Basketball System: Hate Makes Me Unstoppable

(TL/n: Guess who's back?

I've re-translated the previous two chapters since they were done on the phone. So for those who want to jog their memories a little, you can re-read those.

I've got a lot of ground to cover now as the original author has since increased the gap to over 100 chapters...

Good news is we're back to the usual shcedule. Expect 3-5 chapters daily.

Also I want to thank everyone who's been sending me power stones through the hiatus. Or else I might've just forgotten about this xD.)

The day after the draft, Han Sen and Rondo drove to Cleveland in Han's Rolls Royce.

Gay and Randolph were still in Memphis. When they heard Han was leaving, they came to see him off.

Gay's eyes reddened again. A straightforward person's emotions are always more easily stirred.

Han patted Gay on the shoulder. "This isn't some tragic goodbye."

He'd return to Memphis to play games, not to mention the All-Star Weekend being held there next year.

As he waved goodbye to Gay and the others, Han's gaze fell on the Pyramid Arena in the distance.

At that moment, he felt the peculiarities of life.

Who would've thought that the scene when he arrived four years ago would look exactly the same when he was leaving now?

But this time, there was no dilly-dallying. They drove straight to Cleveland.

The familiar fresh air, lush greenery, and cityscapes greeted him again.

After all this time, he was back in this retirement-friendly city.

This time, though, they didn't have to figure everything out themselves. The Cavaliers had already arranged a luxurious villa near the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for them.

After the dynasty-building success in Memphis, Han's return to Cleveland was nothing short of a triumphant homecoming.

Not long after his arrival, David Griffin came by to see him, bringing along some items—an access card for the arena, a directory of the Cavaliers' management team, and more.

Griffin was a very reliable man.

Having known Han for years, he also understood Han's needs.

But Griffin wasn't just there to deliver these items; he had more to discuss.

First, the head coaching situation.

Last season, the Cavaliers had gone all out to make the playoffs.

They re-signed former head coach Mike Brown, added Jarrett Jack, and later traded for Luol Deng and Spencer Hawes.

But they still fell short of making the playoffs.

Though that failure seemed like a blessing in disguise now, the management had decided to part ways with Brown again.

And yes, Han's presence did factor into this decision.

Back when they'd worked together, Han and Brown hadn't gotten along well. Keeping Brown would only create unnecessary friction.

With Brown gone, they needed a replacement.

The leading candidate was Mike Malone.

When Han left Cleveland, Malone left with him.

Over the years, Malone had steadily climbed the coaching ladder, becoming the head coach of the Sacramento Kings last season.

Though Malone got along well with DeMarcus Cousins, the team's 28-54 record had him on the brink of being fired.

Given the history between Han and Malone, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Han had no objections to bringing Malone back.

Though they hadn't worked together in four years, they'd stayed in touch. Malone congratulated Han after each championship win.

After years in the NBA, Han had a solid understanding of head coaches.

As long as the coach didn't create problems and could communicate well with players, they were already better than most.

Besides, Malone knew his stuff.

Griffin then shifted the discussion to free agency.

The NBA evolves quickly. Most of the Cavaliers from Han's previous stint were either retired, like Shaquille O'Neal and Antawn Jamison, or out of the league.

The only ones still active were LeBron, Han, Mo Williams, and Delonte West.

West had played for the Grizzlies on a one-year minimum deal last season and was now a free agent.

With Billups mostly sidelined, West had seen significant minutes, averaging 6.2 points and 2.5 assists per game.

Meanwhile, Mo Williams had bounced around the league, playing for the Clippers, Jazz, and Trail Blazers.

He'd signed a 2-year, $5.6 million deal with Portland, averaging 9.1 points and 4.7 assists last season. He was expected to decline his player option to re-sign.

Griffin planned to bring both players back.

Between Malone and former Cavaliers players, it was clear the management was going all out to make Han feel at home.

Of course, considering what Dan Gilbert had told him before, there was also a subtle motive to prove that Cleveland's lack of success was LeBron's fault, not the team's.

Han had no problem with any of this.

