[The Athletic/Woj] John Wall to Accept Buyout; Join Clippers

[jbk1234]

Not trying to defend Wall here, but Houston had other options if they wanted to play hardball with Wall. They could have suspended him for conduct detrimental to the team and not paid him until he agreed to report and come off the bench. For whatever reasons we're not privvy to, they decided it wasn't worth the headache and drama.

"For whatever reasons" is doing some really heavy lifting there. John Wall is client of Rich Paul.

Ironically enough, so is Collin Sexton, which leads to an entirely different set of issues.

So, what's the theory here? Houston is so terrified of Klutch that they let Wall walk away with $80 million even though they wanted him to play for them?

There was an article written about this a couple years ago. Powerful agents not only pressure clubs to buyout their clients, by threatening to steer the rest of their clients away from the team, but they also threaten potential trade partners who could prevent their clients from going to where they want after they're bought out. Rebuilding teams picking higher in the lottery are particularly susceptible to that threat.

[gswhoops]

"For whatever reasons" is doing some really heavy lifting there. John Wall is client of Rich Paul.

Ironically enough, so is Collin Sexton, which leads to an entirely different set of issues.

So, what's the theory here? Houston is so terrified of Klutch that they let Wall walk away with $80 million even though they wanted him to play for them?

There was an article written about this a couple years ago. Powerful agents not only pressure clubs to buyout their clients, by threatening to steer the rest of their clients away from the team, but they threaten potential trade partners who could prevent their clients from going to where they want after they're bought out. Rebuilding teams picking higher in the lottery are particularly susceptible to that threat.

I'm sure there's an element of pressure from agents - that's what they're paid to do, advocate for players. But NBA clubs are sophisticated businesses with enormous resources. I guess I fundamentally don't buy this broad notion that the teams are powerless saps getting pushed around by agents and players.

[As a pure aside, I am fascinated to see how the Rich Paul/Nerlens Noel lawsuit plays out...could be Pandora's box for a lot of this stuff]

[K_chile22]

Yeah the idea that players would swap the fully gtd aspect of their contracts to prevent teams and players from working out buyouts that both parties want just makes no sense to me.

I've never understood why some take it so personally when a team and a player work a buyout. This happens all the time in all kinds of industries. And when both benefit, there are no negatives here.

This is not, I repeat this is not, the players running roughshod over the teams in any form or fashion. The teams continue to have far more power than the players.

You're typing this out after John Wall just got over $80M over the course of two full seasons from the Rockets while giving the team zero minutes on the court. Not because he was injured, not because he's not good enough, not because the team didn't want him to, but because he wasn't afforded the starting position and he decided that wasn't something he should have to do.

The rockets did. Not. Want. Him. To. Play. They offered him a small role off the bench as a compromise, because he got tired of being on the sidelines, they weren't begging for it

[jbk1234]

So, what's the theory here? Houston is so terrified of Klutch that they let Wall walk away with $80 million even though they wanted him to play for them?

There was an article written about this a couple years ago. Powerful agents not only pressure clubs to buyout their clients, by threatening to steer the rest of their clients away from the team, but they threaten potential trade partners who could prevent their clients from going to where they want after they're bought out. Rebuilding teams picking higher in the lottery are particularly susceptible to that threat.

I'm sure there's an element of pressure from agents - that's what they're paid to do, advocate for players. But NBA clubs are sophisticated businesses with enormous resources. I guess I fundamentally don't buy this broad notion that the teams are powerless saps getting pushed around by agents and players.

[As a pure aside, I am fascinated to see how the Rich Paul/Nerlens Noel lawsuit plays out...could be Pandora's box for a lot of this stuff]

Whether a rebuilding can get an interview, measurements, private workouts with top prospects ahead of the draft is way, way too important to risk pissing of a powerful agent. I'm sorry it just is. Missing or hitting on those picks is the entire ball game and neither the teams, nor the league are in any way control of the process.

[jbk1234]

Yeah the idea that players would swap the fully gtd aspect of their contracts to prevent teams and players from working out buyouts that both parties want just makes no sense to me.

I've never understood why some take it so personally when a team and a player work a buyout. This happens all the time in all kinds of industries. And when both benefit, there are no negatives here.

This is not, I repeat this is not, the players running roughshod over the teams in any form or fashion. The teams continue to have far more power than the players.

You're typing this out after John Wall just got over $80M over the course of two full seasons from the Rockets while giving the team zero minutes on the court. Not because he was injured, not because he's not good enough, not because the team didn't want him to, but because he wasn't afforded the starting position and he decided that wasn't something he should have to do.

The rockets did. Not. Want. Him. To. Play. They offered him a small role off the bench as a compromise, because he got tired of being on the sidelines, they weren't begging for it

Color me skeptical that the Rockets wouldn't have preferred that Wall contribute off the bench, if for no other reason, to improve his trade value.

