LeBron James running away? He's going all in on Curry.

Miami, inside a rooftop yacht club.

LeBron James and his core business acumen, affectionately known as the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"—Rich Paul, Maverick Carter, and Randy Mims—are holding a highly confidential internal meeting.

"Bang!"

James slammed the expensive Cuban cigar he was holding onto the crystal ashtray, his face contorted with rage and anxiety.

"Didn't those Nike idiots and Steve Ballmer go too far?!"

The screen was scrolling through news about the Clippers assembling a "Durant + Irving + Howard" super team.

"I did promise to consider going to Los Angeles next summer, but look at this roster! Kevin Durant is a four-time scoring champion, Kyrie Irving is a one-on-one genius, and Dwight Howard is the league's best center!"

"If the Clippers win the championship this year with this roster, how am I supposed to go there next year?! Am I supposed to go and be their fourth option?! If I join a team that just won the championship, what will the media and fans across America say about me?! What will happen to my reputation?!"

James paced anxiously back and forth in the private room.

He cares too much about his historical status, and this act of reaping the benefits is absolutely devastating to the reputation of a superstar.

Seeing his best friend lose control of his emotions, Rich Paul, as the chief strategist, remained unusually calm.

He poured James a glass of whiskey and pushed it in front of him.

"Calm down, LeBron. Things aren't as bad as you think."

"Take a close look at the Clippers' roster. They certainly have the best isolation scorers and rim-running centers in the league, but haven't you noticed that they're missing the most crucial element?"

James paused for a moment, then frowned as he looked at the list on the screen.

"We lack a dominant ball-handler who can orchestrate the entire offense!"

Rich Paul pointed out the Clippers' Achilles' heel: "Why do you think I insisted that Ballmer and Nike trade Chris Paul in this chain of trades?"

"It's to make room for you in the position where you have absolute control of the ball and are the team's playmaker!"

Rich Paul walked up to the television screen, pointed at the images of the three superstars, and began to dissect them step by step:

"Kyrie Irving is an extremely arrogant one-on-one player; he only has the basket in his eyes. Kevin Durant is a pure scorer, and he's not good at playmaking. As for Dwight Howard, he's a giant baby center with absolutely no tactical awareness!"

"These three players together might be able to dominate the regular season with their talent. But what about the playoffs? Facing the Cleveland Cavaliers' tight defensive system and precise rotations, these three stars, lacking playmaking ability, will inevitably get bogged down in a stalemate of fighting for the ball!"

"Believe me, LeBron. This Clippers team, devoid of brains, will absolutely not win the championship this year. They're destined to fail, and might even have a major falling out in the locker room!"

"And when they lose the Finals and Los Angeles is plunged into endless despair, you'll arrive in the City of Angels as a free agent next summer!"

"At that time, you'll be like a savior descended from heaven, taking over this incredibly talented but disorganized team! You'll orchestrate the offense, you'll distribute the ball, and you'll mold them into a true unit!"

"By then, who would dare say you went to betray your country and become the fourth member? You'll be their savior, the king! The MVP is yours, the Finals MVP is yours too! This roster is young and complete enough; you can absolutely start a true dynasty in Los Angeles, and even chase Michael Jordan's GOAT status!"

Rich Paul's words dispelled the fog in James' eyes.

A savior scenario! This is absolutely perfect!

If the Clippers fail to win the championship this year, he will naturally become the leader next year with his unparalleled organizational skills!

The anger in James' eyes vanished instantly. He picked up the whiskey on the table, clinked glasses heavily with Rich Paul, and declared ambitiously:

"You're right, Richie. I want to be the GOAT!"

……

Meanwhile, at the Cleveland Cavaliers headquarters, in the owner's office.

"Boss, the Clippers' roster is terrifying. They've already overtaken us and are now number one in the league in terms of championship odds." General Manager Chris Grant looked at the Clippers' roster in his hand, his face full of worry.

"Grant, don't be intimidated by the hype the media has given you. The Clippers' roster is nothing more than a high-level patchwork that looks strong on the outside but is weak on the inside."

