"Fakpetri, that damn liar."
Brian's curse snapped Chen Yu back to attention.
Chen Yu turned his head to look.
This time was a little better. At least he hadn't slammed the phone down.
"The Kings backed out?" Chen Yu asked with a frown.
Brian plopped into his seat, frustration evident as he loosened his collar. "That's right. They said that after careful consideration, they still don't think Rodney is a good fit for them."
Chen Yu sighed and asked, "What about the other teams?"
Brian gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. "Chen, you really have no idea how much the rest of the league can't stand us."
From their veteran-focused "Sunset" team-building strategy that became famous throughout the league, to the formation of the Five-star Phoenix Suns, to this year's three-peat championship, the vigilance and hostility from other teams—especially those with championship aspirations—had reached an all-time high.
Only the tanking teams were slightly less hostile.
