Needed: Expert on Tricky Foreign Contract Buy-outs

by Tom Ziller on Apr 22, 2009 4:04 PM PDT in NBA Draft

After the Kings drafted Hedo Turkoglu 16th overall, [Jason] Levien, who was representing Turkoglu at the time while working for the Williams & Connolly agency, accompanied [Geoff] Petrie and team attorney Matina Kolokotronis to Istanbul to resolve contractual hurdles that threatened to keep Turkoglu overseas.

The process involved a buyout of Turkoglu's contract with Turkish team Efes Pilsen and the requirement that the International Basketball Federation clear Turkoglu to join the Kings. Petrie, as he made clear at the time, was impressed.

"Everything worked out well," Petrie told The Bee on Aug. 3, 2000, after returning from the trip. "The lawyers did an excellent job of working through a lot of different issues that came up."

Lest we forget potentially the most important midseason addition to the club.

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Comments

How long has Levien been on payroll?

It’s as if the man was hired by the Kings to work undercover as an agent to find diamonds in the rough

I just hope he speaks Spanish well

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Apr 22, 2009 4:14 PM PDT reply actions

Si se puede.

by Tom Ziller on Apr 22, 2009 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Is this you admitting you're just another Mexican?

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 22, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions

What's wrong with that?

Everyone in Utah is mexican. Simply moving here changes it.

Kings fan? A's Fan?! Al Davis Run Raiders Fan?!!?!! ANNNND you're sacrificing 2 years of your life because you're LDS?!!?!?!?!?! Yeah, Masochist is the new sexy.

by killerking on Apr 22, 2009 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

LOL

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 22, 2009 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Why do you think the psyche of . . .

AK-47 is so messed up? Them russians are proud people.

Kings fan? A's Fan?! Al Davis Run Raiders Fan?!!?!! ANNNND you're sacrificing 2 years of your life because you're LDS?!!?!?!?!?! Yeah, Masochist is the new sexy.

by killerking on Apr 22, 2009 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions

The Russians are proud people cuz they're too many Mexicans in Utah?

You Mormans confuse me mayne.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 22, 2009 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions

No,

He’s confused because he turned INTO a Mexican too. :) His russian pride is now displaced. Happy Cinco de Mayo in two weeks. :)

Kings fan? A's Fan?! Al Davis Run Raiders Fan?!!?!! ANNNND you're sacrificing 2 years of your life because you're LDS?!!?!?!?!?! Yeah, Masochist is the new sexy.

by killerking on Apr 22, 2009 9:01 PM PDT up reply actions

I hate drinking holidays

Too many idiots.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 24, 2009 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions

-Killer

R U LDS 2??

"Greed is the inventor of injustice as well as the current enforcer." - Julian Casablancas

by submison on Apr 22, 2009 6:23 PM PDT up reply actions

He is.

Coming to you live from the land of interim coaches.

by LeaguePassAddict on Apr 22, 2009 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions

True story.

Leaving on a mission in a week.

Kings fan? A's Fan?! Al Davis Run Raiders Fan?!!?!! ANNNND you're sacrificing 2 years of your life because you're LDS?!!?!?!?!?! Yeah, Masochist is the new sexy.

by killerking on Apr 22, 2009 9:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Awesome!

Where to?

"Greed is the inventor of injustice as well as the current enforcer." - Julian Casablancas

by submison on Apr 22, 2009 10:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Are you the 2nd to go?

Or the first to go, and you had the broken leg or whatever it was.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 23, 2009 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Where're you headed?

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Apr 23, 2009 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions

I left, for a bit, and then came back because I had what’s called hypermoblie kneecaps. Basically, remember Shaun Livingston’s patella flying into the third row? That happens to me all the time, only on a lesser scale (usually). So I got surgery to get it all fixed, and now I can do things like walk and jump again. I just can’t play contact sports for some time.

So heck yeah. :)

Kings fan? A's Fan?! Al Davis Run Raiders Fan?!!?!! ANNNND you're sacrificing 2 years of your life because you're LDS?!!?!?!?!?! Yeah, Masochist is the new sexy.

by killerking on Apr 23, 2009 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I went to Guatemala.

