Important Free Agency Annoucnement

Dear General Managers,

Those of you who have worked with our agency appreciate the straightforward approach that we take. For those of you whom we have not had the pleasure of working with, we look forward to developing a long and lasting relationship.

That being said, we, too, desire an open and direct conversation with general managers interested in discussing contract extensions with our clients. We have advised our clients not to negotiate against themselves. Essentially, our clients will be waiting for formal offers. That begins a conversation wherein thoughts on value and the desires of our clients can be shared.

Also, please recognize that our agency is representing all in-season free agents. Additionally, our agency plans on working with upcoming off-season free agents. Our experience with your organization will directly impact our recommendations to future free agents and their career choices.

Please feel free to develop a relationship with our firm. Conversations do not need to be restricted to contract negotiations. But conversations regarding contracts will be expected to be more formal in nature.

As always, thank you for your time, effort and energy.

Regards,

Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce

Additionally, I would advise those GMs who have not reached out to their upcoming restricted or unrestricted free agents to do so in short order.

It's one thing to hope to negotiate with your players from a position of leverage in free agency. It's another thing to ignore your free agent entirely, or, and we would advise against this, attempt to drive the value of your free agent down via lack of playing time.

Finally, our clients will be much more willing to negotiate (and most likely, much more amenable) if you follow protocol when submitting your initial interest. Be wary of low-balling your free agents as well, they have emotions too and a lot of them are looking for their first big payday.

Successful contract offers have come with legitimate pitches.

When is the deadline to extend players through the agency?

Not that one FA should get preferred treatment but imho FA has been open for at least 3-4wks and if teams top guys haven't been contacted by the Agency by now (and not an oh I'm interested in signing my guy or what does he want as an extension but a FORMAL team offer) then I could see said FA's listening to the late interest but maybe deciding to test the market as well.

You never know.

Interesting. I was just under the impression we had all season and there was no rush to hurry and sign them but now that I know this I'll be sure to get both my guys signed.

Higrade (GSW) wrote:Interesting. I was just under the impression we had all season and there was no rush to hurry and sign them but now that I know this I'll be sure to get both my guys signed.

Yeah, same here. Will get on mine too, hah hah. I've got quite a few that I need to talk about.