There were three interviewers in total. Two of them had nameplates on the table before them: on the far left sat Rockets president George Postolos, and in the middle was outgoing general manager Carroll Dawson.
The man on the far right had no nameplate, yet he was someone Yang Shuai recognized immediately: Rockets owner Leslie Alexander.
Perhaps because they had been conducting interviews all day, all three appeared somewhat fatigued—especially Alexander, who seemed on the verge of dozing off.
When Dawson saw that the next candidate walking in was Yang Shuai, he brushed aside his weary expression, his eyes lighting up with keen interest.
"What is your honest assessment of our current roster, salary structure, and draft assets?"
Following a brief opening exchange, Dawson got straight to questioning. His opening query was markedly different from the ones Jerry West and Danny Ferry had posed earlier. Clearly, the expectations for a general manager were nothing like those for an ordinary front-office staffer.
"Before I answer that, I have a question of my own."
Yang Shuai's response took Dawson by surprise, and even Postolos glanced over with curiosity.
Dawson gestured for him to go ahead.
Yang Shuai gave Dawson a nod, then shifted his gaze toward Alexander. "Is our team's current priority selling tickets, or contending for a championship?"
"Those two things aren't mutually exclusive," Dawson replied promptly.
That was clearly not the answer Yang Shuai was looking for. He shook his head. "The Pistons and the Spurs are title contenders, but their commercial marketability isn't great."
Dawson was momentarily left speechless. With all his years of experience, he realized the young man before him was far more intriguing than the rumors suggested.
He cast a sidelong glance at Alexander beside him. Seeing that the owner had no intention of speaking, Dawson tossed the question back to Yang Shuai. "Then in your view, which objective makes more sense for us right now?"
Yang Shuai felt a little exasperated. He had genuinely just wanted to understand the Rockets' team-building philosophy so he could tailor his answer!
Yet Dawson's evasive attitude was a perfect reflection of the Rockets under his tenure: chasing ticket revenue while simultaneously dreaming of a championship, only to suffer a first-round playoff exit year after year.
Rather than passing the ball back and forth, Yang Shuai jumped straight into his analysis. "If the goal is simply selling tickets, Yao and T-Mac are more than enough. As long as they stay healthy throughout the season, the Rockets will never lack media exposure or arena attendance. In that case, all we need to do is surround them with high-caliber bench depth so they can get more rest."
"And what if the goal is contending for a championship?" Before Yang Shuai could continue, Dawson pressed forward. Clearly, Yang Shuai's analysis regarding ticket sales aligned perfectly with his own thinking.
"Trade T-Mac."
The moment those words left Yang Shuai's mouth, not only did Dawson freeze, but even Alexander, who had been half-asleep, snapped wide awake.
Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady were the heart of the Rockets and the very cornerstone that made Houston a powerhouse in the Western Conference. Yet here was Yang Shuai, boldly proposing to trade McGrady?!
Calmly, Yang Shuai laid out his reasoning. "Yao and T-Mac aren't an ideal fit. Both operate primarily as scorers. Yao has limited playmaking ability, and while T-Mac is a capable facilitator, his natural inclination is still to score."
Alexander chuckled.
Yang Shuai's argument sounded plausible enough, but it was far from convincing.
Yet when Yang Shuai delivered his next point, the smile vanished from Alexander's face.
"The facts bear this out as well. Before trading for T-Mac, the Rockets were eliminated in the first round; after trading for him, the Rockets have still never made it past the first round."
Lies never stung; the truth was the sharpest blade.
The atmosphere turned awkward. Dawson cleared his throat twice before speaking up. "In previous years, we ran into unfair officiating and injuries. That issue will be resolved this season."
By implication, Dawson believed the Rockets would break through the first round against the Jazz this year.
Yang Shuai didn't bother arguing. He simply murmured, "Perhaps."
Knowing his odds of landing the general manager job were slim to begin with, Yang Shuai's interview strategy was to be bold and leave a lasting impression on Dawson and the others.
If the Rockets truly wanted to change their status quo, he would have a chance.
Dawson chose not to dwell on whether the team would advance past the first round—after all, only time could provide that answer. Instead, he entertained Yang Shuai's premise. "If we were to trade T-Mac, who do you think we could get in return? Kobe? Or LeBron?"
Dawson's question was tactful: it appeased Alexander, who was visibly displeased, while simultaneously testing Yang Shuai.
Just as Dawson implied, McGrady was a top-ten superstar in the league. Trading him for lesser talent would only weaken the Rockets, while trading up for a superior star was practically impossible.
