"No problem, get ready to report to the league office. I'll wait for your news."
"Hey, is it really that simple? Why?"
"What do you mean why? You want it, I want to sell, isn't it a success then?"
"But... others have better offers."
"But you have Ah Gan, consider it a gift from me."
Danny Ainge immediately realized it wasn't that simple. Vandeweghe was Gan Guoyang's teammate during their time with the Trail Blazers, and Vandeweghe won three championship rings with Ah Gan, achieving great success.
It was said that the management initially wanted to trade Vandeweghe to another team to get a player with better defense and build a championship team.
Ah Gan firmly opposed sending Cheche away, insisted on keeping him with the Trail Blazers, and personally patched up the defensive gaps, establishing the first dynasty of the Trail Blazers.
Vandeweghe enjoyed this glory and became a cornerstone player of the first dynasty.
Although he was sent to the Knicks in his later career, his career ended shortly after, and his glory stayed in Portland, with all his honors coming from Portland.
This season, Vandeweghe became the general manager of the Nuggets, just like Ainge, a rookie manager facing the same challenges of lacking connections and resources.
"Hey Cheche, consider this me owing you one. If you need anything in the future, just let me know."
"Can I have Ah Gan?"
"Can I give you myself?"
The two laughed on the phone, and after hanging up, Ainge immediately called the league office to report.
Then he called Gan Guoyang to report the situation: "We've traded for Van Exel."
"I know."
"Oh, Cheche told you."
"Of course, if he didn't tell me, would the Nuggets be able to trade with us?"
"What are the terms?"
"What terms? Do you think we have some under-the-table deal?"
"Don't we?"
"Danny, you're really underestimating my influence. My goodwill is the condition, got it?"
Ainge said no more; he understood the weight of those words. Ah Gan's goodwill will be useful when needed in the future.
Besides, Vandeweghe and Ah Gan were former teammates and good friends, so it's normal for a new general manager to give some face.
As for Van Exel, the Nuggets didn't really want to keep him anyway. The guy was indeed strong but too unruly, and it had only gotten worse over the years.
In the 1996-1997 season, he left, departing from the Portland Trail Blazers. After being traded to the Hawks, he moved to the Warriors, then came to the Nuggets, and couldn't stay for even a season and a half.
From Van Exel's perspective, he seemed never able to get over the departure in 1997; his fate changed at that moment.
He left Portland and began to wander, while the Trail Blazers smoothly launched their third dynasty the next season, winning three championships and achieving a miraculous 77-win season, all of which had nothing to do with Van Exel.
The more successful the Trail Blazers became, the harder it was for Van Exel to accept. He had thought he was very important to the Trail Blazers, not knowing that it was significant that he was not.
Over the years, Van Exel's stats remained stagnant. With teams like the Hawks, Warriors, and Nuggets being middle to lower-tier, he played similar games, lived similar days, and got similar contracts, gradually drifting away from the real main stage.
His three-point shots became more frequent and more reckless, with attempts constantly increasing, while his hit rate remained stable at around 35% with no improvement.
In November 2001, Van Exel celebrated his 30th birthday. He played well with the Nuggets, achieving a career-high scoring average of 21 points per game.
But everyone knew that this number was stacked through extensive ball possession, and the team's record was a complete mess.
Denver Nuggets' legend Dan Issel stepped down, and Mike Evans took over the coaching role. Everyone knew Evans was an interim figure, and Van Exel was temporary too.
The Nuggets' rebuild was imminent, and as the new general manager, Vandeweghe would certainly make some trades.
Van Exel knew he wasn't in the Nuggets' future plans. As early as last December, he publicly stated he wanted to be traded to a team that could contend for a championship.
Vandeweghe had been trying to trade Van Exel since January, but always struggled to find a suitable trade partner.
Either someone like Glory wasn't satisfied with the trade offer, thinking they were offering too little.
Or teams were unwilling just to take Van Exel alone and would require Lafrentz to be included.
Vandeweghe didn't want to part with this white interior player, yet many teams wanted Lafrentz, viewing Van Exel as a hassle, a throw-in.
After going around in circles and seeing the trade deadline approaching, Gan Guoyang contacted Vandeweghe and suggested handing Van Exel over to them.
As for the trade offer, Gan Guoyang said, the players he selected wouldn't be that bad.
After evaluating Eddie House's performance, Vandeweghe thought Gan Guoyang made sense.
Considering Gan Guoyang's goodwill, Vandeweghe agreed to the trade, called Ainge, and completed the exchange before the deadline.
The league quickly approved the trade, Vandeweghe informed Van Exel, who hadn't played in two weeks and even recently hadn't practiced with the team.
Gan Guoyang must have known this situation; the Nuggets were at a point where they couldn't hold back, if they didn't trade, this tough case would rot in their hands.
Trading, no matter what the offer, at least gets them something usable.
More importantly, the Nuggets planned to wholeheartedly tank next season in preparation for the 2003 draft.