One Goal-- Jack Walker's NBA Journey

[Son of Sam99]

Quote: Originally Posted by dodar

To be honest, depending on what they have done I would say go to the Pacers... With Paul George you two could make a REALLY good duo even if Jack is earning a bit less a year... Phoenix wouldn't help much for winning a title (unless they got LeBron lol) just my two cents

Hey I appreciate it, I'm all about reader input! Things will become clearer in the next update which I hope to have up today (fingers crossed).

[ChosenOne58]

I agree that Indy would be a good move for you with PG24.You could run the East along with the Heat, but now Kobe is going to be standing between you and your championship.

Good drama

[Son of Sam99]

Chapter 32 You Know I’m Always Guessing


Jack Walker couldn’t believe the money teams were willing to throw at him. $15 million a year to bounce a rubber ball seemed unfathomable. Not only that but he was getting text messages from guys like LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul George, and OJ Mayo trying to encourage him to come play for their team. Despite all the flattery though, he was actually really pissed at the Lakers and Mitch Kupchack. The fact that they wouldn’t send an offer that was even close to competitive bothered him to no end.

As the free agent signing period opened Nick Kennedy ended up being right in that all big names on the table announced their intentions right away and as it so happened they were all on the move. Miami’s big three got the titles they wanted and split town, as LeBron decided on Boston and Chris Bosh ironically chose Cleveland. Pau Gasol signed with the Suns, the only team willing to sign him for more than two years. Carmello Anthony surprised no one by leaving New York but turned around and shocked the media by signing with New Orleans of all teams. Kobe signed a massive deal for a ridiculous four years to stay in LA. James Harden was tired of being the 6th man in OKC and signed with Minnesota, he was the only addition to any of the teams Jack was still interested in.

For his part, over the time leading up to the signing period, Jack hadn’t come much closer to a decision. Nick Kennedy tried to work the Lakers for a better deal, and was optimistic after it was confirmed that Gasol would be heading to phoenix but for whatever reason they wouldn’t up their offer. Kupchak tried to contact him a few times but Jack wouldn’t take the call, he didn’t want to hear what the GM had to say.

--

“Sorry about the offer man. Its bull**it that they wouldn’t at least make it competitive.” Jodie Meeks mused while he and Jack watched over his three year old daughter and sipped beers.

“Eehh what can you do? Its business I guess.” Jack offered

“Yeah it is but it’s also about winning, maybe more so for this franchise than any of the other ones. I mean that offer is a slap in the face.” Jack wondered if his friend was even more pissed than he was about the situation. “Well anyway it was a blast training with you last year. Can I convince you to spend the summer here or you think you’ll move right away to wherever it is you decide to go?”

“Well I’m still considering everything. I’ll probably still stay here next season.”

“WHAT!?” Jodie nearly spit his beer right out. “You can’t take the offer. No way!”

“Why not?”

“It’s a slap in the face to the rest of us!” Jodie was really hot about this. “The players association would not be happy at all.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Look you’re one of the best point guards in the NBA. No matter how much you want to think you’re still the underdog scrapping for playing time but you’re a starter and a star player. This deal they’re offering?... Hell I make more than that!”

“Really?”

“It’s a raw deal for sure. They’re trying to get you for way under market value. You want to be a man of the people, taking a pay cut to win a title that’s fine but this is more than just a pay cut. This is the organization trying to cover up its bad contracts with Artest and now Kobe.” Meeks paused at this and sipped his beer. “I’m sad to see you go but this is your career your messin’ with…You can’t take this deal man.”

Jack pondered Jodie’s words as they sat in silence.

--

“You want to stay in LA Right?” Lauren asked while she and Jack enjoyed dinner at a low rent steakhouse in the valley.

“Yeah absolutely but this is a BS offer.”

“It is, but you’ll have more exposure here than anywhere else, plus you get to still play with Kobe Bryant! And now the east is weak with LeBron no longer in Miami, between you and Kobe and Bynum you’ll cruise to a championship.”

“All true.”

“And you’d still get to play at Staples…. Plus I’m here!” Lauren trailed off slightly on her last point.

“All true indeed.” Jack smiled and the two continued their meal. Jack hadn’t told Lauren what Jodie had said, or that both David West and Andray Blatche agreed when he had spoken with the veterans over the phone.

--

Later that night while Lauren slept in his bed Jack sat in the other room with a pen and made a list of the teams he was still considering. He had mentally crossed off the Grizzlies and Thunder leaving the Lakers, Pacers, Timberwolves, and Trailblazers. Taking stock of the remaining teams Jack wrote each city on a blank stat sheet and began to jot down their pros and cons.

‘Portland has a great fanbase… Minnesota has a fairly young roster… Indy is close to home… LA has the best weather…’ He thought while writing. ‘Indy may want me to sit be behind Collison… I don’t really like living in LA… Not sure I’d start in Portland… Minnesota is under a foot of snow six months of the year…’

After listing out several more details for each franchise Jack sat back and rubbed his eyes realizing he hadn’t really come much closer to a decision. He sat for a moment then decided to boil it all down to three questions; did he want to take the raw deal and stay in Los Angelis? And if not, did he want to continue the tradition and legacy of a proud franchise like Indiana or Portland? Or did he want to build a whole new tradition in Minnesota?

Almost out of nowhere Jack thought of what David West had said to him when they spoke on the phone ‘This is a big time career decision, you don’t have a family so you’ve got to be thinking of only your career and your happiness when you’re considering different teams.’ With that advice in mind Jack decided his time as a Laker was over and circled the town in which he would be playing basketball next season...

[ChosenOne58]

Head on over to Indy, bro. You know you want to...

[dodar]

Legit go to Indy, this is an amazing dynasty! I love it! )


#ripcity

[Son of Sam99]

I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN

[Son of Sam99]

Chapter 32 You Know I’m Always Guessing (contd)

“You can’t be serious!” Lauren shouted at Jack. “I can’t believe you would let me think you were going to stay here when this whole time like a fu**ing idiot!”

“I’m doing what I think is right for my career.” Jack said, knowing no matter what he said he was in for the full tongue lashing he had coming his way.

“Bull**it.” Lauren said. “You see all those zeroes on the dotted line and you don’t give a sh*t about me anymore… You go around saying you don’t care about the money but that’s garbage, you’re just as selfish as all the rest of them.”

“I want to build a winning tradition…”

“No you don’t you obviously just want to build that bank account. I mean you’d leave LA for a sh**hole like that, everyone is going to see right through you.”

“I don’t care I just want to win.”

“That is such GARBAGE! You want to be rich and you want to bang around with those tramps because now you’ll be a big fish in a small pond getting grade C NBA groupie pu**y!”

“Look I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Well you did a fine f***ing job of that.” She paused while Jack studied the tops of his shoes. “The cit y of LA is going to hate you… And you know what? You deserve every bit of it.” Lauren’s voice cracked at this as she grabbed her keys and purse and slammed the door hard enough for a picture of the two of them to fall from off of the wall.

Jack continued to study the tops of his shoes while reflecting internally on how much of a jerk he felt like. Regardless of the abrupt end to his and Lauren’s relationship he was still confident in his decision and texted Nick Kennedy.

“I’ve made my decision”

Spoiler

[dodar]

TIMBERWOLVES?!?!


#ripcity