Not to mention that any trade required realistic feasibility. A deal might look great on paper, but the opposing franchise was under no obligation to accommodate you.
Even in a theoretical discussion, those practical factors had to be taken into account.
Yet Yang Shuai's response exceeded his expectations. Without hesitation, he laid out his proposal:
"Work out a deal with the Pistons to acquire Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton. Ever since the day they let Ben Wallace walk, the Pistons have been steadily declining. They need a change."
Dawson rubbed his chin, lost in thought.
He had to admit that Yang Shuai had found what might be the only sensible and genuinely feasible target.
Billups was a Finals MVP, and Hamilton's scoring ability was formidable—in fact, his off-ball scoring was even superior to McGrady's.
Just imagining Billups running the offense while Yao Ming and Hamilton executed pin-down actions—with Yao setting weak-side screens to free Hamilton for open jumpers while rolling to the rim as a scoring threat—was enough to fire the imagination.
Not to mention that this trade would permanently solve the point guard dilemma that had plagued the Rockets for years.
As for the Pistons, Yang Shuai was spot-on: Detroit would only continue aging before eventually being forced into a rebuild. Acquiring McGrady could reverse that trajectory—or at least offer their fans renewed hope.
"Chauncey is already thirty-one and Hamilton is twenty-nine, whereas T-Mac is only twenty-eight," Dawson said, immediately bringing up the age issue.
This was not the later era of advanced sports science where veterans aged thirty-five and older could still dominate the league. In this era, players generally began declining once they crossed thirty.
Especially considering Yao Ming was only twenty-seven, McGrady, being closer in age, seemed like the option who could play alongside him for much longer.
"Age is certainly a factor, but injuries matter just as much." Yang Shuai didn't dispute the point; instead, he offered his perspective, shifting his gaze back toward Alexander as he spoke. "Both Yao and T-Mac are increasingly hampered by injuries. We have to make a choice between them, and Yao is unequivocally the true cornerstone of this franchise."
Alexander offered no response to Yang Shuai's remarks, merely signaling Dawson to proceed with the interview.
Dawson followed up with his second question: "For our current roster, what kind of coaching staff would you put together?"
The Rockets' current head coach, Jeff Van Gundy, had taken the helm in 2003 and enjoyed a respectable reputation across the league, though fans frequently criticized him for a lack of offensive creativity.
While Dawson had previously expressed confidence that the Rockets would get past the first round this year, there was always the risk of failure. If the team fell short, someone would have to shoulder the blame, and Van Gundy would be first in line.
"I would bring in an offensive-minded head coach. For instance, former Kings head coach Rick Adelman is currently available, and he would be an outstanding choice. On top of that, I would retain Tom Thibodeau as our lead assistant coach, ensuring that both our offense and defense remain elite."
As a transmigrator, Yang Shuai naturally knew what was in store for the Rockets this season: a first-round exit, Van Gundy returning to the broadcast booth, Thibodeau heading to the Celtics to assist Doc Rivers, and Adelman stepping in as Houston's new head coach.
Yang Shuai never believed Adelman had run Yao Ming into the ground. The real issue was that Rockets management had never found a serviceable backup center, forcing Yao to play heavy minutes just to secure wins.
In reality, Adelman's Rockets went on a twenty-two-game winning streak, advanced past the first round, and pushed the eventual champion Lakers to seven games—proving they were a legitimate contender.
Particularly in the 2008–09 season, if the injured McGrady sitting on the bench had been replaced by healthy, active contributors like Billups and Hamilton, a championship run would have been well within reach.
Dawson nodded; Yang Shuai's answer resonated deeply with him.
"What is your draft strategy? Would you stockpile multiple picks, or trade up for a higher selection?" Dawson asked next.
"That depends on the situation, as draft classes vary greatly from year to year. Specifically for this draft, if we can trade up into the top two picks, I would make the move. If not, I would hold onto our pick and select Aaron Brooks or Arron Afflalo to bolster our backcourt, while acquiring an early second-round pick to take Carl Landry or Glen Davis to strengthen our frontcourt."
Yang Shuai's answer drew another nod of approval from Dawson. Aside from his startling answer to the first question, Yang Shuai's vision aligned remarkably well with Dawson's own plans.
This was all part of Yang Shuai's calculated approach: leveraging his advantages as a transmigrator to leave an unforgettable impression first, and then winning favor by demonstrating sound, practical judgment.
Just like with his coaching choice, Yang Shuai saw nothing wrong with the moves the Rockets had historically made in that year's draft.
"How do you view the role of data analytics in modern basketball?" Postolos, who had remained silent the entire time, finally chimed in.
Chapter 35