Is Rich Paul the Worst Agent in the NBA?

[Koresh]

Seriously...

Has any other agent done the following:

1. Holds his players hostage.
2. Holds the players' teams hostage.
3. Threatens to sit out his players for a season (50/50 on this one on Simmons)
4. Plays hardball way too much with these insane contracts.
5. Killing team chemistry (players not in training camp)

It's always Rich Paul doing these tactics with his clients. Year 2 and J.R. Smith is not on the Cavs just like Tristian Thompson last year. This dude is a nobody without LeBron James. The fact you know this dude's name should tell you how powerful he is. I don't know the names of any other agents in the NBA, seriously. I really don't.

Just like last year, TT didn't get that contract Paul wanted for him and I don't expect J.R. to get 15 mil a season. It might be 12 million or something. I don't like the holdout and I think J.R. deserves the money because he's elite but the other scrubs are getting paid way too much *cough* Wesley Matthews, Eric Gordon *cough*

RedBlackAttack despises this guy and I don't blame him.

[RedBlackAttack]

He has held a high profile player out for three straight years now. Two years ago it was Bledsoe, followed by Tristan last year and now JR.

His negotiation technique seems to be "f#ck you, pay me."

That's fine if a team is truly low-balling a guy or if you have leverage with other potential suitors.

Rich Paul has consistently shown that he'll do it regardless of how reasonable the team is being and regardless of whether or not there is interest elsewhere ... just to be a d!ck, basically.

That works great when you're LeBron's buddy who happened to be lucky enough to grow up on the same block as one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. It should be interesting when LBJ retires, though. I'll take great joy in watching Paul's power retire with him.

I've never really had a strong opinion about any sports agent in my life, but he's an opportunist piece of garbage.

[HurricaneKid]

Q: What is an agent's job?

A: To get the most money they can for their client.

Therefore, you are suggesting that Rich Paul (and for the record, Mark Termini is the actual negotiator) is a bad agent you are likely in the bag for ownership. Because if I were a player I would absolutely hire Boras/Termini. Because those guys get their clients PAID.

[FreezingTsmoove]

Nothing wrong with Ben Simmons sitting out this season

[Kblaze8855]

His negotiation technique seems to be "f#ck you, pay me."

That's fine if a team is truly low-balling a guy or if you have leverage with other potential suitors.

Rich Paul has consistently shown that he'll do it regardless of how reasonable the team is being and regardless of whether or not there is interest elsewhere ... just to be a d!ck, basically.

Why should he care at all about anything but how much money his player/he himself makes?

Do you care about his children? His happiness? You care about any aspect of his life that doesnt contribute to your enjoyment? Why should he care about you or anyone in the NBA who he doesnt work for?

[Mr Feeny]

He has held a high profile player out for three straight years now. Two years ago it was Bledsoe, followed by Tristan last year and now JR.

His negotiation technique seems to be "f#ck you, pay me."

That's fine if a team is truly low-balling a guy or if you have leverage with other potential suitors.

Rich Paul has consistently shown that he'll do it regardless of how reasonable the team is being and regardless of whether or not there is interest elsewhere ... just to be a d!ck, basically.

That works great when you're LeBron's buddy who happened to be lucky enough to grow up on the same block as one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. It should be interesting when LBJ retires, though. I'll take great joy in watching Paul's power retire with him.

I've never really had a strong opinion about any sports agent in my life, but he's an opportunist piece of garbage.

I'd say most of us would agree with this. You can't attempt to strong arm every owner in the league unless you have a transcendent valuable talent backing you - in this case Lebron James. This agent will get low-balled as soon as James retires. Not a lot of owners are going to want to deal this type of personality.

[HurricaneKid]

I'd say most of us would agree with this. You can't attempt to strong arm every owner in the league unless you have a transcendent valuable talent backing you - in this case Lebron James. This agent will get low-balled as soon as James retires. Not a lot of owners are going to want to deal this type of personality.

So LeBron leveraged the Suns into paying Bledsoe more?

He MUST be GOAT.

