Does Millsap Not Wanna Be Here?

[seejaydeja]

More trash talk from his stupid ass uncle

"He still has a little despair, still is a little bit disappointed about the situation," said Millsap's uncle and rep, DeAngelo Simmons. "Because (the Jazz) really played hardball, and he wasn't paid attention to.
"To not set a value on their player and let someone else do it," Simmons added, "is questionable."

"Shawn Marion never rebounded for you. Varejao never sprawled on the floor for you. They never took a charge for you," Simmons said. "Why let those guys set the market for you?"

Is this guy intentionally trying to burn bridges with the Jazz and their fans? Do you guys really think Millsap would rather go be Aldrige's backup in POR rather than start for the Jazz and get set up by DWill all day?

WTF is this guys problem?

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7053 ... .html?pg=1

[jazzfan1971]

I think it's just part of the restricted free agent game. NOthing to pay attention to really. The ultimate form of respect will be matching that offer.

[The Sheik]

I wouldnt trust a word Uncle D says. The lack of professionalism shows. What do you expect from a money grubbing Uncle trying to also get paid. The difference between Simmons and say ever other Agent out there is he is broke and is looking for his own big payday too. The other thing is other agents no how the league works. Simmons has no effing clue.

[StocktonShorts]

I wouldnt trust a word Uncle D says. The lack of professionalism shows. What do you expect from a money grubbing Uncle trying to also get paid. The difference between Simmons and say ever other Agent out there is he is broke and is looking for his own big payday too. The other thing is other agents no how the league works. Simmons has no effing clue.

What an agent says and what the player feels are rarely the same thing.

Dumb move by the agent because those comments serve no purpose. Negotiating is done. All he's done is potentially damage Millsap's heretofore spotless reputation with Jazz fans.

I'm not worried about it though. In a few months no one will really remember.

[The Sheik]

Dumb move by the agent because those comments serve no purpose. Negotiating is done. All he's done is potentially damage Millsap's heretofore spotless reputation with Jazz fans.

Exactly. What he says will not impact the Jazzs decision one bit. All he is doing is alienating the fan base. Just ask Carlos Boozer how that ends up...

[seejaydeja]

Exactly. What he says will not impact the Jazzs decision one bit. All he is doing is alienating the fan base. Just ask Carlos Boozer how that ends up...

This is why I don't get it. Booz is the perfect example of what can happen to you if you don't mesh with the fan base. If the whole "what the agent says/player feels is completely different" theory is true, why isn't sap telling his uncle to STFU?

[erudite23]

There are a lot of newbs running around this forum these days. This kind of talk is just hot air. Its not even worth your time to read. Bottom line is that dudes try to get every penny they can squeeze out of teams and will use whatever tactics they can to do so. It is just the MO for agents to ask the existing team for wwaaaaaayyyyy more ca$hola than they are worth. Then when the team, predictably, says "um, that is horse ****, no way can you get that on the open market" they are forced to actually find what the market will bear. Bottom line is that players usually value themselves at a higher level than they are really worth, thus creating bad feelings when a team calls them on their **** and makes them try to go prove it out on the market. When the team ends up being right they end up butt hurt over it. What really sucks is when a stupid ass team like NY, GS, Orl or some other douchbag led organization actually ends up giving the player what he's asking for, resulting in a snobbery from the agent that is painful to behold.

The difference in this situation, like mentioned above, is the guy doing the negotiating in this instance has no exp. whatsoever and is as desperate for his own payday as the player himself is, creating a situation where the person who has been hired to look after Millsap's name, marketability and business interests is actually less qualified than the player himself.

Simmons should just get down on his knees and polish Pritchard's nob. Cause if it wasn't for the Blazers' desire to **** with a division rival's cap, Millsap would be playing for 6-7m a year at best.

[StocktonShorts]

It's not that it isn't true. I don't blame Millsap for expressing those feelings to his representatives and friends/family... but it's just a dumb move by his agent to go public with them when he did.

The only way it makes sense is if he's really trying to discourage the Jazz from matching, but that's clearly not the case based on the rest of his statements and what Paul has reportedly told his friends on the team.

I chalk it up to rookie agent...

[Spykes]

Hoopsworld chat today suggested the Blazers might look to move Aldridge if they got Millsap.

Not that it matters. Hoopsworld isn't exactly a bastion of accuracy. On top of that, it sounds like a forgone conclusion that the Jazz will match Millsap's contract.

[Xanthis]

Hoopsworld chat today suggested the Blazers might look to move Aldridge if they got Millsap.

Not that it matters. Hoopsworld isn't exactly a bastion of accuracy. On top of that, it sounds like a forgone conclusion that the Jazz will match Millsap's contract.

That makes no sense at all except from a salary standpoint.

