PG or JB?

"Tsk, Victor, I remember he just signed a four-year big contract with the team the month before last," Chen Xi thought. Although he knew Odie wouldn't stay with the Thunder for long, that was supposed to be next season.

George hasn't suffered his final blow this season yet (swept 4-0 by James' Cavaliers in the first round), so he shouldn't have a strong desire to leave yet.

Is this the butterfly effect of my arrival? It shouldn't be. What do the Pacers have to do with me??

Did the team see hope this season? Are they starting to reinforce early?

If it's really Paul George, then even Little Sabonis is in danger?!!

After all, just relying on Odie is far from enough to trade for George; he's one of the best small forwards in the league right now.

Chen Xi looked at Oladipo, who was still practicing shooting not far away.

He must not like being at the center of rumors.

The game against the Hornets wasn't difficult because they were blown out from the start. Except for Westbrook and Chen Xi, no one on the team was in sync. Odie shot a dismal 4 for 18, and even with Westbrook's big triple-double of 33+10+11, it was still a losing effort.

French Pippen, Nicolas Batum, and Kemba Walker, who were still in their prime, didn't miss this opportunity. Relying on their outstanding offensive firepower, they engaged in a shootout with the Thunder and ultimately won the game 123-104, handing the Thunder another heavy defeat.

After the game, the Thunder players rushed to the airport, as they had a back-to-back game against the Rockets the next day.

[Congratulations to the host for achieving the feat: Career total points surpassed 500, rewards have been issued.]

[Congratulations to the host for receiving rewards: 5 Free Attribute Points, 1 Designated Bronze Badge.]

Sitting on the plane, Chen Xi heard the pleasant system notification sound again.

"I almost forgot about this quest. Alright, alright, System, let's add some stats!"

[Please host select attribute to add points to.]

"Breakthrough! Breakthrough!"

[Point addition complete, host's Breakthrough attribute increased to 72] (Original 65, increased by 2 points through training)

"Alright, alright, let's continue. Designated Bronze Badge, right? Give me an Ankle Breaker!!!"

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Badge: Ankle Breaker (Bronze)]

"Nice! 72 Breakthrough plus a Bronze Ankle Breaker, and Silver First Step. Won't I be able to blow past anyone easily from now on?"

Chen Xi put on his eye mask and began to fantasize about the satisfying scenes of shaking opponents to the ground on the court. He had long wanted to defeat Irving and become LeBron's CBA star himself!!

After the plane landed in Houston, everyone hurried to the hotel to catch up on sleep. After all, they were all big guys, and the cramped cabin on the plane was not conducive to restful sleep.

However, Oladipo couldn't sleep.

Not long after getting off the plane, he received a call from his agent.

"Victor, you've been traded."

That simple sentence almost broke Odie.

"Where to?"

"Chicago."

"Okay, I understand." The man hung up the phone, lowering his head with a sense of loss.

Knock, knock, knock

Chen Xi opened the door and looked at Odie, who walked in, with some confusion.

"What's wrong, Victor?"

"Chris, I've been traded." Odie's voice even carried a hint of a sob.

"What?! So soon?! Uh, sorry, you know I only heard the trade rumors myself not long ago, but I didn't expect..."

Chen Xi was a bit at a loss. How should he comfort this Kobe Mamba?

"Business is just business, I know."

Oladipo seemed to have accepted the reality.

"Victor, don't be discouraged. This just means you're not in the team's plans, it doesn't mean you're being denied," Chen Xi tried his best to organize his words.

"It's okay, Chris, I know. I won't be depressed. I'll work even harder. You don't need to comfort me."

"Hahaha, I knew it. Your inner strength is immense."

"I just wanted to come say goodbye, since I'm leaving for Chicago soon."

"Chicago?!" Chen Xi was a little surprised. So it wasn't George.

"Yes, Chicago. My agent told me the team traded me for Jimmy Butler."

"!!" Chen Xi's face was full of shock.

"Good luck, Chen. We're still friends, aren't we?"

"Of course, Victor, we always will be!" Chen Xi stepped forward and hugged Odie.

"Let's keep working hard together, Victor. I look forward to seeing you at the All-Star Game."

"It won't be too long," Odie's tone was very firm.

No matter how much he said it was okay, he must still have some lingering resentment in his heart.

Being traded by the Magic and then the Thunder within a year, anyone would hold some resentment.

Odie's departure was sudden, or rather, the trade itself came out of nowhere.

On January 5, 2017, the Thunder sent Victor Oladipo and a Turkish center (I've simplified this player; I suspect even mentioning this idiot's name could affect moderation, and while he was called a Turkish center, he was later apparently stripped of his citizenship) to the Bulls in exchange for Jimmy Butler and Doug McDermott.

From a trade perspective, it was a case of each side getting what they needed.

The Thunder strengthened their wing and shooting, while the Bulls gained a promising rookie. Further moves were expected, and it was likely they would deal with Wade and Rondo's contracts to start a rebuild.

Butler and McDermott didn't head to Houston but directly to Oklahoma, where they would join the team's joint practice after passing their physicals and play in the game against the Nuggets on the 7th.

The Thunder had suddenly lost two important rotation players, so they should have been no match for the Rockets, who were on a roll.

However, Westbrook and Chen Xi suddenly exploded, snatching victory from Harden's hands.

Chen Xi played 39 minutes, shooting 13-of-20 from the field, 6-of-11 from three-point range, and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line for a career-high 35 points.

Westbrook played 41 minutes, shooting 16-of-34 from the field, 8-of-15 from three-point range, and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line for 49 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists.

While the two combined for 84 points, their opponent James Harden was surprisingly subdued, "only" scoring 26 points on 6-of-16 shooting.

This allowed the Rockets to suffer another defeat.

After the game, Chen Xi, for once, joined Westbrook to meet with James Harden, the future top shooting guard in the League, for a chat and to discuss Houston's nightlife.

Chen Xi had always admired explosive scorers like Harden, and Harden was exactly that. Plus, his personality off the court was hilarious, so the three of them easily hit it off, laughing and joking like old friends.

After a pleasant night in Houston, they flew back to OKC the next day with the team.

Upon entering the stadium, he saw the man in the grey training vest doing his daily routine with a trainer.

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.