However, he didn't delve deeper into the details with Griffin.

The Cavaliers were in a state of transition.

Players like Deng and Hawes had expiring contracts, and Griffin's roster list showed that only a handful of players—Irving, Tristan Thompson, Dante Cunningham, Jarrett Jack, Anderson Varejão, and Matthew Dellavedova—were under guaranteed contracts.

Altogether, their salaries amounted to just $44 million, nearly $20 million below the cap.

This meant they had plenty of room to maneuver during the summer.

But they couldn't make moves blindly; the team's playing style had to be determined first.

The Cavaliers' situation was completely different from the Grizzlies'.

When Han joined Memphis, the Grizzlies already had a well-established system. Han was simply a piece of the puzzle.

Of course, he ended up being the biggest piece.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, were starting from scratch.

With a new coach and a new system, no one knew yet what style they'd adopt next season.

Only after that was determined could they sign the right players.

This would all hinge on Malone's arrival.

With free agency opening in two days, time was tight for Cleveland.

After Griffin left, Han got to work.

He asked Rondo to scout out potential houses.

Despite spending four years in Memphis, Han never considered buying property there due to safety concerns.

Cleveland, with its great environment, was a different story. Han planned to buy a home this summer.

Meanwhile, Han drove to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Humans crave a sense of belonging, and while Han had played in this arena before, returning as a Cavalier felt entirely different.

As he parked and prepared to enter, he glanced up at the front of the arena and couldn't help but smile.

There, towering over the entrance, was a brand-new poster of himself in a No. 77 Cavaliers jersey.

Four years ago, he'd complained about the slow updates to the arena's posters. This time, they'd been astonishingly quick.

Using the access card Griffin had given him, Han walked straight into the locker room.

When he stepped into the familiar "locker room sauna," Han Sen noticed that the locker that used to belong to him had been completely cleared out, and his nameplate was already back in place.

Perhaps it wasn't the arena staff suddenly becoming more efficient, but rather a directive from the management.

Han Sen fumbled in his pocket for a moment and pulled out the nameplate Griffin had given him years ago. 

He'd kept it in his wallet as a memento, swapping wallets several times but always keeping the nameplate. 

However, compared to the new one, the old nameplate had yellowed slightly with age. 

He placed the old nameplate in front of the new one. 

Looking at the scene in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of emotion. 

It was like those moments in life when you feel as if you just graduated from college yesterday, even though years have passed. Now, being back with the Cavaliers, it felt as if he had never left. 

After putting his bag into the locker, he started changing into his gear. 

He hadn't trained much over the past few days, and it was about time to get active again. 

The training facility was just as familiar to him, and he quickly settled into his routine. 

After practicing for only a short while, Dante Cunningham walked in. 

The guy had originally gone to Miami for a vacation but took the earliest flight back to Cleveland upon hearing that Han Sen had returned. 

Seeing Han Sen, Cunningham was so excited that if Han hadn't stopped him, the guy might have launched himself at Han like Harden did to Yao Ming, with all 200 pounds of his body. 

"Boss, why didn't you tell me earlier that you were coming back? I could've picked you up!" 

Hearing the familiar yet distant nickname, Han Sen could only shake his head with a smile. 

After seeing the crazed video of Cavaliers fans welcoming him back, he had chosen to keep things as low-key as possible. 

The new season presented significant challenges, and he needed to focus on getting himself into peak condition before it began. 

"I'm already here. Go get changed and practice with me," Han Sen said while starting his warm-up. 

Cunningham nodded and hurried back to the locker room.

...

Moments later, he returned in his training gear. 

The two played one-on-one for over half an hour. 

Cunningham's skills, particularly his defense, had improved year by year, which was why he'd managed to remain in the league as an undersized big man. 

However, the gap between him and Han Sen was enormous—Han was basically just warming up. 

After their scrimmage, they sat courtside to chat. 

"Boss, if you didn't come back, I feel like in two years I'd have no choice but to go play in the CBA," Cunningham joked, alluding to how playing for a weak team for too long could lower a player's value. 