[K_chile22]

There was an article written about this a couple years ago. Powerful agents not only pressure clubs to buyout their clients, by threatening to steer the rest of their clients away from the team, but they threaten potential trade partners who could prevent their clients from going to where they want after they're bought out. Rebuilding teams picking higher in the lottery are particularly susceptible to that threat.

I'm sure there's an element of pressure from agents - that's what they're paid to do, advocate for players. But NBA clubs are sophisticated businesses with enormous resources. I guess I fundamentally don't buy this broad notion that the teams are powerless saps getting pushed around by agents and players.

[As a pure aside, I am fascinated to see how the Rich Paul/Nerlens Noel lawsuit plays out...could be Pandora's box for a lot of this stuff]

Whether a rebuilding can get an interview, measurements, private workouts with top prospects ahead of the draft is way, way too important to risk pissing of a powerful agent. I'm sorry it just is. Missing or hitting on those picks is the entire ball game and neither the teams, nor the league are in any way control of the process.

Maybe, but also 2/3rds of the top 3 picks this year did not work out with their respective teams

[K_chile22]

You're typing this out after John Wall just got over $80M over the course of two full seasons from the Rockets while giving the team zero minutes on the court. Not because he was injured, not because he's not good enough, not because the team didn't want him to, but because he wasn't afforded the starting position and he decided that wasn't something he should have to do.

The rockets did. Not. Want. Him. To. Play. They offered him a small role off the bench as a compromise, because he got tired of being on the sidelines, they weren't begging for it

Color me skeptical that the Rockets wouldn't have preferred that Wall contribute off the bench, if for no other reason, to improve his trade value.

Well I mean if you get to color the context however you want then yeah it becomes a lot easier to make any argument lol

None of the off the bench talk started until well into the season when Wall realized he wanted to get out there and wasn't getting traded

[gswhoops]

There was an article written about this a couple years ago. Powerful agents not only pressure clubs to buyout their clients, by threatening to steer the rest of their clients away from the team, but they threaten potential trade partners who could prevent their clients from going to where they want after they're bought out. Rebuilding teams picking higher in the lottery are particularly susceptible to that threat.

I'm sure there's an element of pressure from agents - that's what they're paid to do, advocate for players. But NBA clubs are sophisticated businesses with enormous resources. I guess I fundamentally don't buy this broad notion that the teams are powerless saps getting pushed around by agents and players.

[As a pure aside, I am fascinated to see how the Rich Paul/Nerlens Noel lawsuit plays out...could be Pandora's box for a lot of this stuff]

Whether a rebuilding can get an interview, measurements, private workouts with top prospects ahead of the draft is way, way too important to risk pissing of a powerful agent. I'm sorry it just is. Missing or hitting on those picks is the entire ball game and neither the teams, nor the league are in any way control of the process.

Rich Paul refusing to work out a prospect for a team with a top pick because that team didn't bend over backwards for a different client would be a black and white case of breach of fiduciary duty. That's the kind of stuff you get sued over.

[jbk1234]

I'm sure there's an element of pressure from agents - that's what they're paid to do, advocate for players. But NBA clubs are sophisticated businesses with enormous resources. I guess I fundamentally don't buy this broad notion that the teams are powerless saps getting pushed around by agents and players.

[As a pure aside, I am fascinated to see how the Rich Paul/Nerlens Noel lawsuit plays out...could be Pandora's box for a lot of this stuff]

Whether a rebuilding can get an interview, measurements, private workouts with top prospects ahead of the draft is way, way too important to risk pissing of a powerful agent. I'm sorry it just is. Missing or hitting on those picks is the entire ball game and neither the teams, nor the league are in any way control of the process.

Rich Paul refusing to work out a prospect for a team with a top pick because that team didn't bend over backwards for a different client would be a black and white case of breach of fiduciary duty. That's the kind of stuff you get sued over.

Agents with large client rosters are riddled with conflicts and telling a client that a certain team is hard to work with ahead of the draft, or that a different team is preferable, is the least of it.

[gswhoops]

Whether a rebuilding can get an interview, measurements, private workouts with top prospects ahead of the draft is way, way too important to risk pissing of a powerful agent. I'm sorry it just is. Missing or hitting on those picks is the entire ball game and neither the teams, nor the league are in any way control of the process.

Rich Paul refusing to work out a prospect for a team with a top pick because that team didn't bend over backwards for a different client would be a black and white case of breach of fiduciary duty. That's the kind of stuff you get sued over.

Agents with large client rosters are riddled with conflicts and telling a client that a certain team is hard to work with ahead of the draft, or that a different team is preferable, is the least of it.

I have no doubt that this kind of small marginal stuff happens all the time. But if Houston had played hardball with Wall and then Banchero or Holmgren or Jabari Smith (represented by Klutch in this hypothetical) had refused to workout for Houston, that would be a huge red flag that would very likely prompt a league investigation, if it wasn't reported by the Rockets themselves.

[Texas Chuck]

On second thought not worth it.