Sacramento is lively at night, though not quite as bustling as major cities like New York or Los Angeles. However, as the capital of California, it has all the necessary amenities. And smaller cities have one distinct advantage over larger ones: fan loyalty is unmatched. This was apparent when Jake and Mike Malone were recognized by several fans as soon as they stepped out of the car. After handling the brief fan interactions, Jake and Malone entered the restaurant one after the other.
"Why do you always want to talk business at the dinner table? Like the British," Malone suddenly asked, adjusting the napkin in front of him.
"Huh?" Jake was caught off guard by the question. John Bull was a derogatory term the French used for the British during the Age of Exploration when Britain and France were rivals. Jake hadn't expected Malone to bring it up.
"Well..." Jake thought for a moment. "Maybe it's just a habit in countries with a long history. I'm not sure, but it's pretty common where I'm from."
"Maybe." Malone took a sip of lemon water and dropped the subject. "So it's confirmed we're trading Mozgov, right?" Malone had near-absolute faith in Jake's decisions. He never questioned him; as long as Jake kept him in the loop at the end, Malone was good to go.
"Yeah, you've been telling me the frontcourt is too crowded and we need a solution," Jake replied as he glanced over the menu. After placing his order, he handed the menu to Malone. The Kings' frontcourt was indeed overloaded—Cousins, Jokic, Oden, and Mozgov were all fighting for space. The small-ball tactics they had discussed before the season started had essentially fallen apart. Those four big men were anything but suited for small ball.
Before the All-Star Game, Malone had even been forced to play Cousins at power forward. "Crowder is a good fit. He'll be a great puzzle piece and help shore up the perimeter defense."
"I know he will. Don't I trust your judgment?" Malone shook his head and continued. "But with Mozgov gone and another rookie coming in, isn't the team getting too young?"
Although the Kings' core—Cousins and Gay—remained the same, the rest of the rotation had been overhauled. Now, Mozgov was being traded for a younger Crowder. Malone had concerns about whether such a young roster could handle high-pressure situations.
Jake thought for a moment before answering, "It should be fine. Let's roll with it for now. When we make the playoffs, we've still got Gay."
Rudy Gay was the unquestioned leader in the locker room. After all, Jake had traded away most of the players with similar veteran status. And while Cousins was a star, he couldn't carry the team alone.
"As long as Gay's here, I'm not worried about these young guys losing their cool when it counts."
Malone nodded in agreement. "But are you really that confident we'll make the playoffs?"
"If we don't make the playoffs, then what have I been doing for the last six months?" Jake shot back with a frustrated look. "We're both on the hook this year. We've done great so far, but you know how our boss is. If we make the playoffs, we'll be fine. But if we fall short at the last minute? Let's just say the boss won't be happy."
Malone shuddered at the thought. Their boss was notorious for meddling in team affairs—more like a school principal than a sports executive. So far, Jake and Malone had managed to keep him at bay, mostly because the team's trajectory had been positive.
"Either way, we have to make the playoffs this year," Jake said firmly, taking the champagne the waiter brought over and pouring a glass for each of them. "As long as we get in, this will have been a successful year."
Jake raised his glass, and they toasted. "I personally don't think it'll be too hard. As long as we stay competitive after the All-Star break, we should secure a playoff spot."
"That's doable," Malone mused. "With the lineup and chemistry we've built this year, making the playoffs shouldn't be an issue. But we probably won't have home-court advantage."
"Who cares about home-court advantage?" Jake downed his glass in one go. "Are you thinking about winning the championship? I'll be happy just to make the playoffs, let alone worry about seeding."
"Just leave enough room for the media to speculate," Jake said, locking eyes with Malone. Leading a weak team to a championship in his first season? That kind of fantasy only happens in exaggerated stories. Realistically, it takes at least two or three seasons to build a championship-caliber team. There's chemistry to develop, tactics to refine, rookies to nurture, and role players to experiment with before you can even think about competing for a title. The Kings weren't there yet.
"Got it." Malone accepted an appetizer from the waiter, his mind already processing the next steps. "If we follow your plan, I'm confident we'll make it."
"Great!" Jake poured another round. "Your confidence is all I need. My work depends on you!"
As the two clinked glasses again, the same hustle was unfolding across the country as teams scrambled to make last-minute trades. Before long, the clock struck midnight.
"I knew you'd still be awake!" Buford's hearty laugh echoed in Jake's ear through the headset.
"Come on, coach! You're calling me at this hour to joke around?" Jake sat in the Kings' meeting room, exhausted from a night of negotiation. The entire coaching and management staff had stayed up late to finalize the trade.
"Well, you're the one working. I'm just lying here. Just wanted to check in before I head to bed! Haha!" Buford laughed again and hung up, leaving Jake shaking his head. The call was random, but Jake knew his mentor was just trying to help ease his nerves.
Minutes ticked by, and eventually, all the pieces fell into place. The Kings, Celtics, and Suns had completed the trade according to the agreed terms.
Finally, Jake collapsed into his office chair, letting out a long sigh of relief. His work for the season, at least on the trade front, was done. The rest was in fate's hands.
The three-way trade was finalized as follows:
The Celtics traded Jae Crowder, the Clippers' 2016 first-round pick, and their worst 2016 second-round pick in exchange for Isaiah Thomas.
The Suns traded Isaiah Thomas and their 2017 second-round pick in exchange for Timofey Mozgov and the Clippers' 2016 first-round pick.
The Kings traded Timofey Mozgov in exchange for Jae Crowder and a second-round pick (whichever was worse, between the Celtics' 2016 pick and the Suns' 2017 pick).
Everything was settled!