As I mentioned in an earlier post, and in my newspaper story for tomorrow, David Falk made no bones about the fact that Clippers owner Donald Sterling lost Elton Brand to the Sixers because he was too cheap.
I just got off the phone with Falk, who was sitting down to eat at what I know is one of many outstanding restaurants in the City of Brotherly Love. Here's what really happened:
The Clippers could have offered Brand a six-year, $100 million deal and still have cap space to complete the Baron Davis signing. Instead, they offered him a five-year, $70 million deal. Falk is right when he says, "I'm not aware of any player alive who would even think about something like that."
Under the current system, in which players negotiated Bird free-agent rights that permit a free agent's current team to offer a longer deal than anyone else, what free agent would take a five-year deal from his current team?
Answer: None, and certainly not Elton Brand, no matter how many times he won sportsman of the year.
The Clippers have done this before, so it was no surprise to Falk. When Brand first became a free agent five years ago, the Clippers could have offered him a seven-year deal. They offered five. So it goes.
"This is not a vendetta," Falk said. "I'm disappointed that we played ping pong in something that could have been a simple deal. If they made their best offer out of the box, they'd have Baron Davis and Elton Brand."
Ah, but they're the Clippers.
In fairness, L.A. asked Falk late in the game if Brand would take the same deal from them as he was accepting with Philly. But at that point, the damage was done. Why would Brand even consider it? And besides the point, Brand had already said yes to the Sixers.
Falk wouldn't discuss what Brand got from Philly, other than the obvious -- that it's a five-year deal. But a person with knowledge of the situation put the total value in the $82 million neighborhood, as has been reported.
As proof that Brand wasn't simply looking for the biggest score, the Warriors did get very involved and were willing and able to offer Brand considerably more than he got from the Sixers. But as Brand stated in his news conference, the Warriors are "trying to do some things. But I feel that Philly has already done that with what they have."
So even though Falk's ill will toward Sterling is well documented -- including the less-than-max offer to Brand five years ago and their decision not to take Mike Bibby, a Falk client, with the No. 1 pick in the 1998 draft -- just think about it. What agent who has ever dealt with the Clippers wouldn't have a vendetta against them?
"People in the media are talking about vendettas and that I want to be in the spotlight again," Falk said. "I don’t need to be in the spotlight. I was in the spotlight for 25 years."
And he's in it again.
Comments (2)
this guy falk thinks he's a rockstar among nba players.
i might have pulled for him when he represented ewing, but now he just seems like a w h o r e to me. congrats on winning the ari gold a-hole of the year award.
brand and falk did baron davis dirty, you can't spin that. of course the bottom line is always money, but davis left behind a good situation in golden state to go play with brand, and brand showed what kind of team mate he will go down as in the long run.
this cat brand looks like he is out for himself. won't be surprised if people perceive him in five years the way marbury is perceived right now.
yo brand, fire your agent, he's making you second fiddle to his ego.
While someone packs his bag and his loaded dice for Vegas, the Knicks make news:
Knicks unwilling to trade Randolph to Clippers in salary dump
The Knicks have rejected a proposal from the Clippers to trade power forward Zach Randolph, league sources told SI.com.
Terms of any proposal were not known, but the Clippers have enough salary-cap space to accept Randolph's contract without having to give the Knicks equal salaries in return. The Clippers, seeking to replace the departed Elton Brand, were trying to take Randolph off the Knicks' hands while offering little more than cap relief to New York, the sources said. Randolph will make $14.7 million next season, and he has three years and $48 million left on his contract.
While the Knicks are known to be interested in clearing cap space by 2010 to make a run at LeBron James or other potential free agents, the sources said New York wanted more than simple cap relief in exchange for Randolph. The Knicks appear to believe that Randolph will provide a highly productive season under new coach Mike D'Antoni, which could raise his value much higher than it is today. That's why the Knicks were not interested in nearly giving away Randolph's contract, according to the sources.
Other options for the Clippers would include pursuing Hawks power forward Josh Smith or Bobcats power forward Emeka Okafor, but because both are restricted free agents, their respective teams can match any offer.
Note: I've got to start billing Sammy Zell. I'm doing all the work on the Knicks beat.
You know, Kenny, if your partner and your IT Department spent as much time on the Knicks beat as they do trying to cover their asses, they wouldn't make Sam Zell look like a fool.