It wasn't until the end of the third quarter that Chen Cheng handed the tablet in his hand to Boss Cai.

The lineup he proposed:

Starters - Point Guard: Brogdon; Shooting Guard: Joe Harris; Small Forward: Durant; Power Forward: Jeff Green or Bane; Center: Turner or Allen.

Rotation: Dinwiddie, LeVert, Bane, Allen and Turner as backup for each other, Chris Chiozza, mid-level exception defensive guard, and wing.

Coaching staff—Head Coach Atkinson, Lead Assistant Udoka, Offensive Assistant Mike D'Antoni.

After reading the team-building plan, Boss Cai's eyes widened. He immediately grasped Chen Cheng's strategy and said in disbelief:

"Build the locker room culture around Durant with team basketball as the core?"

Chen Cheng nodded. "If you want to compete for a championship, locker room stability is more important."

Boss Cai frowned. "What about using Harden at point guard?"

A smile spread across Chen Cheng's lips; it was clear the "Big Three" plan had already been considered.

Businessmen are like that; they look three steps ahead for every one they take.

Chen Cheng shook his head. "Durant needs spacing support the most, like Harris and Turner; defensive anchors, like Turner, Allen, and Bane; and stable playmaking, not another ball-dominant superstar guard."

"The main thing is that acquiring The Beard would severely overdraw our future."

"Superstars are great, but the risk is too concentrated. Once a superstar gets injured, and the bench depth isn't enough, the championship hopes for the season are gone."

"As for ticket sales, while Durant might not have the flashiest star power, he is still one of the best scorers in the league."

"Besides, in a place like New Home, tickets sell regardless of whether you make the playoffs, let alone with Durant on the team."

"With this lineup, we can compete with Eastern Conference powerhouses like the Bucks, Heat, and Celtics, and reaching the deep rounds of the playoffs is absolutely no problem."

In reality, from Chen Cheng's omniscient perspective, it was indeed absolutely no problem.

But it all depended on whether Boss Cai had the guts to bet on Durant, after his Achilles tear, making a triumphant return.

However, on the point of concentrated superstar risk, Chen Cheng still managed to persuade Boss Cai.

There was a living example right on the court, shutting himself away, not speaking, not practicing...

What Boss Cai didn't know was that this top scorer would have new antics next year.

Boss Cai thought for a moment. "Bane? Is he really that important?"

This was the only rookie mentioned repeatedly in this lineup.

Judging by Boss Cai's expression, he clearly wasn't familiar with this player.

Chen Cheng smiled. This buddy was only selected at the end of the first round. It was perfectly normal that he hadn't caught the attention of owners yet.

In a parallel timeline, Bane was selected 30th overall in the first round by the Celtics and then traded to Phoenix.

He averaged 9.2 points per game in his rookie season.

Later he was traded to the Grizzlies, where his stats exploded, averaging 18.2, 21.5, and 23.7 in the three seasons after arriving.

His career three-point shooting percentage is over 41%.

Bane is also quite adept at organizing the team's offense.

He is also very strong and can make an impact on the defensive end.

Being able to draft such a player at the end of the first round is like finding a treasure.

Keeping Atkinson is also in preparation for developing Bane.

Chen Cheng nodded. "A top-tier 3D rookie, strong defense, consistent shooting, and he can also organize the team's offense."

As he spoke, Chen Cheng smiled, adding a justification for his choice of Bane. "Boss Cai, the NCAA is also very entertaining."

Boss Cai laughed and looked at Chen Cheng. "But there's no DeAndre Jordan in this plan?"

Chen Cheng thought about it. "Because trading him or keeping him temporarily are both viable options."

"If we trade him, we should do it immediately in the offseason, trading him to a team with cap space, like the Thunder, in exchange for a trade exception and a second-round pick."

"This clears long-term salary burdens and avoids a luxury tax disaster."

"If we don't move him, we can have him play as a fake starting center next season, but with limited playing time. Then, before the trade deadline next year, we can package him with a second-round pick to trade for a 3D wing, like Tucker."

This last part is about padding stats to sell him for a good price.

Plenty of people have been tricked by this method.

Now Boss Cai's eyes truly widened, and a smile appeared on his face. "I've always heard that Chairman Chen is devious as a demon; today I've finally witnessed it."

"To come up with such an actionable plan in such a short time is truly impressive."

Chen Cheng laughed. "Boss Cai, you're too kind. I just have a good memory."

"And I'm just a bit aimless, I like watching basketball."

Boss Cai's lips curled into a smile, but he said nothing. How could he possibly believe Chen Cheng's self-deprecating nonsense?

His deep eyes behind his square glasses looked toward Euro God, who was currently attacking with the ball on the court.

His gaze was soft, but his smile held a deeper meaning.

Chen Cheng turned to glance at Boss Cai; he wasn't completely sold yet.

Thinking for a moment, he took the tablet back from Boss Cai's hands.

Boss Cai was stunned by Chen Cheng's action.

But he didn't interrupt.

Before the game ended, Chen Cheng gave a new team-building plan to Boss Cai.

This was a plan to package Euro God + DeAndre Jordan and trade them to the Thunder for Chris Paul + Gallinari + a first-round pick.

The final core lineup would be Paul + Joe Harris + Durant + Gallinari + Allen, and they would still need to acquire Bane as a rookie.

Chen Cheng had one other consideration, but it wasn't reflected in the current plan.

That was to take advantage of the future conflict between the Rockets and The Beard to swoop in and loot the burning house.

Making an offer to the Rockets with LeVert + Prince + 2022 first-round pick; if it worked, it would be a huge steal, forming a new Big Three.

If it failed, they could just act like nothing happened.

In any case, they would absolutely not trade away quality assets like Allen, Bane, or first-round picks after 2024.

Whether the trade with the Rockets succeeded and how to execute it depended on how the management padded the stats for LeVert + Prince.

Boss Cai's eyes lit up immediately upon seeing the new plan; clearly, Chris Paul was more attractive than Brogdon.

Boss Cai's smile was radiant, and his eyes became sharp. "If Chairman Chen came to play in the NBA, it would definitely be very interesting."

Chen Cheng smiled. "Maybe there will be a chance in the future."

This "play" wasn't about playing basketball or participating in activities, but about buying a team to play around with.

Chen Cheng neither refused nor denied it.

After all, who knows about the future.

On the court, the game ended, and the Nets lost to Philadelphia 106-117.

Euro God remained passive even with the owner watching, performing poorly with 14+6+4—yes, six rebounds, four assists...

The highest scorer for the Nets was Dinwiddie, who was implicitly or explicitly chosen as the sixth man in Chen Cheng's plan, or was about to be traded.

He finished with 26+2+8.

After the game, Chen Cheng said his goodbyes and left with Anna.

From start to finish, Chen Cheng and Boss Cai didn't discuss a single word about Company Name's fundraising.

Yes, that's right, the real purpose of Boss Cai seeking out Chen Cheng was his interest in Chen Cheng's fund with a 30% annualized return.