"You mean... he's like this because you fooled him?" Jake stood in disbelief, staring at Crowder, who had passed out on the bed from exhaustion. Jake rubbed his forehead in frustration. Ben, standing next to him, looked like a guilty schoolboy caught by the teacher, his head hanging low.
"How is he now?" Jake asked the team doctor.
"No big deal," the doctor replied, glancing at the medical report. "He just overtrained and collapsed from exhaustion. He'll be fine after resting for a couple of days. Jake, don't be too hard on yourself. This happens a few times every year in the league." The team doctor could barely suppress his laughter. Crowder had been fooled by Ben into working so hard that he literally passed out.
Jake shot Ben a furious look. "Just wait until I deal with you later!"
Just then, a loud voice echoed through the hallway. "Where's my apprentice? Where's my beloved apprentice?" Peja burst into the room, calling for Crowder.
Jake quickly covered Peja's mouth and dragged him out of the team doctor's office. "He's fine. The kid's been training hard and just needs some rest," Jake reassured Peja.
Peja's nerves calmed, and he sighed in relief. "Thank goodness! I was afraid I'd be the reason for his collapse."
Seeing Peja relax, Jake took the opportunity to speak. "Peja, I get it. You mean well, but you can't push Crowder too hard."
"Yes, yes, I was too hasty," Peja nodded, eager to acknowledge his mistake. "I'll tone it down, I promise."
Peja knew full well how much Jake valued Crowder. Crowder was the final piece of the puzzle the Kings needed to shore up their defense. Although the Kings were playing well, their perimeter defense was porous. None of their forwards or guards were strong defenders, and while this was manageable in the regular season, the playoffs would be a different story. Opponents would exploit those defensive weaknesses mercilessly.
"Good, as long as you understand," Jake said, pulling Peja aside into his office. "You've been with Crowder these past few days. What do you think of him?"
Peja took a moment to think. He seemed to be carefully choosing his words. "Now it's just us two. Speak freely," Jake encouraged him, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his drawer. As Peja wasn't looking, Jake stealthily lit one and stashed the pack back, savoring the rare cigarette he had bought during the All-Star break.
"Crowder's a bit worse than I expected," Peja finally said. "His draft position and previous team status fit. His three-point shooting is inconsistent, his athleticism is above average, but his defensive sense is lacking." Peja made some gestures in the air. "His instincts aren't right, and if he's going to improve on defense, it's going to take a lot of work."
Jake nodded as he listened. In the future, many fans would consider peak Crowder one of the league's best 3-and-D players. But Jake knew better. Crowder's three-point shooting was always just average, and his reputation as a good defender was largely based on his appearance and playing style. The fact that Crowder never made an All-Defensive team was proof enough.
"It's fine," Jake said, taking a deep drag from his cigarette. "He's still young. We'll develop him. Don't worry too much about Divac's expectations. And come on, Peja, you and Divac are in your forties, working so hard. Isn't that a little childish?"
Peja blushed at Jake's remark. "I know, I know. I'll ease up on him."
After Peja left the office, Jake opened up his management system. His system badges were still sitting untouched in storage. It wasn't that Jake didn't want to use them, but the system's rules made him hesitant. Once a badge was bound to a player, it couldn't be unbound, and Jake wasn't too keen on using valuable resources for others. He still couldn't get over the fact that the system's author had created such a ridiculous rule. If it weren't for the season-start tasks, Jake wouldn't have used the Double-Guard Badge at all.
Jake had gained some insights during the All-Star break and was contemplating how to make the most of the badges he had. As he thought, the cigarette burned down to the filter. He quickly took one last drag before snuffing it out and preparing for the next task.
Technically, Jake could take it easy now that the trade window had closed, and the only remaining priorities were the offseason trades and the draft. But Jake was never one to sit idle. He had initially thought his forward-thinking could lead him into some side businesses and eventually help him become a boss. But as he dove deeper into the league's operations, he realized there was simply no time for anything else. Besides, his life was already much better than it had been before. It made more sense to focus on his career.