FanPost

Free Agents/Trades to Approach with Cronyism?

A quick disclaimer: people do favors for those they like, and the NBA is no different.

Neil Olshey has a lot of friends around the league and I was inspired by Neil's post-draft quote below (full transcript here):

[CJ McCollum]'s another guy that really wanted to be here. From very early in the process, his agent is a close friend of mine, we actually grew up together. He had talked, right away, that this was the best place for him. 

So, who is this agent Neil grew up with? Sam Goldfeder (HoopsHype profile here).

Reading this, I thought why not idly (and wildly) speculate about what's to come in this free agent market. Who are Sam's clients and would he persuade them to play for Neil? (I know these men have more tact and integrity than this, but it's a curious thought).

Who, then, are Sam's clients that are available?

Unrestricted

Jarrett Jack [G] (2012-2013 value: $5.6m)

Johan Petro [C] (2012-2013 value: $3.5m)

Marco Bellinelli [G] (2012-2013 value: $1.96m)

Leandro Barbosa [G] (2012-2013 value: $1.23m)

Lazar Hayward [G/F] (2012-2013 value: $1.2m) *ended season in D-League

Kelenna Azubuike [G] (2012-2013 value: $0.99m)

None of these names are real game-changers outside of Jack and maybe Bellinelli (the only two I wouldn't mind seeing coming off the bench for the B's).

Some other, currently under contract, names of interest that Sam represents: Blake Griffin, Arron Afflalo, Tyler Zeller.

**He also represents OSU's Jared Cunningham, but he cannot yet be traded.

So, what do you think? Would you take a chance on any of these FA's in hopes that the agent would aid the transaction?