Could the Jazz Milk Washington if The Ace Saga Sours?

[Sean]

Let's say the worst case scenario plays out (I still am skeptical - I think this is bluster from an untrained, unfiltered dolt of an agent)...

IF Ace's team told the Jazz "don't draft him, he won't come if you do..." and the Jazz still drafted him knowing full-well they were told he was not interested in playing for the Jazz, that's kind of on Utah for assuming they could then bully Ace into accepting a deal he clearly, and flatly told the Jazz, not to make.

 

[Sardines]

Ace's agent can threaten not to sign and sit out the year and re-enter the draft.

Ace's agent can also try to convince Washington to trade for Ace, like by offering Utah something crazy.

Maybe like Tre, Riley, the 2030 Suns swap rights, and rights to swap picks with Washington for 2026. I doubt any of this happens, but interesting to think about.

I hear the NBA gives out really good consolation prizes for stuff like this.

 

[Sardines]

I mean I don't necessarily believe the reporting that Ace is "excited" to be here. Ownership and management of course are going to say that and Ace is at least not going to go on record trashing this situation. But I just need him to be excited to play in the NBA and we are the team that drafted him and have his rights.

Unless he's willing to torpedo his career earning potential, he'll be in a Jazz jersey on opening night. His agent may still try to play other games, but unless he's willing to push for disastrous advice there's just not much recourse.

Exactly.

The NBA draft system is not ideal as far as workers' rights are concerned, but it is voluntary. The terms are clear. You put yourself up to work for the first team that picks you. If you wanted to pick your team the draft was NOT the right avenue to accomplish your goal.

He got picked by the Utah Jazz. If he wants to pout, play like ****, be difficult, have locker room problems, etc. then he can enjoy the fruits of his actions when his value is low on the free market.

He has an incentive to perform. If he can, he will.

 

[Sardines]

Let's say the worst case scenario plays out (I still am skeptical - I think this is bluster from an untrained, unfiltered dolt of an agent)...

IF Ace's team told the Jazz "don't draft him, he won't come if you do..." and the Jazz still drafted him knowing full-well they were told he was not interested in playing for the Jazz, that's kind of on Utah for assuming they could then bully Ace into accepting a deal he clearly, and flatly told the Jazz, not to make.

My above post covers it. If he wants to be difficult, let him. I imagine what he really wants is to be a name in the NBA. Refusing to show, not playing, trying to exercise powers that do not belong to potential draftees... none of that is a path to being a big name in the NBA.

 

[Sean]

My above post covers it. If he wants to be difficult, let him. I imagine what he really wants is to be a name in the NBA. Refusing to show, not playing, trying to exercise powers that do not belong to potential draftees... none of that is a path to being a big name in the NBA.

It's not. But he's also young, inexperienced and seems to have a moron for an agent.

With that said, doing exactly that worked out really well for Steve Francis. Not so much for Vancouver, tho. He was not shy about telling the Grizzlies he had no interest in being drafted by them. They drafted him anyway and he forced a trade.

But Ace doesn't seem to have the clout Francis had.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Ace's agent can threaten not to sign and sit out the year and re-enter the draft.

You will have to prove this. This would be an insane policy to allow.

 

[sip]

This thread is depressing.

 

[stitches]

OK... here's a potential solution... who here is ready to sacrifice their local school for Ace to be part of the Jazz? Give his agent the "rights" to deal in and around the area of their local school... Like MJ said "F them kids"...

 

[KqWIN]

I joke about Ace’s agent, but hot take—I think he was doing right by his client. Agents placing players in specific situations happens every year. This was just more public because Cooper only has one client, so he can afford to burn bridges. Larger agents can’t pull these moves because they need to maintain relationships across multiple clients (unless you’re Rich Paul weaponizing his entire roster).
Pre-draft is the only time agents have real leverage, and Cooper used all of it for Ace. Didn’t work out how they wanted, in an odd way going HAM for his client is admirable.

Could be wrong, but I expect that he’ll fade into the background now and we won’t hear about it much after a few weeks.

 

[MTS]

I joke about Ace’s agent, but hot take—I think he was doing right by his client.

Any agent that is willing to cost his client $13M by tanking his draft stock is not doing right by them.

 

[KqWIN]

Any agent that is willing to cost his client $13M by tanking his draft stock is not doing right by them.

If rookie scale money was the only thing that mattered, you might be into something. It’s not. There’s a long history of players doing this. It’s not a new thing.

 

[The Midnight]

This thread is depressing.

So is life sometimes brah…