[DelaneyRudd]

I think part of what he is saying is, if the Jazz would have made the monetary offer they could have set up the financial arrangements more favorably for the Jazz.

[DelaneyRudd]

And LOL at people blaming the agent. The agent got it done. In 10 days Paul Millsap will have 10 million dollars in his pocket, about 7 and a half more million more than the Jazz have ever paid him.

[BBen]

Everyone here is saying that it's just part of the game to trash talk when you're a RFA but that doesn't make sense once you've signed the offer sheet. It sure sounds to me like some feelings were hurt during the negotiations between Millsap/Jazz. Whether the feelings that got hurt were the agents' or Millsap's is another question.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

I don't know what his uncle is thinking, he is being a complete moron IMO. From what 1320kfan has been saying everyone that has talked to Millsap except his uncle has said he WANTS to STAY in UTAH. I don't believe his uncle for a second, if I was Paul I would be looking for a new agent after this ordeal is over with though.

[DelaneyRudd]

I don't know what his uncle is thinking, he is being a complete moron IMO. From what 1320kfan has been saying everyone that has talked to Millsap except his uncle has said he WANTS to STAY in UTAH. I don't believe his uncle for a second, if I was Paul I would be looking for a new agent after this ordeal is over with though.

lol, Yeah, fire the guy who got you millions more than anyone here thought he was worth. All agents are slimy. If you don't have a slimy agent then you probably could be paid more.

[rick333]

Oh yeah I'm sure the uncle agent did his best negotiating with Portland to get that kind of deal. My ass. Portland was trying to put Utah in a tough spot. Let's be honest, we are in a much tougher situation than if we could have gotten Millsap for MLE type money and Portland knew that.

The uncle is a joke and fell into this situation.

[sully00]

Everyone here is saying that it's just part of the game to trash talk when you're a RFA but that doesn't make sense once you've signed the offer sheet. It sure sounds to me like some feelings were hurt during the negotiations between Millsap/Jazz. Whether the feelings that got hurt were the agents' or Millsap's is another question.

Don't have a dog in the fight but this isn't true at all the "uncle" or agent or whatever is doing Milsap's job for him. If an NBA team signs a player to an offer sheet part of the deal is the player doing everything they can to get their previous team not to match. Talk about how they feel disrespected and need a new start and hope the offer isn't matched so they can go somewhere they are appreciated. Happens all the time.

[erudite23]

Yeah, the examples are too numerous to count. Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Jason Terry, Lamar Odom...all in the summer of 04...blasted their previous teams before their offer was matched(well, except LO). No love was lost afterwards and they went about their business. It's just the way of things.

[kamazilla]

The question posited in this thread is ridiculous. First of all, pay Millsap $32M- with over $10M up front- and he'll be happy balling for anyone, anywhere. His uncle-agent has managed to appear to be doing something right, while all the while Millsap simply happened to be in the place time at the right time. Market and competitive forces coalesced in such a way to create the perfect offer storm.

Now comes the posturing. Business as usual. So Simmons is a rank amateur and has lucked into a huge payday; well guess what? He's smart enough to realize that this big time sports agent gig sure as hell beats working for a living and he's going to do everything he can to weasel into it full time. Right now, the role he must play in order to convince prospective clients to seek his services is that of the tireless, hard-nosed agent who will stop at no cost in securing the opportunity, respect and, yes, money his client rightfully deserves. Millsap will grudgingly play along then be happy as a clam at training camp, where ever that may be.

Regarding the value of his contract, lets look at what he brings to the table: He will be the starting power forward for an NBA playoff team (assuming the Jazz match), will average 35 minutes plus per contest, could easily post 18/11 averages for the year, plays heady, unselfish team ball, plays consistently good defense, leaves it all on the floor every night, and could easily be on the floor every single game because he is not only so durable but plain tough... And people balk at paying him $8M/ year? At least two teams have proven willing to pay him that very amount, and that is out of only the few teams who have the cap space to sign him and the Jazz.

Market value is what cost the market will bear in order to retain your services. Millsap is not being overpaid, and I believe over the next four years will prove to be a bargain. Thrash me then if I'm full of it.

[Awoooga]

How can you blame his uncle here. Jazz wanted to play hardball with him, and left it up to him to find a offer. If he does not he get a low ball offer or takes the QO. And the thing is, it almost worked. Portland for some reason jumped in and made a play here but it looked like the Jazz were gonna win this round and Millsap was going to get screwed out of a couple million dollars.

So I have no problem with what his Uncle/Agent is doing here. What he is really telling the Jazz is that you should have played it differently. He's just trying to show the fans where he is coming from, and that he was sort of forced to do this because of the organizations decision not to sign him long term. You should not have a problem with it.