Capítulo 105: I Must Get Curry!
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Jeff Austin wasn't entirely sure if what Liam had said was true or not, but one thing was certain: Liam was no ordinary coach. He was the owner of the Warriors, a wealthy man, and someone Jeff, as an agent, needed to cultivate a relationship with.
With a quick adjustment to his tone, Jeff immediately shifted his stance. "Liam, since you've bought the Warriors, then naturally, the best choice for Stephen is Golden State."
Liam smiled, satisfied with Jeff's swift understanding. He had no desire to put himself above others, even if he was now a team owner. Deep down, Liam still saw himself as a coach at heart.
What Liam didn't realize was that while Jeff Austin wasn't yet well-known, he would go on to represent future stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young. Though he wouldn't reach the fame of agents like Rich Paul, Jeff would become one of the top agents in the NBA, with a remarkable talent for building relationships and navigating complex dynamics.
Dell Curry, who had barely recovered from the shock of learning that Liam had bought the Warriors, shook his head with a wry smile. "Liam, you're something else... Jeff's right, though. With you in charge, the Warriors are definitely the best fit for Stephen. And Coach Nelson's system suits him perfectly."
Liam smiled, but there was a glint in his eye. "I don't think Stephen needs to learn Coach Nelson's system. I'll be the new head coach of the Warriors."
A heavy silence filled the room. It was rare enough for an NBA team owner to also be a coach, and the idea seemed almost unthinkable. Putting these two titles together sounded awkward, even absurd. But, considering that Liam had become the head coach of an NCAA team at 23, bought the Warriors at 26, and was now taking on coaching duties again—it almost made sense.
Almost.
"But the Warriors only have the No. 7 pick," Jeff Austin broke the silence, his mind racing. "It's unlikely Stephen will still be available by then. Are you planning on making a trade?"
Liam turned to Jeff, raising an eyebrow. "Since your original plan was to send Stephen to the Knicks, I assume you've already got something in mind? After all, the Knicks only have the No. 8 pick, which is even lower than ours."
Jeff quickly jumped in to explain. "Yes, exactly. The Knicks were planning to trade up. I had worked with Donnie Walsh, the president of basketball operations, to arrange for Stephen to work out in Chicago and New York only. We were going to publicly state that Stephen wouldn't go anywhere else besides the Knicks. It was a strategy we developed to make sure New York could secure him."
"It's a solid plan," Liam acknowledged, "but unfortunately, it won't work for us."(1)
In a previous timeline, Jeff Austin had implemented this very plan before Curry entered the draft. At the time, the Memphis Grizzlies had shown great interest in Curry and desperately wanted him to attend a workout. However, Austin declined their invitation, forcing the Grizzlies to hesitate. Without seeing Curry in action, they passed on him, drafting Hasheem Thabeet instead—a notorious bust.
The Warriors, however, didn't need a workout. They took Curry with the No. 7 pick, and Jeff Austin made a bold public statement: "Even if the Warriors select him, Curry will not play for Golden State." Knicks fans at the draft were devastated, their hopes crushed. Yet, in the end, Curry didn't refuse. He reported to the Warriors without issue, and the Knicks missed their best chance to change their fortunes.
In this new timeline, Curry's stock was even higher, having won two championships and showcased his elite shooting and scoring ability. More teams would certainly be vying for his talents.
If Jeff Austin repeated the same approach, there would undoubtedly be other teams willing to take the risk. For a player like Curry, whose superstar potential was clear, it would be worth the gamble.
"So, what's your strategy then?" Jeff asked, confused. This had been his best plan.
Liam grinned. "Don't forget, I bought the Warriors in secret. No one knows I'm behind this."
Two days later, in New York City, at Madison Square Garden.
Mike D'Antoni sat in his office, frowning at the computer screen. He was watching footage from the Knicks' games from the previous season, and the more he watched, the angrier he became.
"Cazzo!" he cursed in Italian, slamming his hand on the desk in frustration before turning off the video.
The Knicks had finished the season with a record of 32 wins and 50 losses, ranking second to last in the Eastern Conference. They had now missed the playoffs for five consecutive years.
D'Antoni was fed up. Some of the players were only interested in padding their stats, while others, who had signed big contracts, were just going through the motions, enjoying the nightlife in New York more than the game itself.
It was no secret that the Knicks' owner, James Dolan, was notorious for meddling in team affairs. Under his leadership, and with Isaiah Thomas calling the shots for years, the team had become a laughingstock. Even after Thomas was fired, the damage was done. The Knicks were a mess.
D'Antoni knew that if he stayed with this team for a few more years, it might just give him high blood pressure or a heart attack.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself. His eyes landed on the scouting report sitting on his desk, with "Stephen Curry" printed at the top. The pages were filled with his own notes, and the sight of them brought him some relief.
At least there was Curry. D'Antoni was confident that if they could draft Curry, the Knicks could begin to turn things around.
To D'Antoni, Curry was the missing piece in his fast-paced, run-and-gun offense. He had thought Steve Nash was the perfect point guard for that system, but after watching Curry's college highlights, he realized Curry might be even better.
"I must get Curry," D'Antoni muttered under his breath.
As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," D'Antoni called out, straightening up.
Donnie Walsh, the Knicks' president of basketball operations, entered the office. He saw the scouting report in D'Antoni's hand and smiled.
"Mike, I've spoken to Curry's agent, Jeff Austin," Walsh said. "Curry will only participate in the combine in Chicago and our private workout. We'll also put out the word that he won't play for any team but the Knicks. I'm working on trading up, so don't worry. I'll make sure we get Curry to New York."
End of this chapter
Note(1): It is normal for the improved curry performance to be given a better pick.
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