Boozer's agent resigns after reversal ESPN.com SFX agent Rob Pelinka informed the NBA Player's Association on Monday that he had resigned as Carlos Boozer's agent, two league sources told ESPN Insider Chad Ford. Pelinka's client caused a storm of controversy around the league last week when Boozer agreed to a six-year, $68 million contract with the Utah Jazz. According to sources in Cleveland, Boozer and Pelinka approached the Cavs about letting him out of the last year of his contract June 30. Boozer could have been Cleveland's next season for $695,000, but the Cavaliers did not pick up their option after, the club said, Boozer had committed to re-signing for the team's full midlevel exception -- somewhere around six years and $40 million. Since that time, the criticism of Boozer and Pelinka has intensified around the league. Boozer and Pelinka haven't returned calls to any media outlet seeking comment. In the wake of the controversy, a number of agents have claimed that they would resign if their client reneged on a verbal commitment. "I'd resign immediately if a client wanted to renege on a deal, even a verbal one," one agent told Ford last week. "I still believe integrity in this business matters. If you agree on a deal, you have to live with, no matter what else happens. I personally believe that Boozer and his agent miscalculated a bit here. But I also understand what they did. Players want security. The Cavs can offer that. It just means he has to take less money to get it now. It's a tradeoff." According to sources, SFX and Pelinka grew increasingly concerned in the aftermath of the agreement that Boozer's betrayal would sully the reputation of the agency and prevent them from conducting good faith negotiations with league owners in the future. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1838569
Similiar subject http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...Q--?slug=runningforcover&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns Running for cover Ian Thomsen, SI.com In a surprising, and rarely seen, move, SFX Sports Group and agent Rob Pelinka have decided to "fire" embattled free-agent power forward Carlos Boozer after he was accused of misleading the Cleveland Cavaliers before negotiating a six-year, $68 million offer with the Utah Jazz. Two league sources told SI.com that SFX was preparing to send a letter Monday to the NBA Players Association stating that the sports management agency and Pelinka would no longer be representing Boozer. The sources said that SFX chief Arn Tellem made the final call, deciding that the agency wanted nothing to do with Boozer after, sources say, he convinced the Cleveland Cavaliers that he would re-sign with them if they made him a free agent. In the wake of that conversation, Pelinka went on to negotiate the lucrative offer with the Jazz last week. The sources were uncertain whether Pelinka and SFX would be entitled to their four percent commission -- worth $2.7 million should Boozer sign the offer sheet with the Jazz on Wednesday. Boozer may dare SFX to sue him for the commission if he feels he is being hung out to dry by SFX's decision to abandon him. While no one from SFX has commented on the decision officially, it appears the agency is trying to disassociate itself from a move that has been blasted from nearly every corner of the NBA. While SFX has closed the door on its relationship with Boozer, the Cleveland Cavaliers have not, offering the third-year veteran a one-year contract worth approximately $5 million, an NBA source tells SI.com. Although Boozer and his agent have already secured the six-year offer with the Utah Jazz, those negotiations were conducted under a cloud of supposed promises and possible betrayals that has still not fully cleared. According to team sources, Pelinka, Boozer and Boozer's wife, CeCe, convinced Cleveland owner Gordon Gund and GM Jim Paxson to forgo a team option that would have paid Boozer $695,000 next season, thus making the improving forward a restricted free agent this summer. Had Cleveland held Boozer to his original contract, the Cavaliers could have matched any offer to him as a third-year free agent next summer. Instead, Gund agreed to set Boozer free with the understanding that Boozer would sign a long-term deal with Cleveland. Because the Cavs are over the league's salary cap, the most they could offer Boozer this summer was a six-year contract for $41 million. The Cavs say that no illegal under-the-table offer was made to Boozer because it was understood that the NBA's collective bargaining agreement prohibited the team from paying more than $41 million. According to a source who