picks is impossible. But I'll add a 2020 first-round swap right. How about that?"
That woke Gar up. He'd been ready to tank, but this pulled him back into the negotiations.
League rules made distant first-rounders more valuable than near-term ones. The Kings' current trajectory meant their picks in the next couple of years wouldn't be very high anyway. But by 2020? Too many unknowns. A first-round swap could be huge.
"A swap right? That's hardly sincere."
Gar narrowed his eyes at Chen Yilun.
Chen Yilun had just budged. That meant there was still room to push.
"Throw in another future first. We can sign today."
"Two future firsts plus a swap? Why don't you just rob me! MF!"
Chen Yilun exploded with a curse.
"This is no different from your first demand!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Watch your manners!" Gar banged the table. "Deal or no deal, there's still respect. Why the insults?"
"Sorry, sorry!"
Realizing he'd lost his cool, Chen Yilun quickly backtracked. Sure, in private they cursed all the time, but once at the table, there was still a line of decorum.
"Your ask was just too much. I couldn't help myself."
"Adding another first is impossible. But I can give you a second-rounder this year. How about that?"
Gar nearly laughed. Sometimes when you're too stunned, all you can do is smile.
"Hah! Trading a near-term second-rounder for a future first? The audacity!"
He chuckled.
"You really think I'm some kid you can trick?"
"Then what else can I do? This is the best I can offer!"
Now it was Chen Yilun's turn to slump. "Go ask around—what other team's giving you this much? Gar, my dear Gar, don't push your luck."
The two sides sparred until nightfall, without reaching a deal.
"Enough! We'll never settle this tonight."
Gar finally cut it off. "Let's each go back, talk it over with our own people, and continue tomorrow morning. Agreed?"
Hearing that, Chen Yilun let out a long breath. Hours of intense sparring had drained him completely.
"Fine. We'll regroup and pick it up tomorrow."
He swept the documents into his briefcase, stood, and strode out without looking back. His team followed.
"Boss, should we hold another meeting back at the hotel?"
Peja asked quietly as he trailed behind.
"Meeting my ass!"
Chen Yilun snapped. "Wasn't today exhausting enough? Everyone goes to bed early when we get back!"
"What about tomorrow's negotiations?"
"Forget it. If the sky falls, let the big guys hold it up," Chen Yilun said carelessly.
"Besides, we're not fighting this alone. Trust the team."
His cryptic words left Peja baffled. Chen Yilun just chuckled.
"Don't worry. Get some rest. Tomorrow, things will look different."
...
While Chen Yilun and his crew slept soundly at the hotel, the Bulls' front office gathered, faces grim.
"Tonight against the Jazz, LaVine dropped a career-high 38 points. He went 8-for-12 from deep."
Gar, seated at the head, scowled. "The Kings are putting the squeeze on us. They ran the whole game through LaVine, gave him the greenest light possible. No wonder he scored like that!"
"But it's still valuable evidence."
An assistant spoke up. "The Kings are testing us. This game showed LaVine's offensive ceiling crystal clear. Tomorrow, Chen Yilun will definitely use this against us."
"What do you want me to do?!"
Gar slammed the table in frustration.
"That hyena's going to show his teeth tomorrow! Without a solid plan, we won't survive his assault!"