[Bankaii]

TT worked out, but I don't understand this JR situation.
I'm sure he knows if JR doesn't sign with the Cavs, they would be screwed, thus screwing Lebron. I'm sure he wouldn't be dumb enough to do that.

[RedBlackAttack]

Why should he care at all about anything but how much money his player/he himself makes?

Do you care about his children? His happiness? You care about any aspect of his life that doesnt contribute to your enjoyment? Why should he care about you or anyone in the NBA who he doesnt work for?

... because part of being a professional athlete is endearing yourself to your employer and the fans of the team/player. There is a reason why the NBA and players have handlers for their "brand" and they're essentially required to take part in public relations projects.

Paul, who directly represents these athletes, does them a disservice by pulling these shenanigans every offseason. He makes them look unreasonable (ie hurts their brand) and I have to think he does damage to his relationship with the franchise ... a franchise he has to work with regularly with other guys.

Again, it would be one thing if he held guys out for clearly defined reasons, but he's not. He is doing this every offseason now.

He abuses the only leverage that he has -- being LeBron's friend and business partner -- and I don't think the Cavs would put up with it if it were any other agent. But, they have to bite their lip and deal with him.

It's starting to feel a little bit like extortion. If JR has a better offer out there, then he should take it or see if the Cavs can beat it. We both know those offers don't exist. There are only a handful of teams even capable of offering JR a contract and none have shown interest.

This is an attempt to hold out long enough that it angers LeBron James to the point where he'll use his power to force an overpay.

I've not seen any other agent consistently negotiate like this ... because no other agent has the face of the NBA backing them up.


I obviously care, because now it is starting to impact the team. Every game JR misses, even in the preseason, means he will come in that much more out-of-shape and have that much more catching up to do.

[Kblaze8855]

Considering how many people get(in our eyes...talking cap value) brutally overpaid im not sure why id hate him for trying to do the same. He isnt there to be nice. Hes there to maximize his clients income so long as that is their goal. Jr Smith is a 12 year veteran on his 4th or 5th team. He doesnt care what the Cavs feel about him. Hes gonna be retired in a few years living(hopefully) 50 more years off this...his final big contract. He doesnt need to be liked. He needs to get paid. Hes about to have zero earning potential for the rest of his life. **** feelings. That dude isnt thinking about what corporate partners and Miss Jackson from up the street thinks. And he shouldnt. It would be irresponsible for him as a provider to care.

If he can get Lebron to strong arm a team that isnt gonna care if he lives or dies in 4 years to give him 18 million more dollars than he "deserves" he should do it.

Id do it. You would do it.

Why shouldnt he?

I would burn large portions of Cleveland to the ground for 60 million dollars and a sound plan to get away with it and not kill anyone.

I'll call JR Smith a lot of things....but I wont begrudge him trying to squeeze more money out of his one marketable skill.

he doesnt strike me as the type of dude to have saved most of what hes made so far. This is probably his "Time to grow up" deal.

And when its time to grow up....**** everyones feelings. Its time to pad the kids trust fund.

I ****ed over my last job to go where I am now...and it was over an extra 6 thousand dollars a year.

Id let that entire facility sink into the depths of hell for an extra 20 million. I have kids to feed and a mom who wants a new car......

[RedBlackAttack]

So LeBron leveraged the Suns into paying Bledsoe more?

He MUST be GOAT.

He has been worse with Tristan and JR than he was with Bledsoe. That standoff ended in mid-September, at least. Even then, the Suns were exploring S&Ts with Bledsoe because of the hold-out and he hadn't even missed any time.

Tristan's holdout last year bled into October and who knows when this JR thing will get resolved. The Cavs have no choice but to grin and bare it.

[qrich]

David Falk is the worst agent, followed by DeAndre's.

[RedBlackAttack]

Considering how many people get(in our eyes...talking cap value) brutally overpaid im not sure why id hate him for trying to do the same. He isnt there to be nice. Hes there to maximize his clients income so long as that is their goal. Jr Smith is a 12 year veteran on his 4th or 5th team. He doesnt care what the Cavs feel about him. Hes gonna be retired in a few years living(hopefully) 50 more years off this...his final big contract. He doesnt need to be liked. He needs to get paid. Hes about to have zero earning potential for the rest of his life. **** feelings. That dude isnt thinking about what corporate partners and Miss Jackson from up the street thinks. And he shouldnt. It would be irresponsible for him as a provider to care.