participated in the meeting when the Cavaliers decided to allow him to become a free agent, Boozer told Gund, "If you respect me by not picking up the option, I'll show trust and loyalty to you by signing with you." As a matter of common sense and, say team sources, the Cavaliers never would have relinquished their long-term rights to Boozer unless he made it clear that he would re-sign with them. Agents throughout the NBA have united in criticizing Pelinka for committing what one agent called a "fraudulent inducement" by using Gund's act of kindness against him. They believe that Pelinka's betrayal has eroded whatever trust exists between agents and team executives, making it more difficult for each side to take the other at its word. Pelinka could not be reached for comment. Gund is said to be "crushed" by Boozer's betrayal, but will make his feelings public only if Boozer signs the offer sheet with Utah. In downgrading their offer to one year at $5 million, the Cavaliers have let Boozer know they will forgive him for his lapse in judgment, according to the league source. Boozer would be invited to play out this season in Cleveland and negotiate a long-term contract with the Cavaliers next summer. That leaves Boozer with two choices: Take the big payday from Utah at the risk of ruining his good name; or sacrifice the sure money in order to salvage his reputation in Cleveland. Word around the NBA is that Boozer has refused to take phone calls from his former coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski. "That's because he doesn't want to hear Mike telling him not to do this," a league source says. Earlier Monday, many in the NBA were questioning whether Pelinka's career was at risk. In attempt to rescue his reputation, some speculated that Pelinka would resign as Boozer's agent and disavow himself from the Utah contract if Boozer signed the offer sheet. But a top agent who said he is friendly with Pelinka believed it was already too late: "Rob needed to walk away from this as soon as it became public. It's been out there too long to distance himself from it." Sources close to Pelinka's agency, SFX, say that the management group is seeking to distance itself from the agent. Later this summer, after Pelinka's client Kobe Bryant has signed with either the Lakers or the Clippers, look for SFX and Pelinka to cut ties permanently.
Salt Lake sports radio reporting that Pelinka told Boozer that he either re-signed with the Cavs or he was walking. Boozer basically said he's going to sign with the Jazz, so Pelinka left. Looks like Boozer is a Jazzman.
So Pelinka did a 180 after negotiating the contract and feeling the heat. Boozer decides to continue on the previous path. Is that enough to save Pelinka's job at SFX?
No. I think he'll be canned. SFX is saying they'll give Boozer another agent if he goes to Cleveland, but it seems Boozer wants to go to Utah.
A team screws a player. . .it is all good A Player screws a team . . .all hell breaks loose Rocket River
Pretty much..... Also, news media here reporting that there was a major falling out between Boozer and Silas. I guess Silas told him he was basically only an energy guy...nothing more.
Jazzlover, you will say anything to bring back Boozer's reputation. Fact is that he is a complete slimeball if he doesn't re-up with the Cavs.
Cavs need to match and trade, even if it means losing Z, since it's doubtful they were going to re-sign him next year anyway.
He was going to be restricted next year. So the Cavs could have matched any offer. The Cavs basically had him locked up for several years, and he found a way out.
A column from Vecsey I actually agree with. The sky is falling! Anymore folks out there saying it's cool to be a worthless s**t and make your word, and your agent's word, just so much trash? "Hey, it's $28 million! Who cares! We'd all do it!" No, we wouldn't all do it, and neither would the vast majority of the League. You can't put a price tag on your integrity. Boozer, and his agent, will always be stained by this. And Boozer's agent just put his career into the crapper. The only way Boozer can rehabilitate himself is by signing with the Cavs after all. And, after seeing the reaction, and assuming he doesn't have the brains of a 12 year old, and he may not, I wouldn't be surprised to see him signed with the Cavs before the dust clears. He might then get traded to Siberia at some point, but I'll be surprised if he plays for the Spazz this season.
I don't give a rats butt if anyone likes him. Just as long as he produces night in and night out I'm content. I mean I stomached the hate bestowed upon Malone and Stockton.....I can stomach this too.
