"Jahlil Okafor."
Buford sat in the conference room, quietly muttering the name as he glanced over the report in front of him.
It wasn't without reason that Brett Brown had given him a heads-up earlier—things in Philadelphia were getting messy.
Frequent changes in management had left the 76ers' front office in complete disarray. With Embiid finally healthy and showcasing dominant interior play this season, players like Okafor and Nerlens Noel suddenly found themselves in awkward positions.
Okafor, the No. 3 overall pick from last year, had averaged 17 points per game and been the leading scorer on that bottom-dwelling Sixers team. But now, after witnessing Embiid's rise, the front office had coldly decided to toss him aside.
Even Nerlens Noel, the No. 6 pick from 2013, was already being shopped around.
"Are we sure it's okay to push the price down this much?" Buford's assistant asked quietly.
"You call this pushing the price down?" Buford chuckled.
"Look at Okafor—no shooting range, average defense, and his offense relies entirely on back-to-the-basket post-ups. He can pad stats on a team like the Sixers, sure—but on any real contender, he'd already be warming the bench."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, speaking at a calm, deliberate pace.
"It's not just me. Other teams probably value him about the same. You'll see—young Colangelo's going to run headfirst into a wall on this one."
If the price were right, Buford wouldn't have minded taking Okafor in and letting Popovich work with him for a couple of years. But the Spurs already had Christian Wood, the player Chen Yilun had sent over.
The kid had spent last season grinding in the G League, but with Duncan's retirement, he'd earned more developmental opportunities—and now he was playing well in the rotation.
Trading for Okafor was never a priority. It was a luxury move, and you don't pay premium prices for a luxury piece.
...
Meanwhile, across the city, negotiations between the Rockets and the Lakers were in full swing.
Morey sat stone-faced, staring down the Magic Johnson.
"No first-round picks!"
The key topic of their trade talks was Lou Williams, the Lakers' sixth man.
Since Howard's departure, the Rockets had been building entirely around Harden, and they badly needed another scorer to share the offensive load.
"No first-rounder, and you won't give up any solid players either. What is this—charity?"
Magic Johnson kept his signature grin, unfazed.
"Two second-round picks. That's my bottom line."
Despite Morey's pressure, Magic remained unmoved.
"If that's your bottom line, then go find a player worth two second-rounders somewhere else. Why come to me?"
The comment left Morey momentarily speechless.
"Daryl, my man, I've got to be honest with you," Magic said, seizing the chance to lecture him.
"You're going about this all wrong. We're fine taking it slow, letting our young guys grow. But you? You don't have that luxury."
Magic's eyes locked on him.
"How many peak years does Harden have left? Are you really planning to sit back and wait for Sacramento's battleship to collapse on its own?"
That last line hit Morey right where it hurt.
The Kings were terrifying this year, putting immense pressure on every Western playoff team. The only way to keep up was to strike gold in the trade market.
And from what Morey had heard, both the Spurs and Warriors were already very active in trade talks. He couldn't afford to fall behind.
Seeing that Magic wasn't budging, Morey finally adjusted his offer.
"Fine—one protected first-round pick. That's the best I can do."
The moment he heard it, Magic's grin widened into one of satisfaction.
"Now that's more like it. Come on, let's talk about which pick we're talking about here."
...
...
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to New Orleans!"
The Smoothie King Center erupted as the DJ's booming voice echoed through the arena.
After two and a half days of buildup, the All-Star Weekend atmosphere had reached its peak. One by one, the league's brightest stars made their entrances to thunderous applause.
"Never thought I'd make the starting lineup this soon," Butler said, standing courtside in his custom All-Star warm-up gear, a hint of awe in his tone.
"Already getting sentimental, huh?" Durant quipped from beside him.
"You're the Kings' bona fide second-in-command now. You'll get used to this."
Butler gave him a teasing look.
"Don't be so sure. You're on a 1+1 deal, Kevin. If you decide to bail after this season, I won't even have a shoulder to cry on."
"Cut it out." Durant brushed him off, avoiding a direct answer.
"You really think too much. Just focus on the game."
This year's Eastern Conference starters were: Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and DeMarcus Cousins.
The Western Conference starters: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis.
As usual, the All-Star Game quickly settled into a relaxed, showtime rhythm. The stars barely played defense through the first three quarters—only tightening up if the score got close in the fourth.
After checking in, Curry dribbled past half-court to the top of the key.
Durant, stationed in the corner, suddenly gave a fake, shook off Giannis, and cut along the baseline toward the rim.
Curry, reading the play instantly, lobbed the ball high into the air.
"Boom!"
Durant soared up, caught the pass midair, and threw down a thunderous dunk.
"Whoo!"
The crowd exploded, the cheers shaking the arena.
Landing smoothly, Durant felt a strange sense of déjà vu. When he looked up, his eyes met Curry's.
"What's wrong with you?" Butler asked, noticing Durant's distracted look.
"I don't know," Durant muttered, glancing at his hands. "I've never played with Curry before… but that pass—it felt so natural, like we've done it a thousand times."
"What the hell?" Curry was just as baffled on the other end.
"Why does it feel like I've been teammates with Kevin for years? That connection was way too smooth!"
Watching from the sidelines, Chen Yilun took a quick look at the court before his gaze drifted toward the stands.
Under his sharp eyes, he spotted quite a few familiar faces hidden among the spectators.
"Well, well… looks like all the old foxes couldn't resist showing up."
A faint grin tugged at his lips.
"Damn, this is lively. Even back home during New Year's, it's never this festive!"