Reborn in 96, I started by taking charge of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

After finishing his private conversation with Kobe, Chen Fang and Shen Jieyi went to the hotel to rest.

Chen Fang lay comfortably in the bathtub, humming a song.

Things were progressing much more smoothly than he had anticipated.

He originally thought he would need to talk to Kobe several times to win him over, but he didn't expect to persuade Kobe so easily on their first meeting.

If Kobe Bryant successfully joins the Mavericks, the team will go from being one of the worst teams in the league to a playoff team next season, and with a bit of luck, they might even have a chance to compete for the championship.

When Chen Fang came out of the shower, Shen Jieyi had already ordered the hotel's room service.

The two of them chatted while eating.

"Boss, I have a question for you."

"Just ask."

"Why do you value Kobe so much? You know he was just a high school student."

It's worth noting that Kobe's projected draft position wasn't high; there were quite a few players ahead of him who made a name for themselves in the NCAA.

In Shen Jieyi's opinion, if the Mavericks can really get a high draft pick through a trade, they should choose those players instead of a high schooler.

"It's actually very simple, because he is destined to become a Hall of Fame-level great star, and Kobe will be the best player in the league for the next twenty years."

"Hall of Fame? Great basketball player?"

It's hard for Shen Jieyi to associate a high school student with the words "Hall of Fame" and "great basketball star".

"Boss, aren't you having too high expectations for him?"

Chen Fang wasn't surprised at all that Shen Jieyi didn't think highly of Kobe. After all, Shen Jieyi didn't have a third eye and didn't know how high Kobe would go in the future.

It's okay if you don't understand; time will tell!

Chen Fang raised his glass, took a sip of red wine, and said, "Just watch, the Mavericks will become a championship-caliber team next season."

……

Just as Chen Fang was secretly meeting with Kobe in Los Angeles, news of the Dallas Mavericks changing ownership was also exposed by the media.

With extensive media coverage, the news of Chen Fang becoming the owner of the Dallas Mavericks quickly became the hottest topic in the league.

Riding on this wave of popularity, Don Nelson struck while the iron was hot, giving tryouts to several players that Chen Fang had his eye on.

And they boldly put all the Mavericks players on the trading block.

As soon as the Mavericks released the news, general managers from several teams in the league approached Don Nelson.

However, most teams don't want to use draft picks as the main component of a trade, and even if they do, it's usually only second-round draft picks.

So Nelson started to take the initiative and actively seek trades.

His first target was the Toronto Raptors, who had the second overall pick in the draft.

The number one pick belongs to the Philadelphia 76ers, and they definitely won't trade it to any other team.

But it's a different story for the Raptors. If Don Nelson offers a good enough price, it's not impossible.

The Raptors were actually a team that joined the NBA last year as part of the NBA's overseas expansion plan. The Raptors were originally supposed to have the number one pick this year, but because they were a newly joined team, the number one pick was eventually given to the 76ers.

As a young team, the Raptors want to quickly improve their strength, and selecting players with immediate impact is the fastest way.

……

Toronto, Canada.

Inside the Raptors' general manager's office, Isaiah Thomas, who had just become the team's general manager, was sitting in his office, constantly reviewing the information on this year's free agents.

Thomas was undoubtedly successful during his playing career, accumulating numerous honors and being recognized as one of the 50 and 75 greatest players in NBA history.

But now he has retired and embarked on a new career, facing unprecedented pressure.

Given the Raptors' disappointing rookie season, Thomas was eager to bolster the team's strength.

Just as Thomas was pondering how to strengthen the Raptors, a phone call suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"Hello, this is Isaiah Thomas. Who is this?"

“Isaiah, I am Don Nelson.”

"Tang, it's you. What can I do for you?"

Isaiah Thomas frowned when he heard that the other party was Don Nelson. He was aware of the recent uproar about the Mavericks putting all their players on the trading block.

At this point, Nelson called, and his purpose was obvious.

"Isiah, congratulations on becoming the general manager of the Raptors."

"Tang, you didn't just call to congratulate me, did you?"

Thomas said with a smile.

They were both shrewd old foxes; how could he not know what old Nelson was up to? He just wasn't in a hurry to speak, so he could keep the initiative in his own hands.

"Haha, you tell me what else I need from you? Of course, it's to help you."

Old Nelson laughed heartily.

He clearly had his eye on the Raptors' second overall pick, but he insisted on portraying it as helping the Raptors.

Hearing old Nelson's words, Thomas laughed and scolded in an annoyed tone, "Stop acting, you old man. Do you really think I don't know why you're looking for me?"

Seeing that he had been exposed, old Nelson stopped hiding his intentions and said, "Isiah, I want to make a deal with you, a win-win deal."

"What kind of deal? Tell me about it."

“I want your team’s Damon Stoudemire, and in return, I’m willing to trade Tony Dumars and Puopoulos Jones.”

"Tang, are you kidding me? This joke isn't funny at all."

The Raptors had a weak roster when they first joined the NBA and didn't have many players to boast about.

Damon Stoudemire is one of the few players the Raptors can be proud of.

Like the Raptors, Damon Stoudemire was also a rookie who entered the league last year.

However, he delivered an average of 19 points and 9.3 assists per game in his rookie season, earning him the title of Rookie of the Year.

The Raptors have decided to develop Damon as the core of their future team.

Don Nelson immediately tried to poach their core player, but Isaiah Thomas naturally refused.

"Impossible. Damon is not for sale with the Raptors. I will not make this trade with you."

Trading a Rookie of the Year for two unknown players is something only a madman would do.

Old Nelson was not at all surprised by Thomas's answer.

From the beginning, he never intended to have Damon Stoudemire. The reason for approaching him from Damon's side was undoubtedly a game of strategy with Thomas.

If he states his goals right away, he will find it difficult to achieve the greatest return with the least cost.

Old Nelson had been working his way up in the general manager position for many years, so Isaiah Thomas, a newbie in the workplace, was no match for him.

"Since you're unwilling to give up Damon Stoudemire, what about Sharon White?"