If he can get Lebron to strong arm a team that isnt gonna care if he lives or dies in 4 years to give him 18 million more dollars than he "deserves" he should do it.

Id do it. You would do it.

Why shouldnt he?

I would burn large portions of Cleveland to the ground for 60 million dollars and a sound plan to get away with it and not kill anyone.

I'll call JR Smith a lot of things....but I wont begrudge him trying to squeeze more money out of his one marketable skill.

he doesnt strike me as the type of dude to have saved most of what hes made so far. This is probably his "Time to grow up" deal.

And when its time to grow up....**** everyones feelings. Its time to pad the kids trust fund.

I ****ed over my last job to go where I am now...and it was over an extra 6 thousand dollars a year.

Id let that entire facility sink into the depths of hell for an extra 20 million. I have kids to feed and a mom who wants a new car......

You f#cked over your last job because you obviously had leverage. Rich Paul's leverage is LeBron James, not JR Smith. He's working on a contract for JR Smith, not LeBron James. There are no teams out there beating down his door to give JR $18 million a year.

This is all about Rich Paul being LeBron's friend and knowing there is ultimately going to be no short-term consequences to his strong-arming techniques, where there would be for anyone else.

Also, the difference between being a professional athlete in the spotlight and being a regular working stiff like me and you is that I doubt random people you have never met were debating your negotiating techniques on message boards across the world when you ditched your last job. Public perception matters to these guys.

These are public figures who will be making over $10 million a year regardless of how this tactic works. No one is being low-balled here. The Cavs are offering JR more than anyone can already.

Paul has used LeBron James as leverage two straight years and it sucks.

[Kblaze8855]

Im sure it sucks for you.

Tell me how it sucks for the people getting vast sums of money out of it and ill call him bad at his job.

They hire him. Keep him on...let him do it. He works for them.

They cant be too upset by it. Im sure Tristan is enjoying his 84 million dollars for 7/9 off the bench. Or as Boogie put it:







Hes supposed to get his guys overpaid by any and all means. If he works for me....and I just saw 20 people who dont matter get 60-90 million? I just saw Bradley Beal get 120 million? Mike Conley got 150? **** it. Why am I supposed to be flexible? Allen Crabbe gets 19 million dollars and he started 8 games in his career. He was a second rounder...almost undrafted...like 3 years ago. Hes making 19 million dollars.

And if im JR Smith...im supposed to be nice? Reasonable? We are in unreasonable times my friend.

[RedBlackAttack]

Im sure it sucks for you.

Tell me how it sucks for the people getting vast sums of money out of it and ill call him bad at his job.

They hire him. Keep him on...let him do it. He works for them.

They cant be too upset by it. Im sure Tristan is enjoying his 84 million dollars for 7/9 off the bench. Or as Boogie put it:







Hes supposed to get his guys overpaid by any and all means. If he works for me....and I just saw 20 people who dont matter get 60-90 million? I just saw Bradley Beal get 120 million? Mike Conley got 150? **** it. Why am I supposed to be flexible? Allen Crabbe gets 19 million dollars and he started 8 games in his career. He was a second rounder...almost undrafted...like 3 years ago. Hes making 19 million dollars.

And if im JR Smith...im supposed to be nice? Reasonable? We are in unreasonable times my friend.

Truth is, the Tristan hold-out did very little if any good. The rumored deal right off the bat when the moratorium was lifted was $82 million. He ended up getting a small fraction more and I was fine with the dollar amount. I'm sure the Cavs were fine with giving it to him.

Everything I've witnessed on the outside looking in from Paul is that he doesn't even have a dollar figure or number of years that he demands... he just strong-arms until he can't anymore and then he'll take whatever deal is on the table.

It's amateurish and it could potentially hurt the team. F#ck him. He negotiates like a 5-year-old.