NBA by-laws state:
Prior to the annual NBA Draft, Members may have preliminary discussions with players eligible for the Draft, but may not discuss the matter of compensation.
All along, this arrangement seemed pre-negotiated. Huestis’ agent confirms it was.
the below 4 tweets by Zach Lowe of Grantland:
Talked earlier today with Mitchell Butler, agent for Josh Huestis. Said D-League deal was pre-arranged before the draft with OKC. (1/2)
Butler was not sure if Huestis would get drafted in either 1st/2nd round, viewed D-League promise as best means of guaranteeing being picked
Butler insisted arrangement did not violate rules against pre-draft discussion of player compensation. A gray area, but seems like semantics
Huestis, Butler says, was fine w/ arrangement. Didn't want to go to Europe, would do D-League thing only for two franchises: OKC, Spurs.
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