DeAndre Jordan - Mavs or Clippers?

#62
The problem here is Jordan.

Be a man. Make a decision, live with it.
Exactly, and if you want to back from your decision don't make it a circus. just notify Dallas you are not coming and sign with the Clippers.

Why would you need another meeting with the team you already played for to try and win you over while dragging the team you agreed to sign with to come and entertain you... that's BS.

But it's awesome!
 
#67
Well, he didn't sign, he verbally agreed to sign. There must be some measure of distinction there. Scummy nonetheless, but technically he didn't sign yet.
There were some tweets about Texas (don't we all love Texas *sarcasm emoji*) laws having some teeth in regards to outside "interference" with business dealings. Could get ugly, very ugly.
 
#68
There were some tweets about Texas (don't we all love Texas *sarcasm emoji*) laws having some teeth in regards to outside "interference" with business dealings. Could get ugly, very ugly.
The thing that makes this all very fuzzy right now is how the CBA interacts with the situation. I would be shocked if legal disputes between players and teams and between two different ownership groups weren't tightly controlled by the CBA, to the point that Texas laws don't have anything to do with the outcome here.

Edited to add, it's not just the CBA, it is also the individual franchise agreements that will dictate remedies for Cuban if this all blows up. One thing that is certain is that the Clippers and Mavericks are going to hate each other from now on.
 

rainmaker

Hall of Famer
#69
Well, he didn't sign, he verbally agreed to sign. There must be some measure of distinction there. Scummy nonetheless, but technically he didn't sign yet.
Then the NBA really needs to change this system if a verbal agreement means nothing and recruitment can be ongoing. There's no reason instead of a verbal agreement a contract can't be signed, but then held by the league office and cleared on the 9th after all salary cap concerns are dealt with.

This has enormous impact. As VF brought up, teams makes moves based off verbal agreements. It's essentially a promise. Actually, it's essentially a verbal contract which is some instances does stand up in the court of law. All contracts aren't required to be in writing, something often forgotten. Generally it's tougher in everyday life to prove an oral agreement but in this instance, the entire NBA knows Jordan agreed to go to Dallas. The entire NBA knows Jordan agreed to commit to a new employer for roughly 4 years at 80M. Everyone knows there was an offer from Dallas and an acceptance from Jordan. This legally could be argued as a breach of contract with a fair amount of ground to stand on. And it has to be, or now verbal agreements mean nothing and gives far more power to agents. This opens opportunity for agents to completely screw franchises.
 
#70
Then the NBA really needs to change this system if a verbal agreement means nothing and recruitment can be ongoing. There's no reason instead of a verbal agreement a contract can't be signed, but then held by the league office and cleared on the 9th after all salary cap concerns are dealt with.

This has enormous impact. As VF brought up, teams makes moves based off verbal agreements. It's essentially a promise. Actually, it's essentially a verbal contract which is some instances does stand up in the court of law. All contracts aren't required to be in writing, something often forgotten. Generally it's tougher in everyday life to prove an oral agreement but in this instance, the entire NBA knows Jordan agreed to go to Dallas. The entire NBA knows Jordan agreed to commit to a new employer for roughly 4 years at 80M. This legally could be argued as a breach of contract with a fair amount of ground to stand on. And it has to be, or now verbal agreements mean nothing and gives far more power to agents. This opens opportunity to agents to completely screw franchises.
Without digging too deep into arcana, an oral contract for more than a year is not enforceable. There are some ways around that, and I think a promissory estoppel claim would be promising here in the absence of the CBA and franchise agreements, but the oral commitment was essentially an agreement to meet and come to terms, but not a binding four-year agreement.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#71
And Fegan, who may have convinced his client into a deal he didn't want.

Everyone else is just basically doing their job.
Jordan's a grown man. Can't blame it on some meanie talking you into something that you then have a dramatic moment over.

Jordan is a wuss. I used a less generous term to describe him last week, and its still just as accurate. He's a weak little puppy looking for affirmation and to hear people say we wuv you soooooo much DJ!!! Suck it the **** up. You gave your word, now live up to it.

