re: Could the JJ rant have been calculated by CAA?

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But, at any point this season which is over halfway over, JJ could have made these comments about Zion's not being invested and it would have been the news of the day, and he never did until now.

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I mean, there is such a thing as "the straw that broke the camel's back." It's certainly feasible he was biting his tongue because of all the previously stated relationships, but when Zion disrespected CJ, it pushed him over the top. It's just going to be very difficult to convince me that CAA thought the best way that they could help their client was to tear down the character of their client.

Please explain how JJs agency has the power to push his narrative?

Some real Q shite level conspiracy here

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Agencies control the NBA.

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But they dont, and this gets to the heart of why this is so baseless.

You are ascribing to CAA powers they dont actually have.

They are highly influential, yes, they are powerful, yes. More powerful now than ever, yes. They are not the illuminati though and secretly control both the NBA and have Manchurian candidates at places like Disney, willing to selflessly sacrifice at the alter of CAA.

The way they exert power is through their influence with their clients directly, like Klutch and Simmons, pushing them toward certain mutually beneficial outcomes, but sometimes offering bad advice like Klutch. In the case of ESPN clients, by being at the top of rolodex's and easily accessible to influential media figures they represent when they want to strategically leak stories on behalf of other clients.

If this had been JJ saying something like, "sources tell me Zion's foot is not healing well, he wants out of NO, and prefers NY as the only place he won't just take the qualifying offer." Precedent would tell you JJ's source is probably CAA. But CAA pulling JJ aside and telling him, hey, go trash our other guy, your former teammate, we think it might secretly tank his trade value and work in our favor by making him look like a shitty teammate, with bad work ethic, and detachment and focus issues. Like, first, there are a myriad of ways to achieve that without requiring JJ to collude in conspiracy and risk the ire of Disney if the conspiracy ever gets exposed, and in service of such a diffuse and hard to justify logic at that.

Of course it could have been a calculated move by CAA. I don't have information to say it was but to deny the possibility I think is naive. The business of basketball is no different than any other large enterprise, it is dominated by insiders and large entities with scale advantages. The job of insiders is to manipulate information to their advantage.

I'm quite sure the financial hit going to a small market was presented to Zion and his family by his agency as he was being drafted, and even the assurances of the Pels that it could work do not remove that $ loss doubt from the back of their mind. To placate Zion and his family maybe some extra incentives were thrown in as insurance for loss (marketing, family and team perks, housing etc.).

In the case of the Pels, everyone knew NY was pissed at the lottery results. Immediately the narrative of Zion doesn't have help, FO ineptitude, training staff mismanagement, and NOLA as an inferior destination were rinsed and repeated throughout the media by personalities with connections to CAA. This, by the eye and ear test, is exactly what has driven a wedge between Zion/Pels. Step 1 accomplished (Pels are not blameless here).

The plan all along was likely to give it a shot in NOLA and bide your time until you can make a move. Zion's injuries may have thrown a monkey wrench in that plan and increased the pressure of getting a more immediate return for his talents. CAA could have said sure we'll help you out, but you're going to have to take a PR hit. Unlike AD, Zion may not want to ask directly for a trade, but make no mistake JJ's admission on National TV has made the rift wider setting the stage for a possible summer divorce.

Info manipulation occurs more often than we think. Reminds me of a certain Gov't official we had that would leak misinformation as information to a reporter on the condition of anonymity, the reporter then would run with it to publication, and then the Gov't official would quote the reporter's publication as justification for a position they wanted all along. Happens all the time.

Everybody is not a Giannis (Who was encouraged to move from Milwaukee to no avail). Most of the young men coming into the league are enticed by the bright lights and promises of fame and fortune (and social media clout) only available with a large market platform. So is this case for Zion? I do not know, but to discount nefarious intentions by the conglomeration of teams, agents, media sycophants is again, in my opinion, naive.

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All of these conspiracies fall apart under that simple fact that JJ is not some helpless, brainless pawn, and CAA is not some singular evil movie villain conjuring up grand master plans in a smoky room like some B-tier movie. Plans that make less and less sense the more logic and critical thinking you apply to them.

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What is so conspiratorial or outlandish about CAA reaching out to JJ and asking him to push a narrative so that CAA can get Zion back on board and moving forward? It’s not like they would ask JJ to lie, but simply be candid about his experiences and opinion, on a show that taps him for his opinion.

His statements, if it gets Zion moving in the right direction, directly benefits CAA. Coming from a Duke alum, former teammate, gives it a ton of credibility and removes and perceived slight.

There’s nothing conspiratorial about that. That’s literally how business is conducted.

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That is how this works, not, lets create this diffuse plot involving reputational risking slander in service of creating this complex conspiracy requiring our clients to work against their self interest to achieve.

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Where is the slander? JJ didn’t slander anyone, unless his reported calling out of Zion in front of the team didn’t happen. If that were the case, don’t you think a player would have said it didn’t happen?

This isn’t some super huge, difficult and complex operation. KA obviously threw a softball to CJ. That shite was set up and it was obvious. CJ, being the president of the PA was putting it out there that he was going to get control of the situation. That’s one of the reasons why he was probably targeted by the organization.

Then JJ says what he says, furthering the heat on Zion to get his arse in gear, thus (this is my interjection) limiting his family’s control of the situation and leaving it to the professionals.

CAA directly benefits. Nike directly benefits. The Pels directly benefit. shite, Zion directly benefits. Literally there are no losers amongst the players with skin in the game.

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What is so conspiratorial or outlandish about CAA reaching out to JJ and asking him to push a narrative so that CAA can get Zion back on board and moving forward? It’s not like they would ask JJ to lie, but simply be candid about his experiences and opinion, on a show that taps him for his opinion.

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Again, read my above post, tell me which is more plausible?

CAA calls up JJ to collude in a grand conspiracy about using a hard to quantify personal attack on Zion that has all the makings of just being the normal pundit behavior on First Take to generate daily discussions and content. Except secretly, JJ, in committing some light character assassination of his teammate, is actually in on a plot in service of getting Zion out of New Orleans, or to get him on board with CAA’s wishes. Architected and organized at the direction of CAA, using JJ as a willing proxy soldier on behalf of Team Zion. Where JJ had to learn his script, convince Disney/First Take producers to go with the segment on the show, then execute it on every show throughout the day......all in service of someone that unless he was also lying, he feels a certain way about, to execute a strategy that barely makes sense to begin with, especially in comparison to some obviously easier and less complicated ways to go about it. Ones that don’t require JJ to act in conspiracy behind the back of his employer to do the bidding of his agency.


Or

JJ is simply commenting on a story that First Take producers, the tip of content generation spear for ESPN, thought would be a good topic of discussion due to the CJ comments and JJ simply did his job well because he had a unique vantage to bring to the table.

CAA works for JJ, not the other way around.

Again, you all misconstrue these relationships and then go on fantastical fan fic journeys.

But you didn’t answer my question, which scenario is more plausible?

Simple question, who do you think works for whom? JJ for CAA, or CAA for JJ??

Or better put, since there is mutual benefit for sure, who holds the overriding power in the relationship, JJ, or CAA?

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Agencies control the NBA.

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But they dont

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LOL

Why do you think Rob Pelinka and Leon Rose were hired as GM and POBO in the last 4 years?