Player agents and teams often do their negotiating in the media, which is what is happening right now with Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons.
Duren is just two weeks away from the deadline to accept the qualifying offer, and it’s been leaked by his team that he is seriously considering it.
The media is happy to be the mouthpiece for the agents in these scenarios, as words like “threat” and “disrespect” draw attention, even if they know they are getting biased information from a person with 200 million conflicts of interest.
It happened again yesterday, when ESPN senior writer Marc Spears said that Duren felt “disrespected” by the Pistons’ offer and that it was no longer about the money. Sure.
We haven’t heard from Duren himself, so these leaks are coming from his agent, and it’s about time Duren took away his phone and then fired this person before they do any further damage.
The leaks are not helping Jalen Duren
I’ve said many times that I almost always side with the player in these negotiations, and I do again here, as there is a fair amount for Duren, and he should get it. But the Pistons have now reportedly offered that amount, an estimated $190 million, which is an entirely fair deal for someone of Duren’s age and accolades.
If Duren actually feels “disrespected” by this amount, then he needs to get his head checked.
Could someone please disrespect me in a way that ensures my grandkids won’t have to work? Please disrespect me with $190 million.
Like me, most fans side with the players in these situations, but these are the types of quotes that will flip them quickly. Disrespected?!? Really?
Duren may think he’s worth more, but to act like that offer was disrespectful is a joke that most people, many of whom are struggling right now, do not want to hear.
Even if Duren didn’t say it, which he probably didn’t, the fact that his agent leaked this shows this person is out of touch with reality and has no idea how a statement like that will be viewed by fans.
Maybe they don’t care, but they can’t possibly think it’s good for their client to be booed every time they have a bad game, which is what is going to happen to Duren if this doesn’t get resolved soon.
This seems like another desperate and fruitless attempt to move the negotiation towards their client, but all this statement really did was build up resentment towards Duren. Well done!
Using the media is a longstanding tactic for agents, but you have to be smart about it, and this was far from smart.
If this person convinces a 22-year-old to pass up generational wealth because of disrespect, then it’s one of the all-time botch jobs I’ve seen in these types of situations and one that they will both regret next offseason when suddenly $35 million a year doesn’t seem so disrespectful.
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