Chapter 5: Prepare to rob

"Jake, you must have a plan in mind. Can you tell me what you're going to do with this No. 8 pick?" Ranadivé leaned forward, his eyes encouraging Jake to continue.

"I plan to trade this No. 8 pick down for a late lottery pick and either a future first-rounder or a ready-to-play player," Jake explained confidently. "I've studied it closely. Players in the late lottery pool like Zach LaVine, TJ Warren, or Nurkic are excellent options. They have great potential for development."

Jake paused to take a sip from his cup. He was calm, knowing the reborn version of himself could foresee the draft's outcomes like treasure-hunting with a map in hand. "Along with that, we'll need some reliable players for rotation. They don't have to be stars, just solid contributors to deepen our lineup."

Ranadivé nodded slowly, impressed. He interrupted Divac, who was about to protest. "You have a plan, Jake. Go ahead with it—you are the general manager, after all. You have the authority."

As the team's owner, Ranadivé had his reasons for putting his faith in Jake despite the opposition. He needed new blood, someone young and loyal, unafraid to disrupt the old guard. Jake fit the bill perfectly—young, Popovich's disciple, and eager to make his mark.

Though Ranadivé wasn't deeply familiar with basketball intricacies, he knew office politics. Bringing in Jake, a fresh-faced GM, was a move to solidify his control. The NBA world, especially on the management side, was a small one with tight-knit factions. Popovich's coaching tree had spread across the league like a powerful network, and with Jake carrying that legacy, other teams would be forced to show respect. Ranadivé saw Jake as the key to building a dynasty that would obey his vision while keeping veteran voices in check.

As Ranadivé stood to end the meeting, he left a parting order. "Whatever you do, make sure I see real changes by the end of this season. I want results, Jake, and I want them to be obvious."

With that, Ranadivé and his daughter Ajali exited the room, leaving Jake to breathe a sigh of relief. He had passed the first test. He glanced at Coach Malone, ready to dig into the next step.

"Coach Malone, I'd like to talk to you privately," Jake said, leading the way out of the conference room. Behind him, Divac sat fuming, his expression darkening.

"Who does he think he is?" Divac spat. "He thinks he can waltz in here and make all the decisions on his own!"

Peja, the silent observer throughout, sighed deeply. "Divac, he's the GM now. We have no choice but to accept it."

"Accept it? You want me to sit by while this kid wrecks everything we built?" Divac's face turned red with anger.

Peja shrugged, resigned. "Sooner or later, he'll find out just how ruthless this league can be."

Meanwhile, Jake and Malone sat down in the coach's office, sorting through the team's roster. "Alright, Coach, it's just us here now. Tell me, what do you think the team needs most?"

"An outside ball handler," Malone answered immediately. "We had Isaiah Thomas last year, but his size made him a liability on defense. We need a more stable option."

Jake nodded, recalling how the Kings had struggled with a consistent playmaker. In the original timeline, the Kings had brought in Darren Collison, but his performance had been underwhelming. Jake already knew this wouldn't solve their problems.

"What else?" Jake pressed.

"We need a reliable scorer," Malone continued, pointing to the list. "Cousins dominates the paint, but..." Malone tapped his head. "He's unpredictable. And Rudy Gay is a great player, but... I just feel like something's missing."

Malone trailed off, frustrated. It was clear that the Kings' core—Cousins and Gay—weren't going to carry them far. Cousins was temperamental, often letting emotions cloud his play, while Gay, though talented, lacked the fire to be a true game-changer.

Jake leaned back, thinking. The road ahead was tough, but he had one advantage no one else had—he knew the future, and he intended to use it to change the fate of the Kings.

Despite Rudy Gay's respectable stats of 20.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game last season, anyone watching the Kings knew the truth: Gay was a puzzle, seemingly capable of everything, yet missing something crucial. It was infuriating. Jake rubbed his temples. The team was tangled in a web of problems, each knot tightly wound. Fixing this mess was going to be a challenge, and even thinking about it gave him a headache.

"Alright, I'll keep you in the loop before any major decisions. Let me know when you spot the right player," Jake said, shaking hands with Coach Malone. He waved the player list and left. Time was ticking. If his instincts were right, LeBron James, fresh off a championship loss to the Spurs, would soon opt out of his Miami contract and head back to Cleveland. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, would trade their prized No. 1 pick for Kevin Love, shaking the entire NBA.

But Jake knew that James' return to Cleveland meant more than just a homecoming—it was a declaration. King James wasn't just back, he was ready to conquer. For Jake, this meant one thing: opportunity. As the league reeled from LeBron's move, he would be ready, poised to make his own waves in the chaotic waters. "Fish in troubled waters," Jake thought with a smirk. Buford, his mentor at the Spurs, had taught him that lesson well.

With the immediate tasks behind him, Jake finally had a moment to check his system. A transparent screen appeared before him:

The host has become the general manager of the Kings. New tasks assigned:

Complete a trade that improves the Kings' strength. (Reward: Primary Enhancement Package)

Achieve an A+ rating for offseason transactions. (Reward: Intermediate Enhancement Package)

Challenge task: Become the best general manager of the 2014-2015 season. (Reward: Ace Manager Badge)

Challenge task: Lead the Kings to the playoffs. (Reward: Top Enhancement Package + Random Badge)

"Enhancement packages? Badges?" Jake raised an eyebrow. What were these rewards? Power-ups for real life? His thoughts raced as he stared at the list of tasks. The system chimed again.

"First-time binding detected. Issuing novice rewards: Random Amplification Gift Pack x1, Random Badge x1. Would you like to use them now?"

"Use them!" Jake said eagerly.

Two roulette wheels appeared before him, each one packed with text too small to read. Squinting, he tried to make out the labels: Primary three-point attribute card, primary defense attribute card, scolder bronze badge, heartthrob silver badge... Before he could finish reading, the wheels began spinning on their own.

"Huh? It's starting already? I don't even get to shout 'Stop'?"

The wheels slowed and stopped with a flash of light. Floating before him were two cards. The system's voice returned: "Congratulations! You have obtained the Primary All-Around Attribute Card and the Negotiation Expert Bronze Badge."

Jake inspected the cards. The Primary All-Around Attribute Card allowed him to increase all stats of a chosen player by 2 points. Once applied, it was permanent. The Negotiation Expert Bronze Badge slightly boosted the success rate of negotiations, giving Jake a subtle edge in deal-making.

He couldn't help but grin. The attribute card could strengthen his roster, but the negotiation badge? That was the real goldmine. "Time to fleece some teams," he thought, chuckling to himself. With the badge equipped, Jake felt a new surge of confidence. Now, he was more than just a young GM with a vision—he was a predator in a league full of prey. Let the wheeling and dealing begin.