"The Warriors and the Cavaliers both have relatively average strength, especially the Cavaliers. After LeBron's departure, they became a disorganized mess, directly plummeting to the bottom of the league. The Knicks, on the other hand, have significantly improved after 'Stat' joined the team. As a former teammate, 'Stat' knows us well, so we need to take it seriously. The Clippers, on the other hand, are average, but..."
Gentry paused and looked at Carlos, saying, "The Clippers have last year's top pick, Griffin, but he's out for the season due to injury, and this year is his rookie year. So, he will be your strong competitor."
"Alright," Carlos nodded seriously, showing no fear.
Gentry continued, "And the toughest opponent recently is the Thunder, especially after their showdown with the Heat last night. I'm sure you all have some knowledge about it. Facing the Heat, the Thunder's Big Three, Durant, Westbrook, and Harden, are truly formidable. With their skyrocketing talent, they are rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Overcoming the Thunder will be the biggest challenge of this season. Of course, the other four teams shouldn't be taken lightly, or you'll suffer a big loss. Got it?"
"Oh!" The team nodded, their fighting spirit high.
"Alright," Gentry nodded in satisfaction. "Get ready to go to San Francisco. We will be playing the Warriors on the road tomorrow night. Let's go there early to prepare."
Shortly after, the Suns' team boarded a charter plane and flew to San Francisco.
On the plane, Carlos leaned back in his seat, reflecting on the miraculous and exciting days since he arrived in this world. After getting used to it, he was now looking forward to the future.
And now, he needed to think about how to choose an agent. A great player or businessman must have a good agent by their side. Since the day Rich Paul, Jeff Austin, and Bill Duffy came to him, several other agents had contacted Carlos by phone.
However, without meeting them in person, Carlos lost the desire to talk. Eventually, he would choose between these three. More accurately, between Austin and Rich.
Carlos felt a sinking feeling. "Austin has Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo under him, both gradually becoming superstars. Their personal efforts are indispensable, but a good agent must have contributed a lot, providing a lot of valuable help. So, Austin's abilities are unquestionable, but he might have fewer resources.
Rich is a famous NBA agent with clients like LeBron and Paul, abundant resources, and undeniable abilities. In terms of overall strength, he is more powerful than Austin.
However, precisely because he has clients like LeBron and Paul, if I follow Rich, will I not get enough attention? Will he only be able to allocate limited resources to help me? It's very possible. After all, my current value creation cannot be compared to LeBron and Paul.
On the other hand, Curry, under Austin, is only a second-year player, and 'Greek Freak' has not signed with him yet. He won't be too busy and will have more time and energy to serve me. Besides, having fewer resources doesn't matter; at the higher stages, you have to earn your resources yourself. As long as I show my strength and value, resources will come to me.
So, a dedicated and highly capable agent will be better."
The more Carlos thought about it, the clearer his thoughts became, and the more he understood his preferred choice. "Alright, it's Austin. Additionally, if possible, that would be even better."
Carlos squinted his eyes, and a thought arose in his mind.
...
Upon arriving in San Francisco and settling into the hotel near the Oracle Arena, it was already 7 p.m. Carlos, not accustomed to going to bed early, dropped his luggage and called Nash. The two decided to go out for a meal.
Following Nash's recommendation, they ended up at a bustling restaurant. Business was booming, and they found a relatively quiet spot on the second floor.
"Carlos, they have some great signature dishes here. Do you want to try some?" Nash asked, holding the menu.
"Of course..."
Just as he was about to continue, Carlos heard someone calling his name. Looking up, he was surprised to see Jeff Austin. Carlos couldn't help but marvel at how small the world was.
Thinking about it, it made sense. After all, this was San Francisco, and he was Curry's agent. Moreover, right beside him was the future "Chef," Stephen Curry.
The two joined them for dinner and discussed some matters.
"What a coincidence," Austin walked over with a professional smile. "Since we've run into each other, it's perfect. I'd like to talk to Carlos again. If you and Nash don't mind, can we have dinner together tonight? I'll treat."
Nash looked at Carlos.
"No problem..."
So, Carlos, Nash, Austin, and Curry sat together. Nash and Austin were busy ordering dishes, and the "college student" Curry looked at Carlos with a familiar smile.
"Hello, Carlos , the rookie center from Mexico. I'm Stephen Curry, nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you."
Carlos smiled faintly, "You seem to know a lot about me?"
"Of course."
Curry showed his white teeth and continued excitedly, "Debut: 11 shots, 11 hits, scoring 23 points in half, leading the team to an epic 23-point comeback. Yesterday, he exploded for 43 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks. Broke the career scoring record of your compatriot, All-Star caliber center Gustavo Ayon. You've been the most eye-catching rookie recently, overshadowing Wall, the NBA Draft's first overall pick. In yesterday's brilliant game, you even outshone the Thunder's Big Three and the Heat's 'Big Three.' That's quite impressive."
"Wow..."
Carlos was stunned, touched his chin with his hand, and chuckled, "Hey, you seem to know too much about me. Why do I feel a bit scared?"
"Haha!"
Curry waved his hand, laughing, "Don't be afraid. Actually, Austin has been talking about you all the way, praising you non-stop."
"I'm stating facts," Austin added sincerely, looking at Carlos with a pair of earnest eyes.
Carlos looked at Austin, nodding inwardly, more determined in his thoughts.
Curry continued, "But as a center, your playing style is so distinctive. It's really impressive. Maintaining it will undoubtedly give many players a headache!"
"It seems so."
Carlos shrugged, smiling in response.
Nash, who had been listening, chimed in, "Your offense is quite distinctive too."
"Me?"
Curry blinked, pointing at himself.