HoopsHype.com Rumors

Jeff Zillgit: Mark Bartelstein's Priority Sports & Entertainment agency forms Coaches, Front Office & Broadcasters division. Mike Tannenbaum to head group Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Mark Bartelstein, Agents 

Cano is the first athlete to publicly sign with the company, a joint venture with Creative Artists Agency's sports division, and if the Brooklyn-born rapper-turned-mogul hopes to sign NBA players, he would have to relinquish his minority stake in the Nets in accordance with league rules. A spokesman for Carter didn't respond to an email request for comment. Wall Street Journal

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Agents 

The Nets wouldn't miss Carter's money if he were to transition from NBA ownership to NBA player management. Rather, the franchise would miss its biggest international symbol, someone veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse described as "iconic." Nets and Barclays Center chief executive Brett Yormark didn't respond to an interview request, but did claim in a February interview that Carter was a major attraction for segments of the team's fan base. "You have other people who like us because we've married the world of sports to entertainment because of Jay-Z," Yormark said. Wall Street Journal

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Jerry Stackhouse, Agents, Brett Yormark 

Players, who only ever see Carter at home games, seemed ambivalent about the topic at Tuesday's practice. Stackhouse said he didn't believe Carter's "stake in the Nets is so much to where" he would pass on an opportunity that "presented itself to be more lucrative." Nets point guard Deron Williams and shooting guard Joe Johnson, who practiced on his sore heel and quad after missing the last four games, didn't know if they would have considered signing with a rapper when they entered the league. Power forward Reggie Evans said he'd hire "a wrestler" if "he gets the job done." Wall Street Journal

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Agents 

Jeff Zillgitt: As long as Jay-Z does not represent NBA players he can keep his ownership stake in the Brooklyn Nets, per NBA. Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Agents 

Jeff Zillgitt: “There is no prohibition on NBA owners having an interest in businesses that represent non-NBA athletes," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Agents 

Jeff Zillgitt: When/if Jay-Z begins representing NBA players, he has to divest his ownership stake in Nets. Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Agents 

New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who is in the final season of a $57 million contract, has left agent Scott Boras to sign with a company founded by Jay-Z. Roc Nation, an entertainment company founded by Shawn Carter, also known as Jay-Z, announced Tuesday that it is getting into the sports representation business through a partnership with Creative Artists Agency (CAA). This arm of CAA will be known as Roc Nation Sports, which simultaneously announced that its first sports client is Cano. ESPN.com

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Agents 

Sources say Jay-Z himself is planning to be a certified agent, first in baseball and eventually in basketball and football. In order to represent clients in basketball, he would have to give up his small share of the Brooklyn Nets. ESPN.com

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z, Agents 

New York-based basketball player representation firm Pinnacle Management Corp. has signed Los Angeles Lakers forwardMetta World Peace for representation. He will be co-represented by Pinnacle President Marc Cornstein and Doug Davis, who is World Peace’s personal attorney as well as an NBPA-certified agent. World Peace, who went by Ron Artest before changing his name in 2011, was represented byDavid Bauman of Lagardère Unlimited. It was unclear what caused him to switch representation. “We are excited to be representing Metta,” Cornstein said. “He is a great name, and he is having a great season.” World Peace was averaging more than 12 points and five rebounds per game this year in a season that otherwise has been largely disappointing for the Lakers. He suffered a knee injury last Monday, though, and his timetable for return was not immediately known. Sports Business Daily

Los Angeles Lakers, Agents, Marc Cornstein, Metta World Peace 

After this season, World Peace has a one-year player’s option that will pay him $7.7 million. Cornstein said they would explore opportunities before deciding whether to remain with the Lakers. Sports Business Daily

Los Angeles Lakers, Agents, Marc Cornstein, Metta World Peace 

Pinnacle has also signed guard Sasha Vujacic, who has played for both the Lakers and Nets but who is now playing for Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball League. Additionally, Pinnacle signed forward Dario Saric of KK Cibona, a team in the Croatian League, for representation in this year’s NBA draft. Cornstein will represent both players. Cornstein founded Pinnacle in 1998 and has specialized in representing players who were born in Europe for contract work with both overseas teams and NBA clubs. Pinnacle represents five NBA players and about 35 players who are on teams in Europe and Asia. Sports Business Daily

Draft, Sasha Vujacic, Agents, Dario Saric 

The Oklahoma City Thunder hired Jason Ranne to the position of Director of Strategic Planning, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. In his new role, Ranne will work with Thunder basketball operations on various initiatives, including team payroll, player acquisitions and long-term operational planning. NBA.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Agents, Jason Ranne 

Ranne spent the last six years with the Wasserman Media Group, most recently as the organization’s Senior Vice President of Team Sports. In this position, Ranne oversaw the operational, legal and strategic aspects of Wasserman's basketball, baseball and football groups as well as the athlete marketing and digital divisions related to those sports. Prior to his stint at Wasserman, Ranne spent four years as a guard on the Arizona Wildcats (2000-04), including a turn as the team captain during his senior season. NBA.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Agents, Jason Ranne 

“The sky is the limit for Damian” in terms of endorsements, says Goodwin, who reps Lillard along with his brother, Eric Goodwin. “He’s a different type of athlete, a new genre — a blue-collar guy most people didn’t know about a year ago. He relates to the common man. People identify with him as opposed to somebody who was a superstar from day one. “Damian has played really well and established himself, so the market has been created for him. The next stage is the building of a real career. We’re looking for new opportunities for him, with the Cokes, the Gatorades, the McDonalds of the world. Those are the next step. It’s a process — and he realizes it’s a process — to build a portfolio that matches his personality.” Portland Tribune

Portland Trail Blazers, Agents, Damian Lillard 

That sounds good to Lillard, who, unlike teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, embraces the idea of helping to promote products and companies. “I hope to have some endorsements,” he says. “I’m a people type of guy. I’m a marketable guy. I have fun with that type of stuff. In a bigger market, there might be more money in it, but I’m not motivated by dollar signs. I just enjoy those type of things. I’d like to have a few national (endorsements), a couple of local things, also.” Portland Tribune

Portland Trail Blazers, Agents, Damian Lillard 

Every year, Businessweek produces the Power 100, a compilation that ranks the world’s best-performing athletes based on statistics, the popularity and viewing audience of their sports, endorsement earnings, and their reach on social media. The rankings are curated by CSE and Horrow Sports Ventures, which use E-Poll Market Research and Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score data to determine the list. Last year, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees topped the charts. This year’s Power 100, which was announced this morning, is led by LeBron James of the NBA’s Miami Heat. We decided to take the top 25 names on the 2013 Power 100 list and provide them here, along with their agents, as a unique feature offered only by Sports Agent Blog. The athletes and their rankings, sport and representatives, are located below. Sports Agent Blog

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Agents, Rich Paul 

Greivis Vasquez and Bismack Biyombo are now represented by Wasserman's Arn Tellem and BJ Armstrong. HoopsHype

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, Greivis Vasquez, Arn Tellem, Agents, Bysmack Biyombo 

Marc J. Spears: NBA agent said,"I came to work today in a hearse with a black suit,black top hat because its dead out there."Blamed new CBA and Billy Hunter Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

Trade, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Agents 

Mark Berman: Agent Tony Dutt, who represents Marcus Morris, says it's his understanding Morris has been traded to the Phoenix Suns. Twitter @MarkBermanFox26

Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Trade, Agents, Marcus Morris, Tony Dutt