"But now that you're here, I don't think anyone will want to face us next season." 

Han Sen couldn't help but laugh at that. Clearly, this guy had been keeping up with the news about him. 

"Tell me about the team," Han Sen said. 

He had deliberately avoided discussing the roster in detail with Griffin earlier because, compared to management, players often had a more grounded understanding of their teammates. 

Cunningham had been a reserve for most of his time with the Cavaliers, initially backing up Jamison and later Tristan Thompson. 

After his contract expired last season, the Cavaliers re-signed him to a three-year, $8.9 million deal. 

Though his role and contract weren't significant, he had gradually become a "veteran" on the team. No one knew the ins and outs of the Cavaliers better than he did. 

"Kyrie is a very contradictory person. He's extremely confident—he believes he can handle everything on his own—but his emotional intelligence is low. Boss, you know what I mean? He's the kind of guy who says before a game that we need to play as a team, but then goes out there and plays hero ball all by himself." 

Hearing this, Han Sen instinctively rubbed his temples. He'd known Kyrie would be a handful, but it seemed the situation was worse than he had anticipated. 

"That said, off the court, he's actually a great guy. He gives us Christmas gifts and frequently helps out underprivileged communities." 

Kyrie was undoubtedly one of the NBA's most complex personalities. 

"TT is the toughest guy I've ever seen on the court, but his temper isn't great. He's also a regular at nightclubs—who knows how he manages to show up the next day full of energy after a night out?" 

Han Sen laughed at that. 

Thompson's nightlife habits weren't surprising, given that he was the only one in the NBA to break through the Kardashian family's "full-court press." 

Forget the mythical 28 Club; if anyone was truly unbreakable, it had to be TT. 

"Spencer's nickname is 'Needle.' He hasn't been with the team long, but he's one of the most popular guys. Just like his nickname suggests, he's great at threading the needle with his passes, and off the court, he brings everyone together. He's also a foodie and a hairstylist—really cool guy." 

Han Sen didn't know much about Spencer Hawes. From previous matchups, he only remembered him as a three-point-shooting big man. 

Now it seemed he could do much more than that—a bit like a budget version of Jokic. 

"Luol is a very composed guy, a natural leader, and a true team player. But he doesn't seem happy here; I think he's likely to leave this summer." 

Deng was the kind of player who often flew under the radar. Han Sen knew from "history" that Deng had later landed a massive contract with the Lakers, though injuries and age eventually caught up with him. 

Before his decline, though, he was one of the best second-tier forwards in the league—a cost-effective, versatile wing with excellent defense, even better than Gay's. 

"Matthew is the hardest-working player on the team. Boss, I've rarely seen anyone train as intensely as you, but he's one of them." 

Cunningham specifically mentioned Matthew Dellavedova among the reserves. 

Han Sen had a deep impression of Dellavedova, given that Australia's backcourt duo—Dellavedova and Patty Mills—was still terrorizing opponents in their late 30s. 

Looking at the roster now, the Cavaliers weren't as bad as they seemed last season. The issue might really have been Kyrie's inability to lead the team effectively. 

Or, more accurately, the team lacked someone who could keep Kyrie in check. 

Griffin wasted no time. While Han Sen was training at the arena, Griffin had flown to Sacramento. 

That same day, Mike Malone reached a buyout agreement with the Kings and signed a four-year, $10 million contract with the Cavaliers. 

On the eve of free agency, Han Sen met a travel-weary Malone at the Quicken Loans Arena. 

Compared to four years ago, Malone now looked noticeably older. Despite being only 43, streaks of gray had appeared at his temples. 

The pressure of being an NBA head coach was worlds apart from being an assistant. 

The former mentor and student exchanged smiles and shared a firm, heartfelt hug. 

It's worth noting that the buyout terms for coaches are less favorable than being outright fired, meaning Malone had made financial sacrifices. 

But how could he say no when Han Sen was back with the Cavaliers? 

Back then, they had both been supporting cast members, unable to decide the team's fate. 

But this time, they would be the ones steering the ship.