Have fun! Work hard. It’s awesome. Do you go straight back to the field, or do you go back to the MTC?

m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!

by JediLeroy on Apr 24, 2009 12:19 AM PDT up reply actions

Straight Back.

I did my MTC stay and they sent me home for surgery. I’m way excited. Guatemala city, or another one in Guatemala?

Kings fan? A's Fan?! Al Davis Run Raiders Fan?!!?!! ANNNND you're sacrificing 2 years of your life because you're LDS?!!?!?!?!?! Yeah, Masochist is the new sexy.

by killerking on Apr 24, 2009 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions

Have fun

I applaud anyone willing to give themselves to something bigger than themselves, even if I think the cause they’re doing it for is silly. (I include myself, because I think many of the military functions are very silly.)

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 24, 2009 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions

I really don't think Levien is greatly needed on this deal

But, it’s a good thing the Kings have him anyway IN CASE things get hairy with Fegan. (It’s not the buyout that worries me. It’s always been, and always will be Fegan that worries me. See Varejao, Anderson.)

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 22, 2009 4:43 PM PDT reply actions

good read Pookey

“sure Ricky wants to play in Sacramento…. what’s it worth to you?”

I still like the implication that there has been a deal brewing all along, since the day after the Olympics Final

My mind of how this went down:
- check to make sure Rubio is willing to come over next summer (check)
- start talks with enterprising young agent, Levien comes to mind and is interested (check)
- sign Levien with promise to groom him for GM job (check)
- Fire Theus, start Project Mayhem (check)
- First rule of Project Mayhem, don’t talk about Project Mayhem
- Second rule of Project Maynem, don’t talk about Project Mayhem
- continue the losing, give free reign to Kenny Natt so it won’t look like we are purposefully tanking (cjhk(
- bring in Coachie to teach the Princeton to start preparing the guys for next season
- continue the losing
- secure the best chance for #1 draft pick (check)
- continue the covert meetings with Dan Fegan and Levien
- make another joke about Steely Dan, use Rikki don’t lose that number reference for the umpteenth time)(and yes, I know it is Don Fegan)
- secure under table agreement with D. Stern now that all is in place
- watch for finger on nose wave on May 19th to insure the fix is in (Stern can be so corny)
- Kings get #2 Pick, OKC #1 as agreed upon
- Joe and Gavin given ultimatum that if they talk, the league will call in their loan
- Ricky Rubio to the Kings, terms to worked out by involved parties

by betweentheeyes on Apr 22, 2009 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions 6 recs

One thing about being a NBA fan

There is never a shortage of conspiracy theories. I will admit I do find them dumb, but when they’re inspirational, it’s absolutely awesome. Well done sir.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Apr 22, 2009 6:32 PM PDT up reply actions

If OKC gets the Number 1 pick

I will have to be skeptical. Cleveland getting the number 1pick and Cleveland Native. Chicago getting Number 1 pick and Chicago Native. Etc.

by Aykis16 on Apr 22, 2009 10:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, it looks like Levien's negotiating skills will come in handy

apparently DKV Joventut doesn’t want to make this easy

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Roundup-April-22-3189/

Maybe the Maloofs should just fly DKV’s owners out to Vegas and show ’em a nice time at the Playboy Club.

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Apr 22, 2009 8:41 PM PDT reply actions

Posturing

I’m not sure what type of money, DKV makes a year. They aren’t even in the EuroLeague. They’re probably going to make more money off of Rubio’s buyout that in ticket sales. They want him to buyout. It would be a big payday for the owners. The only question is who flinches first. If Rubio gets drafted to continues to play for DKV, DKV will lose out on Millions. They lose more than Rubio will if he decides to play on 1 more yr. I still think that they’ll settle for 2/3 over 2 yrs.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Apr 22, 2009 9:55 PM PDT up reply actions

What I got from this

Is not so much Levien is needed as Matina Kolokotronis is needed. I personally know her (Hedo used to live with her family before he found a place) through the Greek Community, and she could definitely be a big help, especially in Foreign Markets.

by Aykis16 on Apr 22, 2009 10:48 PM PDT reply actions