One Year Left to Play-Chapter 127 - 40: Everyone Boards the Pirate Ship Together

What gives Pelinka a headache is this task is extremely difficult. He really can’t fathom how he, a 24-year-old young lawyer, and Zhang Hao, an 18-year-old rookie who has never played an NBA game, just the two of them, can have any qualifications to lure Henry Thomas.

If this task were told to others, they’d think these two young men were too arrogant.

But that’s just arrogance itself because they are young people, and doing business when you’re young, isn’t it just like this?

Luring Henry Thomas feels like trying to catch a wolf barehanded for them...

But this feeling of catching a wolf barehanded excites Pelinka! If they fail, they’ll suffer no loss at all; if they succeed, they’ll have an excellent foundation. Henry Thomas, who has been in the agent industry for over a decade, possesses connections that these two young fellows can’t compare to.

If the attempt to lure Henry Thomas fails, then Pelinka plans not to register an agency company for now. He has already discussed with Zhang Hao, and he will become Zhang Hao’s agent, go work for a powerful agency company, learn how to be an agent, accumulate experience and connections...

There’s an aggressive route, but if the aggressive route fails, there’s also a stable route. Pelinka feels Zhang Hao’s arrangement is brilliant.

He just feels something’s off, as if he’s forgotten something. Yesterday, he wanted to say it urgently, but as they were chatting, Zhang Hao seemed to have made him forget.

However, with the opportunity to work on basketball-related projects again, Pelinka couldn’t care less, just like Zhang Hao said—if we don’t go crazy now, we’ll grow old.

By evening, Pelinka was ready for the meeting and arranged to meet Henry Thomas again for dinner.

"That rookie is actually serious!" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Upon receiving Pelinka’s call, Henry Thomas was still incredulous, thinking the guy was just having a whim and didn’t expect him to actually plan to do it.

As Pelinka explained their somewhat incomplete plan to establish their own company, Henry Thomas, having already guessed the call’s purpose, felt the other party was really bold...but it seemed like even if the other party failed, he wouldn’t lose anything. He felt being young was indeed great.

Without agreeing or rejecting, Henry Thomas asked, "Robert, do you think we can succeed? I’ve muddled through for so many years and have some capital to burn, Aix is a player, he’ll always earn more than us, standing undefeated, but what about you? As far as I know, you graduated from college just two years ago, right? Although you’re somewhat known in the professional sports legal field, I guess you don’t have much savings."

Such a harsh blow! Pelinka felt his heart took a hit.

But Henry Thomas spoke honestly; Pelinka was the most disadvantaged among them.

However, Pelinka had already pondered this issue last night, responding, "I have my advantages; I’m younger than you, Henry. I can do many things without worrying about face, possibly making mistakes but with me handling them. Aix is worth the gamble, not because of his collaboration with Starbucks, but because he understands me and knows what I pursue. Although we’ve not known each other long, I know his uniqueness.

Additionally, we have you, an experienced agent with extensive connections."

Henry Thomas nodded with a smile, "This truly is a hopeful combination..."

Was it praise or sarcasm? This time, Pelinka couldn’t tell.

"I currently manage several players. If we establish an agency company, typically, I need to invest at least a quarter of my income. Robert, if you quit your law firm, you should have no income, right? Aix is collaborating with Starbucks, who knows when he’ll get paid; moreover, he likely won’t invest in the company we establish. His rookie contract is already signed...where would we get the money?"

Henry Thomas pointed out a very real issue, and indeed the most real problem.

Yet, upon hearing this, Pelinka felt things seemed hopeful, responding, "The expenses of an agency company shouldn’t be high, right? I’ve calculated; you’re likely to put out 50,000. I do not have money, but I believe in my legal abilities. One of the biggest costs is attorney fees, which we don’t have to consider because I’ll handle it. Plus, most importantly, your 50,000 isn’t the bulk of the startup capital!

Aix plans to follow the usual practice of investing his rookie contract agent commission into the company, not just now, but also after signing new contracts in the future. If we can help him get endorsement deals, he’ll follow the usual practice of commission, though his part of the commission becomes company revenue.

His goal isn’t to establish a company to reduce personal expenses; perhaps he’s more ambitious than you or me...

But establishing our agency company requires David Falcao to allow you to go independent, as you mentioned."

Henry Thomas was truly surprised this time. Yesterday’s discussion with David Falcao about Zhang Hao’s "in the future players will be the dominators" topic hadn’t anticipated Zhang Hao would voluntarily offer commission.

With David Falcao planning to make one last hefty profit before retirement after years of decline, Henry Thomas, being David Falcao’s close friend and early partner, learned about this news early. Initially, he planned to use this as leverage to promote himself to Zhang Hao, but Zhang Hao seemed not to care about that.

Since everyone plans to break away, Henry Thomas thought collaboration with a free lawyer and an NBA player willing to provide startup funds would be a better deal than merely going solo, wouldn’t it?

Having made up his mind, Henry Thomas said to Pelinka, "I think you should prepare the registration documents and the partnership contract for the agency company as soon as possible..."

At that moment, Pelinka felt Henry Thomas was looking at him the same way Zhang Hao did, and he sensed he might have lost something again...