LeBron James, your house got robbed.

Chapter 127 Private Dinner Talk: A Major Deal Between Four Teams? New Participants

The rosy sunset over Los Angeles casts its glow on the intricately patterned wooden window frames, while half-grown palm trees strung with golden LED strips cleverly create a tranquil and private space.

A small candle lamp sits in the center of a semi-oval stone table, its soft, flickering light reflecting off the dancing silver cutlery.

Magician Jason skillfully handled the tuna tartare served as an appetizer.

"When Spago opened in 1982, we had just won our second championship, and since then, Spago has been a favorite of Hollywood stars and sports stars."

"It took me almost ten years to get used to the pan-fried cod and tuna tartare here."

"I preferred Lansing's high-calorie dishes before my second retirement."

"Fried chicken wings, grilled steak, apple pie, they give me more energy on the court."

Chen Shuo didn't rush to speak, but listened attentively.

"Everything changed after I stopped being able to play, which was 15 years ago. At that time, I had no idea what to do."

"So I started to learn from them at Spago restaurant and use a knife and fork to deal with these delicate and bland Mediterranean dishes."

"I started the second part of my life, and the boy from Lansing finally grew into a celebrity in Los Angeles."

"You remind me of Riley. You are both autocratic and wield great power, yet you are also unparalleled geniuses."

Jason's smile held a nostalgic look.

"Those were unforgettable years."

Chen Shuo picked up a small, round piece of tuna tartare with his fork, put it in his mouth, and chewed it gently, savoring the tender and smooth texture of the fish and the tangy and salty flavor of the avocado sauce.

Incidentally, one can also discern the nostalgia and restlessness in Jason's words.

For the fifteen years since Magic Johnson retired, he has been a spiritual symbol of the Los Angeles Lakers, but he has never had the opportunity to touch the core of the team.

Now that Old Bass is critically ill, and the prince and princess are vying for power, the Magician's heart, which has been dormant for many years, has begun to beat again. He clearly wants to change roles and relive the story of the past.

After all, for Magic Johnson, leaving the court at the peak of his career at 31 is an unforgettable regret in his life.

That's why he met with me alone at Spago Restaurant after giving Leonard his coaching.

As the magician said, Spago is favored by Hollywood stars and sports stars, and the mature Jason is even more at home here.

In Chen Shuo's eyes, however, the warmth and sincerity of the Lansing boy were gone, replaced by a more sophisticated and socially adept demeanor—that's probably what growing up is all about.

Fifteen years ago, Jason might have taken Chen Shuo out for a good time, put his arm around Chen Shuo's neck, and said, "I admire you and want to be your friend. Maybe we can do something big together in the future."

Simple and straightforward.

The magician, with his large belly, adopted a gentler and more discreet approach, using seemingly unrelated things at the dinner table to probe and lay the groundwork.

"Chen, you must have been following the Howard trade. What are your thoughts?"

The framework of this deal had already been revealed before Chen Shuo flew to Los Angeles.

As previously reported, the Los Angeles lobbying group persuaded Howard, giving the Lakers the lead in this battle.

Judging from the magician's questions, he himself was clearly not involved in this lobbying effort.

It seems the magician, just like in the original timeline, has chosen to side with Princess Jeanne Bass.

Since Howard is in the final year of his contract and has essentially secured a new team, the Lakers are unlikely to suffer a major financial loss.

By having Bynum as the main player, plus a 17-year protected first-round contract, he could secure the final year of a Warcraft contract.

The Magic, already in a rebuilding phase, are not interested in Andrew Bynum.

So another 76ers were brought in to participate in the trade.

Philadelphia offered their star player Andre Iguodala, last year's 17th overall pick Nikola Vucevic, this year's 15th overall pick Maurice Harkless, and a protected first-round pick from 15 in order to acquire 24-year-old NBA second-team center Andrew Bynum.

The Magic's management was focused on rebuilding and had no interest in Iguodala, who had failed to be the core of the team's development. As a result, the Nuggets joined the trade.

Denver traded Al Harrington, Allen Afflalo, and the 14 unprotected first-round pick from New York to acquire Andre Iguodala.

This transaction was exactly the same as the one Chen Shuo remembered.

The only problem is that four or five days have passed since the news of this deal broke, but the deal has still not been finalized.

Faced with Jason's question, Chen Shuo didn't mince words and directly stated his opinion: "The Magic got three draft picks, two good rookies, and Harrington and Avro's contracts aren't long either. They've taken the first step in completing their rebuild. The initiative isn't in their hands. I think they've done a good job and deserve an A- rating."

"Iguodala is a good fit for the Nuggets. They haven't given up many assets, so this trade could go to A."

Iguodala's arrival perfectly fills the last gap in the Denver track and field team's tactical system and technical characteristics, making it a good trade.

Denver's management simply didn't expect that Iguodala and George Karl's personalities were not compatible.

"As for Philadelphia, this trade depends on Bynum's health, and based on my personal information, it's not ideal, so I can only give it a C rating."

The magician put down his knife and fork, smiled without saying a word, and did not comment on Bynum's health condition.

He went straight to the topic he was most interested in: "So what do you think of Jim Buss's actions?"

After thinking for a while, Chen Shuo gave his final answer: "Kupchak is very capable. In terms of the trading process alone, I admire his operations."

"Without losing too many combatants, we gained Nash and Howard in return."

"This would be an A+ level move for any team."

Then Chen Shuo changed the subject: "It's just that Jim was too eager to prove himself."

"He can actually take it slow; gaining the support of all the players first might be more important."

There have been various analyses throughout history regarding the dismal end of the Lakers' Big Four, from a tactical perspective, from a systemic perspective, and from an injury perspective.

But in Chen Shuo's view, the most fatal flaw was the Lakers' chaotic management, a systemic mess from top to bottom.

After hearing the answer, Jensen remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "To be honest, the atmosphere in the team right now is worse than you think."

"I find it hard to believe they can achieve anything this season."

Chen Shuo's expression remained unchanged.

I wholeheartedly agree with Jensen's assessment; the outcome for the Big Four will be even worse than Jensen anticipates.

"Jenny spent some great times with us. She came to the team to help her father when I first came to Los Angeles."

""

"That makes me always lean more towards Jenny."

"I always felt that if Jim lost his gamble, I would have an obligation to step up and help Jenny clean up the mess."

"At that time, we might have some new interactions."

"You know, I've been in the league for thirty years, and I know people on almost every team."

The waiter quietly approached and brought out the main course: perfectly pan-fried cod garnished with Mediterranean vegetables.

Chen Shuo knew that his biggest weakness as general manager was that, as an outsider, he had not truly integrated into the alliance's inner circle.

This requires a long period of accumulation.

Throughout his career, every deal Chen Shuo made either involved throwing in seemingly large sums of money or resorting to unethical methods to force the other party to make a deal.

The magician is known for his extensive network in the industry, which can make up for Chen Shuo's disadvantage.

Chen Shuo understood that this question did not need an answer.

Jenny has not yet seized power, and Chen Shuo has not left the Knights.

Rather than an invitation, it's more about building rapport and laying the foundation for potential future collaborations.

If Chen Shuo hears this, Jameson's goal will be achieved.

Chen Shuo then raised a new question: "Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as it seems."

"This deal seems to be stuck."

The magician picked up his knife and fork again, aimed them at the fried cod, and said without looking up, "I heard Riley wants to join in."

"However, it doesn't affect the Lakers' acquisition of Howard."