Entering the Rotation

In the evening, Chen Xi rode in Westbrook's Ferrari F12 to his home.

"Damn! So this is a supercar. It feels amazing." Chen Xi genuinely envied the All-Star player's money-fueled lifestyle.

"Like it? How about we make a deal? The day you get promoted to the starting lineup by the coaching staff, I'll give you one."

"For real, godfather?!"

Westbrook grinned, joking around with Chen Xi.

There was no love without reason. Westbrook had taken a special interest in Chen Xi because of their interactions over the past few days.

Every day after training, he'd see this young man staying late to practice. No one could dislike someone hardworking, especially someone who was hardworking themselves.

Westbrook, who had been "betrayed" by Durant this summer, had been heartbroken at first. But luckily, his strong core helped him bounce back quickly.

This year, he would prove to the world that without Durant, the Thunder were still a strong team.

He would show Durant that his choice was wrong.

Basketball wasn't a one-man game, and Westbrook knew that well. Even someone as great as Kobe needed help from Gasol, Artest, Odom, and others.

So he'd been consciously scouting for promising teammates, hoping to help them improve. And that was when Chen Xi caught his eye.

After a few conversations, he found this young man surprisingly to his liking. He had an arrogant confidence unlike most Asian players, but he also knew his limits and how to handle conversations. Communicating with him was comfortable for Westbrook, so he didn't mind giving his new little brother some motivation.

"Wow, so when are we going to pick the specs? By the time the car arrives, I'll definitely be in the starting lineup!" Chen Xi's eyes lit up as he talked big.

"Forget it. No way I believe you can beat Victor."

Arrogance was one thing, but talking big to his face was another. Westbrook didn't hesitate to pour cold water on Chen Xi.

"Why does it have to be Victor? Can't I push you out of the starting spot?"

Chen Xi kept pressing.

"Dream on, rookie. Save that for when you're asleep."

The two chatted and laughed as they walked into Westbrook's mansion.

October 12th

Thunder vs. Mavericks

The 38-year-old German tank was fading, while the 28-year-old blue supercar was at his peak. The Mavericks' decline was plain to see. Deron Williams, only four years older than Westbrook, had never been the same "eat, sleep, beat Paul" point guard since leaving the Jazz (he was still solid in his first two years with the Nets, but in Dallas, he was done). Already a heavy guard, he couldn't keep up with Westbrook's pace at all.

Luckily, it was just a pre-season game. Westbrook was subbed out early, and the Thunder's primary ball-handler became the young Oladipo. Chen Xi was also subbed in, taking the SG spot, matched up against JJ Barea, who, like Deron, was 32. Interestingly, three of the Mavericks' starters were born in 1984, including Bogut, and both Deron and Barea shared the same birthday—June 26, 1984. A peculiar coincidence.

The youngest starter on the team was Harrison Barnes, born in 1992. The other three were 32, and one was 38. It was hard not to feel for them. The neighboring Spurs, long called old and aging, had already found their successors, while the Mavericks' new king seemed nowhere in sight (though he would arrive in 2018).

Facing the aging Mavericks, Chen Xi showed no mercy. In his limited playing time, he sprinted along the three-point line, constantly looking for opportunities. Relying on his excellent three-point attribute and shooting Badge, he went 5-for-7 from deep, scoring 15 points. He also delivered a highlight-worthy defensive play, shutting down Mavericks backup guard Devin Harris, forcing a turnover, and stealing the ball, catching Donovan's eye from the sidelines.

As time passed, the Thunder faced the Timberwolves and Nuggets in succession, along with the Mavericks, easily securing three straight wins to close out the 16-17 pre-season.

Chen Xi performed brilliantly, averaging 15.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 1 steal over 18 minutes per game across three outings. This earned him the coaching staff's favor.

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Sure enough, when the team released its official roster on October 25th, Chris Chen's name was prominently listed.

"Chris, looks like you're one step closer to that Ferrari."

Westbrook sent a congratulatory text that same day.

"See, I told you we should've gone to pick the specs that day!"

Chen Xi replied cheerfully, then headed to the kitchen to prepare a celebratory meal for himself.

{Don't want you to leave~~ Distance can't separate us~~}

Suddenly, a Chinese song rang in his ears.

Chen Xi picked up the phone.

"Hello, who's this?"

"Hello, is this Chris Chen?" A man's voice came through.

"Yes, what's up?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Darren Moon, and I'm a professional agent. As far as I know, you haven't signed with an agent yet, have you?" The man's tone carried confidence.

"Do you have some time? Maybe we can talk."

Oh, right. I don't have an agent yet.

Chen Xi, still not fully adjusted from being an ordinary person, had forgotten that he was now an NBA player earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year (pre-tax).

A fringe player was still an NBA player. A lean camel was bigger than a horse. That was enough to attract some professional agents. Plus, he was Chinese American, with the potential to tap into the Chinese market. (The reason for setting him as a U.S. citizen was convenience. A Chinese background would be more complicated to write, and I didn't want to deal with the Basketball Association's messy issues early on. His heart is Chinese!!!)

"Sure. Are you in Oklahoma?"

"Of course, sir. Could you give me an address? Would it be convenient for me to visit tomorrow?"

"Alright. See you tomorrow."

Chen Xi gave him an address, then hung up the phone.

He wasn't sure if this guy was reliable, but since no other agents had come knocking, he figured he'd check it out for now.

An agent could handle a lot of the trivial stuff in daily life, for a fee—pretty much like a personal butler. Without one, he'd have to deal with the team, negotiate endorsements with businesses, and everything else himself, which was a bit of a hassle.

Chen Xi mulled it over as he kept cooking.

Today's menu: Spicy Beef Rice Bowl!

The next day, Darren Moon from the phone call arrived at Chen Xi's place.

"Forgive my frankness, but your address is rather remote. It took some effort to get here, though I'm glad I didn't miss our appointment time," said a neatly dressed, courteous middle-aged man as he walked in with a smile.

"You've reminded me—I should be looking for a new place soon. This is too far from the arena."

"If we sign a deal smoothly, leave that little matter to me! Now, allow me to briefly introduce what I can do for you."

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