Chapter 490 - 424: Rebuild
Pioneer’s new President, Steve Patterson, and new General Manager, John Nash, arrived at Paul Allen’s luxurious suburban villa one right after the other, as if on cue.
Following the directions, they each parked their car in the spacious lot.
Then they rode a shuttle to the main villa building.
Paul Allen’s villa was as large as an estate. It was the first time the now 56-year-old John Nash had been here since taking over as general manager in June.
There were many rumors circulating about Paul Allen, the richest owner in the NBA.
But after joining the team, he’d learned from his colleagues that Paul Allen was supposedly a very good owner.
He loved basketball, didn’t interfere much with team operations, and trusted his management.
He also valued his privacy. While he frequently attended games at the Rose Garden Arena and enjoyed sitting courtside, he generally kept to himself, watching the game quietly before slipping away.
In the NBA, finding an owner who was willing to spend money like that was a dream come true.
However, being suddenly summoned to the owner’s private villa just before the start of the new season still made him a little nervous.
The Pioneer had been dealing with no shortage of trouble lately.
In July, Damon Stoudamire was arrested for possession of weed. He was a repeat offender, having been caught once before with Rashid Wallace just last year.
Fortunately, in the face of overwhelming criticism from Portland, Stoudamire’s attitude was decent enough. He admitted his mistake and stated his willingness to undergo psychological counseling and treatment at a rehabilitation center.
And that wasn’t all. Last month, the team’s small forward, Ruben Patterson, publicly dissed the new President, Steve Patterson. He actually went to the press and said he wasn’t getting the chance to show his full potential with the Pioneer and hoped for a change of scenery.
That guy was another pile of trouble. He had assaulted a female nanny back when he was with the Supersonic, and after coming to the Pioneer, he’d also been arrested for assaulting his wife.
And he was still on a four-year contract. With a player who was an off-court time bomb like him, even if the Pioneer wanted to trade him, they couldn’t find any takers.
They had just managed to placate him when Jeff McInnis, the locker room cancer, started a fight with another team hothead, Bonzi Wells, after training camp began. They actually came to blows.
The ridiculous part was, when the two of them started throwing down in the locker room, nobody tried to break it up.
That blockhead Rashid Wallace even fanned the flames, stopping teammates who tried to intervene and yelling for the two of them to fight it out.
John Nash and Steve Patterson felt like their heads were about to explode.
Luckily, they managed to lock down the news in time before any reporters found out. Otherwise, who knew what kind of storm it would have kicked up.
"Steve, what do you think the owner wants to see us about?" John Nash asked in a low voice.
Steve Patterson gave a wry smile. ’I have no idea either,’ he thought.
He had been the general manager for the Rocket during their championship run, so he was experienced. But he’d also been away from the NBA for quite some time, having moved on to the NHL before Paul Allen poached him for Portland this year.
His purpose was to whip the Pioneer’s culture into shape.
But just like John Nash, he had only met the hands-off Paul Allen a couple of times, and this was his first time being summoned to the private villa.
Paul Allen really valued his privacy.
But that just made it all the more likely that he’d summoned them for something important.
After a moment’s thought, he added, "It’s probably not a huge issue."
’At least he won’t fire us.’
’We just signed our contracts, after all.’
John Nash sighed. "In that case, should we take this opportunity to tell the owner our idea?"
Steve Patterson paused, then whispered, "You mean about the rebuild?"
John Nash nodded.
He had given it serious thought after becoming general manager.
Paul Allen had given them two directives: make the playoffs, and turn around the team’s image.
The first was manageable, but the second was a real headache.
This group of Pioneer players were all serial offenders.
After thinking it over, the only solution was to tear it all down and start over—a full rebuild. They had to trade these guys away quickly while they still had some value.
If they waited until the players got into more trouble and tanked their own value, the opportunity to rebuild would be gone.
"Let’s wait and see," Steve Patterson said, shaking his head.
’We don’t even know why the owner summoned us. No need to add to his worries.’
The two of them continued to talk in low voices as they reached the main villa building.
As they entered the main door, they found themselves in a vast, church-like foyer. A fighter jet was suspended from the ceiling by steel cables, a sight that left them both speechless.
A butler led them to the drawing room.
Huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked an artificial lake where two people were chatting and laughing.
"So you’re saying that if this technology you’re researching is successful, it could solve the problem of cartilage deterioration? And in the future, not just ordinary people, but professional athletes could use this new technology to fix their cartilage issues."
"Does your research and development project need more funding? I can sponsor you."
Paul Allen asked enthusiastically.
He was always interested in spending money.
"Not at the moment. We have funding from Eli Lilly," Chen Yu replied, shaking his head.
The main issue was the immense uncertainty in medical research. It could take ten years to get results, or Jamie could call him tomorrow and excitedly announce a breakthrough.
