Source: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2947770-how-nerlens-noel-rich-paul-lawsuit-could-change-nba-agent-landscape

It may not come as a surprise, but NBA agents far and wide cheered Nerlens Noel's lawsuit against powerbroker Rich Paul of Klutch Sports this week.

That accept-the-qualifying-offer, bet-on-yourself tactic, along with poaching clients from other agents, have been repeated elements of Paul's unorthodox style that his rivals have seemingly come to loathe. Although those other agents, to be fair, are often guilty of the same things. A significant portion of income for larger agencies is generated by poaching clients before their next lucrative deal.

The National Basketball Players Association does not prohibit its certified agents from contacting clients of other certified agents, in stark contrast to how the NBA prevents rival teams from contacting other teams' players and their agents.

The majority of league sources contacted by B/R do expect the union to settle some type agreement between these two parties, being that a legitimate legal battle benefits neither Klutch nor Noel. For Noel to win $58 million in alleged lost salary, he would seemingly face a daunting uphill battle in a court of law.

The lawsuit claims Paul never informed Noel of Philadelphia's interest in bringing the center back to the Sixers, that he later only heard the intel from coach Brett Brown, who said Philly's front office was unable to reach Paul. The 76ers, and the team's coaching staff in particular, were indeed interested in landing Noel before Philadelphia shifted its sights to Al Horford, sources confirmed to B/R.

Noel goes on to allege that the Clippers and Rockets also attempted to contact Paul that same offseason, also to no avail. League sources confirmed this detail to Bleacher Report as well. "Nerlens was always somebody we really liked in Houston, and definitely tried to get in touch with," said one former Rockets official. "But my understanding is it never got very far."

Paul's then-client Shabazz Muhammad declined a $44 million offer from the Wolves, which never materialized again. He urged Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to turn down Detroit's five-year, $80 million extension. Marcus Morris fired Paul after they declined a three-year, $41 million offer from the Clippers in free agency.