If there were some official grievance procedure, I'd probably be inclined to file one.
I came in 2nd in the sweepstakes for Blake Griffin in 2014. The Hornets improved drastically the next season, and made the playoffs. I came in 2nd to sign Demarcus Cousins in 2015 (I later learned from those involved in the decision, Alex didn’t publicly rank suitors). The Hornets won the Finals that season. I finished 2nd to sign both KD and Kawhi in 2016, as KD failed to imitate real life and join the team that beat him, and Kawhi joined the Bulls in a contentious signing. Kawhi and the Bulls defeated my Hornets in the ECF that season, and I was
then able to convince Paul George to join the Hornets - leading to two Finals appearances and another championship.
I mention this all for two reasons:
1) I wanted to dispel the notion that I saw in the Discord that the Hornets and I have been treated disproportionately favorably in OSFA. Yes, I was able to sign Paul George - but only after cultivating a contending team and winning a championship, all while consistently maintaining an open max spot each off-season for about 3-4 seasons straight (this is also important later); and
2) to establish that I am intimately familiar with the off-season free agency process, having been involved in several pitches to “poach” players. I’ve also been a PA and served on committees, though this season I was apparently not invited to return.
I believe this decision to be a stark departure from previous free agency decisions.
1. All previous high-level FA departures have followed disappointing seasons and/or GM dysfunction. As far as I can tell, there have been 4 (now 5) instances of a “big-name FA” failure to re-sign and return to their teams. In 2015, Marc Gasol left the Kings after they missed the playoffs accompanied by some craziness from then Kings GM Vlade Divac. In 2016, Kawhi Leonard left the Suns when they finished in the 7th seed and then Suns GM Dan Marjele all but failed to extend an offer. In 2017, Paul George left the Trailblazers after they finished as the 5th seed and the actual only teammates were Kyrie, Nene, Raymond Felton, and Ryan Anderson. The Blazers GM all but abandoned their pitch as well. In the 2019, Kawhi Leonard left the Bulls after winning just 42 games and finishing in the 8th seed.
Meanwhile, the Hornets just finished their 7th consecutive 50-win season. We finished tied for the 3rd seed. We have our team locked up with 84+ at 3/5 starters and are in the process of bringing back an 83 Lowry. We gave spirited and detailed answers in the player pitch (when involved). Players leaving their teams is exceedingly rare, and even more so when the GM tenders a competent offer.
This is the most successful team a player has ever left, as far as I'm aware. 2. There was very little back-and-forth from the PA relative to the significance of the signing.As I mentioned, I’ve been involved in several player pitches attempting to poach players from other teams, and I’ve served on committees and seen the typical back and forth involved between GMs and PAs. I was given just two pieces of feedback from the PA - first, I was repeatedly asked about the status of the Middleton and Collins signings (even on the first day of OSFA, after I had told the PA I was fully committed to bringing them both back. Not sure how I could’ve been expected to give an update that early.); and second, I was asked how I planned to make sure James Harden was at his best (rested) for the playoffs. I gave what I believe to be a very detailed answer.
Given this level of discussion, I was confident that Harden would be re-signing. I couldn’t imagine that he would leave without a stronger level of discourse between myself and the PA. I’ve never seen a FA leave with this little back and forth between PA and GM. I’ve had offer messages go back and forth for over three pages worth. Further, in my experience, the other suitors are disclosed and GMs are given the opportunity to voice their opinions about other destinations, and supplement their offers with specific points about competitive suitors. In this instance, it appears the PA and committee felt they knew it all, and didn’t need any input from the re-signing GM. I had no idea who was bidding on my player. Given the fact that, as explained above, this is just the 5th time a big name FA is declining to re-sign, you would think a little more communication would’ve been offered.
3. The usual factors were not given due consideration.In my considerable experience with OSFA, the three factors always emphasized are: team fit, team success, and real-life tendencies. For each of these questions, the answer for the Jazz was apparently “Tatum is good.” This is how the apparent answers shake out:
A) Team Fit - Harden has been traded to teams with Durant and Embiid, and has played deferentially. Tatum is (allegedly) a similar caliber star, and therefore this makes the Jazz a good fit because Harden can play deferentially to Tatum.
B) Team Success - The Jazz have Tatum, and are therefore set to compete and potentially contend with Harden, Beal, and Tatum.
C) Real-life Tendencies - IRL, Harden has lately played deferentially, and expressed a desire to win. The Jazz have Jayson Tatum, and this let’s Harden play deferentially and also have a shot at a title. (Note how this is essentially A and B combined).
All three of these rationale boil down to the same point: Tatum is good, and the Jazz have Tatum. These are just three ways of making very minor variations of the same argument. When three different questions are answered with the same answer, it’s clear that those three questions were never properly considered.
Nowhere mentioned in the discussion of Team Fit is the lack of big man. Sure, 36 year old Al Horford might have a bit left in the tank, but where is the discussion of Harden’s chemistry with big-men like Capela and now Embiid. Where is the PnR partner for Harden?
Plus, the Jazz already
have a shooting guard - Bradley Beal. I know we are in an era of positionless basketball, and that Harden is essentially interchangeable at the guard spots, but Bradley plays a very similar role to James. Bradley is one of the highest USG% guards in the league. Positional conflicts used to
kill FA pitches dead in the water. How many times have I had to, in my player pitches, emphasize the clear role for a player and the lack of positional conflict. Was it all for nothing? “Tatum is good” so team fit makes sense? That's it?
As for Team Success - again, if the question is
only forward-looking, the answer “Tatum is good” shall suffice. He
is good. But the Jazz have made the playoffs just once in the past 10 years. They finished in the lottery this year. Yet, Harden sees that franchise as more likely to have success than the team that has won 50+ games for 7 years straight? Why, in my FA pitches, was I met with responses telling me my team was not yet established enough to poach FAs? It took me multiple Conference Finals and a whole title before I was able to lure a big name FA. Why were the Jazz allowed to waltz in with their consistent history of lottery finishes and poach one of the biggest FAs in D5 history?
Real-life Tendencies - Harden is arguably the most famous partier of all NBA players. I actually think that destinations should be de-emphasized, but to be taken out of the equation entirely? It is one of the least realistic signings of all time to have James Harden willingly go to the state of Utah. We’ve completely divorced from reality. Once again, this question was apparently answered with some other permutation of “Tatum is good.”
I understand that Tatum is good. I agree that he is good. I don’t agree that you can simply point to that one fact and explain away every other factor of FA.
I’m not really sure what I’m hoping to gain from this diatribe. I know I’m probably coming across as a sore loser, but these are, in my opinion, valid grievances. Had Harden signed with a team with some history of success, or a team with a defensive guard and a star big-man *cough* Houston, and I was involved in a robust decision-making process, I would be disappointed (given that, again, this is the most successful team a FA has ever left), but I would feel I was given a fair shake. I can’t say the same here.
I’m sure it will be met with a semi-snarky response hoping to rebut my points. But this result is truly frustrating for something I put a lot of time and effort into. This result was really disappointing to me.
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz
Houston Rockets
New Orleans Pelicans
Cleveland Cavaliers
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
