Chapter 369: A New Location With Taylor Swift, And The National Team Journey Begins
"Oh, my dear, what's wrong?"
Savannah asked in surprise as she watched LeBron James reach for the remote and shut off the TV with more force than necessary.
James shrugged, signaling that everything was fine. He walked into the bedroom, closed the door, and made a call.
Earlier, he had been bored at home and turned on the television for background noise. By pure coincidence, the first channel he landed on was broadcasting the Suns' championship parade.
Even more coincidental, the broadcast was on Chen Yan's speech.
Sometimes the world just enjoyed being annoying.
James had been about to change the channel when Chen Yan's voice came through the speakers, clear as a bell, confident as a crown.
"My goal isn't to bring 1 championship trophy to Phoenix. Not 2. Not 3. Not 4. I want 5, 6, 7…"
That line hit LeBron like a shove.
He could still see the confetti. Still hear the crowd. Still feel the sting of getting swept, again, on the biggest stage.
So he picked up the phone and called Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry.
The moment the call connected, LeBron got straight to the point.
"Danny, we can't just sit here," he said. "If we're serious about winning a championship, we have to make changes this offseason."
LeBron was smart. He knew how power worked in this league, and he knew how to use it.
"Yes, LeBron," Ferry answered smoothly. "We're going to get better. We've made the Finals 2 years in a row. We're right there. We're 1 step away."
Ferry knew exactly what LeBron wanted to hear, and Cleveland had been operating under the same principle for years.
Keep LeBron happy, keep LeBron home.
They had dangled the promise of upgrades almost every offseason, hoping to secure long term commitment early and keep the window open. But Cleveland was still Cleveland. It was not a destination city. Top free agents rarely circled it on the calendar.
Most of the time, the Cavaliers could only attract second tier names or aging stars with mileage.
LeBron hung up satisfied.
Danny Ferry, on the other end, stared at the phone like it had teeth.
Because the reality was ugly.
There were no true superstars in this free agency class. The Cavaliers' financial flexibility was tight. Shaquille O'Neal's aging contract and Larry Hughes' declining value sat on the books like anchors, and nobody around the league was lining up to take them.
Cleveland's trade chips were limited too. Outside of LeBron, the best assets were a handful of future draft picks.
In a situation like that, the realistic All Star level targets were basically down to 2 names.
Allen Iverson in Denver, and Chauncey Billups in Detroit.
After getting swept by Phoenix, the Nuggets had already placed Iverson on the trade block. Their front office had finally admitted the Iverson and Carmelo pairing was not taking them anywhere. If they were going to pivot, it made sense to do it before the value disappeared.
Denver still believed Iverson could bring a meaningful return. Even if he had slipped from his peak, he remained a recognizable All Star, a player who could sell tickets, spark a market, and lift a team trying to make the playoffs.
On top of that, Iverson's $20.84 million salary was expiring, which made him even more attractive. For the right team, he was both a name and a clean exit ramp for cap space next summer.
But for Cleveland, the path was narrow. LeBron's contract was already massive. Shaq's money was already heavy. Adding Iverson's deal would make the payroll explode.
Billups was a different story.
Detroit's reason for moving him was simple, they wanted to rebuild. The front office had made it clear they intended to promote Rodney Stuckey, and in their minds, Billups was standing in the way.
From the outside, that plan was risky. But Detroit did not see it that way. They still viewed Stuckey as a future cornerstone.
If they wanted Billups gone quickly, the asking price would not be outrageous. The issue for Cleveland was fit. Billups was a traditional point guard. His strengths overlapped with what LeBron already did as a primary creator.
LeBron preferred playing with a strong scoring perimeter partner, someone who could punish defenses and let his passing become even more lethal.
With all those factors, Cleveland's offseason was shaping up to be another rough one.
Most likely, they would chase an aging name or settle for a middling upgrade, just enough to keep LeBron believing.
Still, the summer transaction window had not even opened yet.
In the NBA, impossibility was often just a rumor that had not been traded yet.
Compared to Cleveland, the other contenders were not showing strong urgency.
The Lakers already had Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. At most, they would make minor role player adjustments.
The Spurs stayed steady and methodical, rarely making loud moves.
The Mavericks and Hornets were similar, hold the core, tweak the edges.
As for Phoenix, a champion does not tear down the starting lineup that just delivered history. If anything, their options were expanding. The title glow alone could attract veterans chasing a ring before retirement.
In short, most championship level rosters were already set.
This summer was shaping up to be quiet.
…
After the daytime parade, the Suns booked a nightclub in downtown Phoenix for a private celebration.
The public madness was for the city.
This night was for the team.
Only management, coaches, staff, players, and a few relatives attended. It was not the kind of place for parents, so Chen Yan came with only Taylor Swift.
Inside, the music was loud and the smiles were louder.
Chen Yan danced with Taylor in the middle of the crowd, then went on stage with her for a duet. They did not perform one of their own songs. Nobody used a championship party to promote themselves.
Instead, with Taylor at the piano, they sang a classic, "You're Beautiful."
Under the lights, Taylor really did look exactly like the title.
The song ended. The room erupted.
And then, when nobody was paying attention, the 2 of them disappeared.
A few minutes later, they slipped into the car.
They had been meeting whenever schedules allowed, but true alone time had been rare. That duet was not just music, it was gasoline.
They kissed.
Chen Yan leaned back and reclined the seat.
A new location unlocked.
In that moment, he was very grateful he drove a spacious SUV and not a sports car.
…
By the time they returned to the party, the celebration was nearing its end.
Chen Yan exchanged a few final congratulations with teammates and staff. One by one, people filtered out, still glowing from the title, already imagining the vacation waiting for them.
For most of the Suns, the season was finally over.
For Chen Yan, it was not.
His NBA journey had reached its first summit, but his national team journey was just beginning.
After 1 day of rest, Chen Yan flew back to China with his parents.
He needed to meet his national team teammates as soon as possible.
Basketball was a team sport.
Even the best player in the world still had to build chemistry.
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