For a money pit like this, having Eli Lilly foot the bill was enough for now.
Paul Allen nodded, unbothered. "Chen, if you need anything, just give me a call anytime. I’m confident that any research project you’re leading will be a success."
Chen Yu smiled and thanked him, then turned to look at the two newcomers.
"You’re here."
Paul Allen stood up and gestured for them to sit down.
Steve Patterson and John Nash hurried forward to greet them.
They hadn’t expected Chen Yu to be there.
But it wasn’t a surprise, either. They’d often heard Paul Allen mention hiring Chen Yu’s consulting firm to improve the Pioneer.
Besides, for any team management in the NBA, Chen Yu was the one person you absolutely wanted to stay on good terms with.
Not to mention Chen Yu was now a part-owner of the Suns.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Paul Allen cut to the chase. "Steve, John, I’ve brought you here because I have an idea, and I’d like to hear your thoughts on it."
He gestured toward Chen Yu. "Yesterday, Chen and I had a long talk about the team’s future. He gave me a suggestion: a complete rebuild. This is a major decision, so I want to hear your recommendations."
The two men were stunned at first, then they exchanged a peculiar look.
They hadn’t expected Chen Yu to have come to the same conclusion they had.
In other words, Chen Yu’s advice was spot on. Given the Pioneer’s current situation, a rebuild really was the best option.
As his mind raced, Steve Patterson spoke first. "Sir, if we choose to rebuild, we’ll lose our competitive edge and won’t be able to guarantee another playoff appearance."
’If we’re going to rebuild, there’s only one way to do it.’
’Sell off valuable assets, trade for promising rookies, hoard draft picks, and then tank for a high-ranking pick.’
But this ran counter to Paul Allen’s stated goals, so he wanted to first probe Allen’s stance.
If Chen Yu had already convinced Paul Allen, then he would definitely support the rebuild.
’A rebuild would be great. No pressure to win, and my job would be a lot easier.’
’Besides, this is exactly what I’m good at.’
’My eye for the draft is pretty good, after all.’
Back with the Rocket, he was the one who handpicked Horry, who became a crucial piece of their championship puzzle.
Paul Allen glanced at Chen Yu and sighed. "If we’re choosing to rebuild, then of course the team’s record doesn’t matter."
Making the playoffs naturally has its benefits.
The league gives out bonuses, you sell more home game tickets, and it encourages fans to buy merchandise.
You can make more money.
But he’d already assembled a lineup worth one hundred million US dollars. Was he really someone who’d sweat over that kind of chump change?
So, just as Chen Yu said yesterday, if the team was just going to struggle in the first round of the playoffs, barely clinging to life, it was better to tear it all down and gamble on the future.
Steve Patterson understood immediately and couldn’t help but glance at Chen Yu again.
It was obvious that Paul Allen had only considered rebuilding because of Chen Yu’s suggestion.
The key point was that Paul Allen had actually *listened* to Chen Yu.
He’d long heard media reports that the two were close friends, and now it seemed to be true.
’If they weren’t close, why would a billionaire worth tens of billions so easily take his advice?’
"In that case, I think a rebuild is an excellent choice," Steve Patterson said immediately, then glanced at John Nash.
John Nash chimed in as well. "Our salary pressure is immense. By opting to rebuild and trading for rookies and draft picks, we can save a lot on luxury tax."
He had already started working to lower the payroll since taking over.
But the previous management had dug too deep a hole. While the Pioneer’s payroll for the current season wasn’t as outrageous as last year’s one hundred million US dollars, it was still 85 million.
They were still the league’s biggest sucker.
With the luxury tax officially kicking in this season, the Pioneer would be on the hook for over thirty million in taxes.
And if they kept the current roster, they would not only have to pay that much again next year, but it would also completely hamstring their ability to improve the team.
If they wanted to strengthen the roster for a championship run, Paul Allen would have to shell out even more cash.
So a rebuild would save Paul Allen a lot of money in the foreseeable future.
The man was rich, but his money didn’t just grow on trees. Being able to save was always a good thing.
Paul Allen let out a long sigh.
With all three of them recommending the same course of action, he was swayed.
"Alright then. We’ll go with a rebuild," Paul Allen announced.
His expression was somewhat forlorn.
In truth, saving money wasn’t his primary concern. The real reason he’d been swayed was what Chen Yu had told him yesterday: in the foreseeable future, the Pioneer had zero hope of winning a championship.
The Phoenix Suns were dominating the entire league.
And the Suns’ unique team-building strategy—assembling a roster of "the old, the infirm, and the disabled"—was something no other team could replicate anytime soon.
For the next two to three years, the Suns would remain a top championship contender.
Under these circumstances, no matter how much more money Paul Allen poured in, it would just be throwing good money after bad.
If he wanted a championship, he would just have to wait—wait for the Suns to dismantle their team, wait for O’Neal and Hardaway to grow old.