Jake met with the legendary scout, the "Silver Fox" Del Harris in his office. "Del, how have you been?" Jake asked, pouring a glass of water and handing it to the 78-year-old Harris. Despite the gray hair at his temples, Harris still radiated energy.
"I've been good," Harris replied.
"Del, the main reason I called you in today is because I need your advice," Jake began.
"Go ahead, ask away. We're like family—you can ask me anything."
Jake leaned in. "Would you be interested in becoming the chief scout for my team?"
Harris looked startled. "Me? I'm 78 years old! It's time for me to relax and enjoy retirement. Don't put any more weight on these old bones."
Jake had expected this refusal. Harris had already achieved success, and there was no pressing need for him to work. The title of chief scout wasn't enticing enough.
"Are you hiring scouts?" Harris asked, changing the subject. "Are you open to using new talent? I know a young man who could be a good fit—and he's from your hometown!"
"My hometown?" Jake was taken aback.
"Yes," Harris said calmly. "He's the son of an old friend. The boy came to the U.S. to study sports management, and I helped him get into school. He graduated two years ago and has been working odd jobs in the league. Would you consider giving him a chance?"
"Of course!" Jake nodded. "He's my countryman, and the son of your friend. I'd be happy to give him a shot, but..." Jake paused, giving Harris a meaningful look.
Harris chuckled. "I see where this is going. What do you need from me?"
"Del, I know you've got a vast network of contacts. After the draft lottery in a couple of days, I need you to feel out who's interested in the lottery pick I'm holding," Jake said.
"You're thinking about selling the lottery pick again?" Harris' eyes widened. "Kid, you're unbelievable. Other GMs are scrambling to trade up, and here you are, trying to trade down for the second year in a row!"
Jake smiled knowingly. "One more thing—help me spread the word around the league: Cousins is officially on the trade block."
Once Harris spread the message, the NBA buzzed with excitement. DeMarcus Cousins on the market? Was Sacramento losing its mind? After finally reaching the playoffs, they were ready to part with their star player? The previously quiet trade market suddenly heated up, with teams scrambling to react. In the midst of this, a second message—about the Kings' willingness to trade their first-round pick—was largely overlooked.
"I don't agree! Absolutely not!" Jerry West stormed into Warriors' owner Joe Lacob's office.
"Why not?" Lacob asked in frustration. "We missed out on Kevin Love last year, and now you want to pass on DeMarcus Cousins?"
"We won the championship by not trading for Love!" West shouted. "You want to dismantle our title-winning team for the hope of landing an All-Star? If you trade for Cousins, I'll resign tomorrow!"
As the two clashed, across the league, teams scrambled to put together trade offers for Cousins. Jake's phone rang nonstop.
"Are you kidding me? You think you can get Cousins at that price? Keep dreaming!" Jake angrily hung up on Udoka, who was also cursing on the other end. "Only the Kings treat Cousins like he's worth his weight in gold. The guy's not laying golden eggs, for crying out loud!"
This same scene played out multiple times in Jake's office throughout the day. In theory, waiting until Cousins made another All-Star appearance next season would fetch a higher trade value, but Jake couldn't afford to wait. The team needed to move on from Cousins now, promote Jokic, and make Greg Oden the backup center, locking down their frontcourt.
While the trade rumors swirled, Cousins was left in a bleak mood. His agent had prepared him for the possibility of being traded after the season ended, but hearing the news made it all too real. Cousins had played his entire career with the Kings, and the idea of leaving his "home" was devastating.
"Don't be too upset, DeMarcus," his agent consoled him. "Coach Malone and Jake have promised to find a good trade for you. Start thinking about where you'd like to play next. This could be a positive fresh start for you. The team is focused on developing Jokic, and moving you is as much about your future as it is theirs."
Amid all the chaos, May 20th arrived—the night of the NBA Draft Lottery. The Kings, having made the playoffs, were outside of the lottery. Still, Ajiali represented the team at the event.
"And the 21st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft goes to... the Sacramento Kings!" the announcer called. There was polite applause from the small audience. The Kings' finish in the competitive Western Conference had them picking lower than most Eastern Conference teams.
As the draft continued, the fifth overall pick was revealed: "The New York Knicks!"
Jake hadn't even shown up. Regardless of the outcome, he knew they were going to make a deal with the Knicks. It didn't matter who was there to represent the team.