I could see this, if he does this. becoming a huge stink that never quite leaves him. Doubt and weakness, and he'll see it in the mirror too. But who knows, maybe the Clippers will be able to gather around and give him a big ole group hug to chase away the owies,
 

HndsmCelt

Hall of Famer
#73
Good Grief! I know the league has no ability to stop this Texas two step but seriously they ought to do something. Maybe require Jordan to play in a pink Tu-Tu all season or send Ray Donovan over to make him choose between "the bag or the bat". At least change the The Clipper motto to "A man is only as good as his word" of course if he does pull this stunt then he DESERVES to play with the biggest bunch of flopping baby quitters in the league.
 
#74
Why don't the nba make the official free agency period begin on July 9th when contracts are official! Why is there the grace period of 8 days? Also, do we actually know the salary cap?
 
#75
If a verbal commitment to sign was legally binding, what would the point be of actually signing anything after the fact? This sort of thing happens all the time in collegiate sports. Kids give a verbal commitment sometimes years in advance then change their mind -- sometimes at the very last minute. While I get that professionals are signing a contract to play for $$ rather than for a scholarship, it's essentially the same thing. I also get that the general sports fan is going to hold a mature adult more accountable to their word than an 18 or 19 year old kid - thus why Jordan is receiving so much criticism - but it still doesn't change the fact that the guy can change his mind.

There's a reason none of these gentleman's agreements are discussed by the teams or players themselves until they are signed -- because they aren't yet official. You haven't heard any of the potential new Kings players interviewed on KTHK or anywhere else because they aren't officially property of the team. While anyone can cry over spilled milk, every team, owner, GM, etc. was well aware of this fact. If they based subsequent moves off these unofficial moves, they were taking a calculated risk.

Technically speaking, I believe the NBA only allows parties to "talk" during the moratorium but doesn't condone any type of agreement until the official signing period begins. These gentleman's agreements are just leaked out so quickly and widely nowadays that this stuff has becomes a bigger deal.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#76
I just ran into Tyson Chandler in downtown Phoenix and welcomed him to the city. He's signing his deal with the Suns tomorrow I'm sure. Dallas is going to get screwed here and have nothing but Dirk and Charlie V to defend up front. Ouch.
Cuban usually sets his sights on offensive players....the one time he managed to have a defensive anchor, his team happened to win the NBA title and the only one at that.
 
#77
I know some people might be happy if he goes back to the clippers but I'm more worried about it than happy. If Jordan goes to Dallas everything should stay the same with the free agent signings. Clips are still screwed with no cap space. If he goes to clips, Dallas now has all the money to spend. Who's to say others won't reneg in their verbal agreements. This sets a precedent that it's ok cuz nothing is signed. Sure u look like a scumbag who's word is nothing but hey deandre Jordan did it so why can't i? How do we know Dallas, with all this money now, don't go after others who have verbal agreements like I dunno bellineli or koufos? Will you be so happy then?
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#79
I know some people might be happy if he goes back to the clippers but I'm more worried about it than happy. If Jordan goes to Dallas everything should stay the same with the free agent signings. Clips are still screwed with no cap space. If he goes to clips, Dallas now has all the money to spend. Who's to say others won't reneg in their verbal agreements. This sets a precedent that it's ok cuz nothing is signed. Sure u look like a scumbag who's word is nothing but hey deandre Jordan did it so why can't i? How do we know Dallas, with all this money now, don't go after others who have verbal agreements like I dunno bellineli or koufos? Will you be so happy then?
Exactly what I was thinking. Fortunately the moratorium ends tonight, so I would wrap our guys up ASAP.
 
#82
T
This is just so wrong, isn't there some unwritten code between NBA FO's that the Clippers are squatting all over? They should be black balled by the rest of the league.
Remember when Balmer was trying to buy the Kings? Wonder how much he is behind this.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#83
I'm terrified of the domino effect of if/when DJ goes back to LA. All of a sudden the Mavs need a center and have money... "Hey Koufos, here's 5million more, and a starting spot. How's that sound?"
 
