Here is information that could remain a small line, as it may seem anecdotal at first sight in the midst of the incessant flow of fresh news that the NBA offers us daily. However, the separation of Russell Westbrook and his agent Thad Foucher after fourteen years of relationship is a real bomb. Why ? Because the agent justified this separation with a beautiful press release sent to ESPN, in which he balances the bottom of the situation of Westbrook at the Lakers.
Oh the poisoned parting gift. And then: oh the super crisp info. Hired by Russell Westbrook since his Draft by the Thunder in 2008, Thad Foucher had certainly become a man of confidence, someone from the first circle of Russ. However, this fourteen-year-long relationship is now over, thanks to a complete disagreement between the player and his representative regarding his contractual situation. How do we know all this? Well because Thad Foucher is not someone who does things by halves. No because when M’sieur Foucher puts an end to such a collaboration, he allows himself in total relaxation to send a letter to ESPN to explain the reasons for the breakup. Attention, we advise you from here to drink a good sip of water because what happens is of the HEAVY kind. According to Foucher, the disagreement between Russ and him had come to a point of no return. But on what the hell could the two men be so opposed? We give it to you in a thousand: his place with the Lakers. The agent explains in black and white that he would have advised Westbrook to take advantage of the opportunity given by Darvin Ham and to stay in Los Angeles to recover his sporting health and get back in favor with the other teams. No need to have gone to high school to quickly understand that the disagreement comes from the fact that Russ wants to put an end to his Californian adventure.
“With a possibility of a fourth transfer in four years, the market indicates to the Lakers that they must add value next to Russell in any transfer scenario. And even with that, such a trade could force Russell out of his new team via a buyout. My opinion is that this kind of transaction would only serve to diminish the value of Russell and that his best option is to stay with the Lakers, taking advantage of his starting status and the confidence offered publicly by Darvin Ham. […] Unfortunately, irreconcilable differences exist regarding his best way to continue moving forward and we will no longer be working together. »
– Thad Foucher
Well, several things because there it is downright lunar. First, you should know that if Thad Foucher is not a name known to the general public, he is however one of the most respected agents in the NBA. Just imagine – in an environment where discretion and image are the key words – that one of the bosses of the game takes the risk of getting so wet, by swinging what he thinks of his player’s decision but also of the opinion of the league on this same player. No, that’s too much lol. Second, Foucher publicly exposes the fact that Westbrook wants to get out of Los Angeles to look elsewhere. A situation almost never seen in the history of the league. Let’s just remember between two drops of sweat that Russ took his player option at 47 million dollars with the Lakers and that the latest rumors indicated his desire to stay where he is. And the worst thing is that not only would leaving LA be a bad plan, but the whole league clearly thinks that bringing in Westbrook smacks more of a financial trap than a sporting opportunity. Take the time to read this. Do not forget that we are talking about Russell Westbrook, the 2017 MVP. And realize if it is not already done the weight of these statements. So now, why do this? There too, several tracks pending possible clarifications. It can be a form of protection vis-à-vis the player, in “Hey, I told you to do that and you didn’t listen to me, so it’s not my fault” mode. Perhaps if not, this is a desperate way to make the player realize – in a brutal way – that he is on the wrong path and that he must quickly change his mind about his future. Of course, we revel in the reaction of Rich Paul on Twitter, agent of LeBron James and Anthony Davis in particular.
It’s a cold game !
— Rich Paul (@RichPaul4) July 16, 2022
For a bomb, it is! We were just starting to take a nose dive in front of the Summer League, but this info gave us the boost. At the same time, it’s almost unheard of in the league: an agent has just thrown everything he had inside on his player in public. The floor to the principal concerned now? We are impatient here.
Source : ESPN.
