Klutch Sports has asked the federal judge overseeing a lawsuit filed by Mark Termini to let the NBPA arbitrate the dispute.
In June, Termini and his company, Mark Termini Associates, sued Klutch Sports Group and its founder, Rich Paul, in an Ohio federal district for breach of contract. Termini, a longtime agent, worked alongside Paul from 2012 until 2020. Termini claims he is owed more than $4.9 million for unpaid fees and related harms.
Termini says Paul was recruited to provide negotiation services to Klutch Sports. Klutch agreed to pay Termini 25 percent of Klutch and Paul's gross fee on NBA contracts and marketing deals. Termini estimates he negotiated “in excess of $1.4 billion in contracts” for Klutch. Some of the clients Termini negotiated on behalf of include LeBron James, Draymond Green, Ben Simmons, Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith.
In Klutch Sports' filing, it argues that Termini ignored NBPA rules to "publicly advance a tale where he (and not Paul) is responsible for Paul’s and Klutch’s unprecedented success."