#84
I'm terrified of the domino effect of if/when DJ goes back to LA. All of a sudden the Mavs need a center and have money... "Hey Koufos, here's 5million more, and a starting spot. How's that sound?"

There is always such possibilities, but do the Mavs want to be that kind of franchise? The kind of franchise that doesn't honor the unspoken codes that you are expected to honor when a FA has already agreed to sign with another team.

The Mavs can say the Clippers did the same to them, but that doesn't make it right. At the same time, the Clips seem to be justifying this by how the Mavs recruited DJ in a shady way (Fegan? something else?). We'll have to wait to find out.

I think the Mavs still end up signing Wesley Matthews either way and since we ended up using the cap space nicely, I wouldn't want to take Matthews anyways even if he comes crawling back to accept less money.
 

HndsmCelt

Hall of Famer
#85
I'm terrified of the domino effect of if/when DJ goes back to LA. All of a sudden the Mavs need a center and have money... "Hey Koufos, here's 5million more, and a starting spot. How's that sound?"
Maybe, but remember its Doc that is breaking an unwritten code that ALL GM's depend on. I suspect Doc will have trouble making any trades for sometime and I am not sure Dallas will want to be in the same boat they would like to put doc in. There is just no way GM's will be able to function in Free Agency if all the GM's do what Doc is trying to do here.
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#86
Maybe, but remember its Doc that is breaking an unwritten code that ALL GM's depend on. I suspect Doc will have trouble making any trades for sometime and I am not sure Dallas will want to be in the same boat they would like to put doc in. There is just no way GM's will be able to function in Free Agency if all the GM's do what Doc is trying to do here.
Jordan apparently has said he's having second thoughts and communicated it to both sides. If that is the case Doc and the rest of the Clippers are doing what they have to do to be competitive.
 

HndsmCelt

Hall of Famer
#87
Jordan apparently has said he's having second thoughts and communicated it to both sides. If that is the case Doc and the rest of the Clippers are doing what they have to do to be competitive.
Admittedly NO ONE not directly involved knows EXACTLY what is going on, but the basic rule seems to be that once a player commits to a team then other GM's back off. IF Dallas and GMs around the league believe that Doc has transgressed then as with all other unwritten rules that serve a vital purpose (in this case allowing GMs to plan and build a roster before 7/9) the GM's them selves will have to find a way to enforce their code, they just can not do their job in the chaos created. So it really boils down to how this is understood not by fans or writers but by GM's and Agents.
 
#88
As Gary said earlier, this is Ballmer we are talking about here. Doc probably went to the owner (as he should) after DeAndre called him.

Doc: "Look, we have a situation here. I just got off the phone with DJ. He wishes he hadn't agreed to sign with the Mavs. He says he felt pressured by his mom, plus all of the teams needed an answer so they could make their plans, and he just blurted an answer. Now he wants to stay with us."

Ballmer: "Can he change his mind?"

Doc: "Well, people don't do that. There's a grace period involved, so technically I guess he could, be we wouldn't accept it, because it isn't..."

[Baller's face begins to inflate and turn red.]

Ballmer: "CAN HE CHANGE HIS MIND?"

Doc: "Yes, I guess, but it's not something that people do...no other team will want to trade with us, and..."

[Ballmer slaps the table hard]

Ballmer: "You head to the airport and take my plane to wherever that bastard is, and you say whatever it takes to get him to change his mind. Call up everyone else who you can call, too...call Blake in Hawaii."

Doc: "Okay, I'm going. But Cuban and the Mavericks are going to show up, too. And Fegan. It might get ugly."

Ballmer: "Fegan! That bastard. Take my gun. He gives you any grief, shoot him in the leg. I'll take care of it with the cops."

Doc: "But..."

Ballmer: "GO!"