Su Yang made the same assessment as Rich Paul:

"Kevin Durant, the perennial second option with a sensitive personality. Kyrie Irving, an excellent second option. Dwight Howard, a happy beast who poses no threat in the low post and only knows how to score easy baskets."

"They put three natural 'second-in-command' players together, but none of them could control the locker room or be the absolute leader orchestrating the offense on the court. Could Doc Rivers, that coach who only knows how to give motivational speeches, manage these old men? When things get tough, this broken ship will disintegrate from within."

Although he strategically underestimated the Clippers, Su Yang remained extremely vigilant tactically.

"However, the Clippers' talent on paper is what it is, and we do need to plan ahead."

Su Yang's gaze deepened. "While our current starting five are invincible, our bench still has vulnerabilities in the long regular season and the meat grinder of the playoffs."

"Especially after Jeremy Lin and Erik Bledsoe left the team, the backcourt relied too much on Stephenson's playmaking. We need a backup playmaker who is tall, has vision, can direct the offense, and doesn't demand the ball."

Su Yang opened the drawer, took out a list of free markets and transactions, and his eyes locked onto a somewhat marginal name.

"Sean Livingston!"

This tall point guard, once hailed as "Magic's successor," suffered a devastating leg injury and is now wandering the league on a minimum salary contract. He was the pillar of the Warriors' bench in his previous life!

His height of just over two meters, his unstoppable turnaround jump shot, and his calm and experienced playmaking ability make him a perfect piece of the puzzle for the Cavaliers' bench!

"Grant, go contact the team that owns Livingston's rights. Just throw them any future second-round pick and bring this guy back to Cleveland!"

For other teams, Livingston, who has suffered a major injury, is a potential liability who could be sidelined for the rest of the season at any time, and a second-round pick would be an easy way to acquire him.

"Understood, boss. The contract extension for the inside player is also ready."

Grant handed over a contract. "As per your instructions, we have prepared a four-year maximum contract extension for Marc Gasol."

"Sign the contract and announce it immediately." With a stroke of his pen, Su Yang stabilized the morale of the team's defensive anchor in the paint.

Moreover, in order to further bolster the bench's firepower and veteran experience, and to cope with the Clippers and other teams' frenzied arms race in the new season, Su Yang personally took charge and started a buying spree in the free agent market!

A few days later, a series of minimum-salary signings once again drew the attention of the entire league!

Signing veteran defender Leandro Barbosa, nicknamed "Brazilian Lightning," on a minimum salary contract adds extreme speed to the bench!

Then, a signing that triggered a major earthquake in Miami was made!

Having become marginalized in the Heat's tactics and deeply impressed by the Cavaliers' unparalleled three-point system, legendary sharpshooter Ray Allen rejected the Heat's offer to stay after receiving a sincere recruitment call from Su Yang. Instead, he joined Cleveland on a veteran's minimum salary!

Finally, Su Yang used the team's last minimum salary exception to bring in Vince Carter, the UFO who was still able to fly high and was eager to chase the championship!

With these three signings finalized, the Cavaliers' bench has been elevated to an unprecedented level!

The lineup includes Shaun Livingston, Barbosa, Ray Allen and Vince Carter, plus Zaza Pachulia and Patrick Beverley, who are always ready to bite, and rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This bench unit combines steady playmaking, lethal three-point shooting, excellent athleticism, and terrifying toughness!

……

The 2013 offseason came to a slow close with the Los Angeles Clippers' earth-shattering rebuild and the Cleveland Cavaliers' efforts to fill gaps in their roster.

As the golden autumn of October approaches, training camps for various teams have officially begun.

The Miami Heat, frustrated by their failed title defense and burning with anger, are trying to prove themselves in their final year.

With a star-studded trio of Durant, Irving, and Howard, the Los Angeles Clippers are determined to overturn the old order.

The experienced and composed San Antonio Spurs are still waiting for their chance to strike.

And the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, boasting a roster of maxed-out players like Curry, Davis, Leonard, and Klay Thompson, are striving to build a dynasty...

2013-2014 season.

In this frenzied arms race, the battle horns have sounded!