HoopsHype.com Rumors

National Basketball Players Association officials met with NHL Players’ Association Executive Director Don Fehr and MLB Players Association Executive Director Michael Weiner last month as part of their effort to find a new head for the players union. “The process has started, and for anyone to think we are not moving forward is inaccurate,” said Jerry Stackhouse, a member of the NBPA executive committee. But Stackhouse added that players are in “no rush” to replace the former executive director, Billy Hunter. Responding to reported frustration over the pace of the selection process, Stackhouse said leaders want to take their time in rebuilding the union and involve players. “A union is, and what it should be, is for the players, and that hasn’t happened in recent times,” he said. NBPA leaders voted unanimously to fire Hunter on Feb. 16, after an independent investigation found that he had acted in his own interests and against players’ interest in running the union. Sports Business Daily

Law, Billy Hunter, Jerry Stackhouse, NBPA, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Don Fehr 

Stackhouse and Ron Klempner, who is the NBPA’s deputy general counsel and who has been acting executive director since Hunter was fired, attended a meeting with Fehr and Weiner at the MLBPA headquarters in Manhattan in April. In addition to Fehr and Weiner, Tony Clark, a former MLB first baseman who is now MLBPA director of player relations, and Mathieu Schneider, a former NHL defenseman who is now the NHLPA special assistant to the executive director, also attended the meeting. Both Fehr and Weiner confirmed that the meeting occurred but declined further comment. Fehr’s name has been mentioned as a potential successor to Hunter, but he reaffirmed last week that he intends to stay at the NHLPA. Stackhouse said he was seeking information on how unions are run, as well as the processes unions have used to elect an executive director. News of the meeting comes as some NBA agents have privately been grumbling that nothing was happening in the search for a new union leader. Stackhouse, who is represented by Excel Sports Management founder Jeff Schwartz, said that was not the case. Sports Business Daily

Law, Billy Hunter, Jerry Stackhouse, NBPA, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Don Fehr 

UNLV draft prospect Anthony Bennett will have rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday, agent Jeff Schwartz told ESPN.com. Bennett will miss all NBA pre-draft workouts, the NBA draft combine and summer league, Schwartz said. The surgery could keep Bennett out of commission up to four months. ESPN.com

Draft, Summer League, Injuries, Jeff Schwartz, Anthony Bennett 

Sports Agent Blog has learned that Carter-Williams held meetings with agents and supposedly narrowed his agent selection process down to three groups: ASM Sports, Excel Sports Management and the new Roc Nation Sports/Creative Artists Agency (CAA) partnership. The latest information received by Sports Agent Blog is that Carter-Williams has removed Roc Nation/CAA from the mix and is now between Andy Miller of ASM and Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports. Sports Agent Blog

Draft, Jeff Schwartz, Andy Miller, Agents, Michael Carter-Williams 

ESPN.com, in an analysis story on 10 NBA players who could be traded, cited sources as saying Jennings is frustrated. One source called it "irreconcilable differences" and said Jennings wants to be moved before the Feb. 21 trade deadline. "That is not true," Jennings said in a text message when asked if his relationship with the Bucks is beyond repair. "Just because I got a new agent doesn't mean anything. That stuff never came out of my mouth. They're just reaching for a story since I changed my agent [to Jeff Schwartz]." ESPN.com

Milwaukee Bucks, Trade, Brandon Jennings, Jeff Schwartz 

Bucks guard Brandon Jennings recently switched agents, leaving Bill Duffy of BDA Sports Management, as reported by Sports Business Daily. It is expected Jennings will join the clients of Jeff Schwartz and Excel Sports Management when the 15-day waiting period for signing with a new agent expires. It was a bit of a surprising move because Jennings has been represented by Duffy since 2009, when the Bucks guard was selected 10th overall in the NBA draft. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Jennings called his agent switch "a family decision" and thanked Duffy for all he had done for him over the past four years. Jennings is extremely close to New York Knicks center Tyson Chander, who also is represented by Excel Sports Management. So are a number of other NBA stars, including Boston's Paul Pierce, Minnesota's Kevin Love, Brooklyn's Deron Williams and Milwaukee native Devin Harris, now with the Atlanta Hawks. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings is dropping agent Bill Duffy, and two people familiar with the situation told CBSSports.com Monday that the soon-to-be restricted free agent will sign with New York-based Jeff Schwartz. Duffy confirmed that he and Jennings have parted ways in a statement to the Sports Business Journal. The two people with knowledge of Jennings' plans said the point guard will sign with Schwartz once the 10-day waiting period for switching agents has elapsed. CBSSports.com

Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Jennings will be one of the top restricted free agents on the market this summer, and his hiring of Schwartz could be ominous for the Bucks. After failing to receive a multi-year extension by the Oct. 31, 2012 deadline, the 2009 first-round pick said, "I'm doing my homework on big-market teams." CBSSports.com

Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Liz Mullen: Bill Duffy: "He has the prerogative to surround himself with whom he chooses and we fully respect that. We wish him nothing but the best." Twitter @SBJLizMullen

Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Hal Biagas has agreed to join Excel Sports Management as its general counsel, the latest hire by the sports talent representation firm owned by agents Jeff Schwartz, Casey Close and Mark Steinberg. Biagas most recently was Wasserman Media Group’s executive vice president of operations, a position he held for three years. Prior to that, he served as deputy counsel for the National Basketball Players Association, where he worked for 13 years. Biagas and Excel and Wasserman officials declined to comment or did not return inquiries for this story. Sports Business Daily

Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Wasserman Media Group 

Stephen Curry has signed a 4-year, $44 million extension with the Golden State Warriors. If his agent takes a 4% commission on the total contract, that agent will receive $1.76 million. But who will be the agent that collects the commissions on the deal? The cause for confusion is that basketball agent Lance Young recently left Octagon and its basketball division, and is expected to join Jeff Schwartz’s Excel Sports Management. Sports Agent Blog

Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Lance Young, Octagon 

Multiple sources have told Sports Agent Blog that all of Lance Young’s basketball clients stayed with Octagon pursuant to the contract Lance Young signed with his former employer. According to someone with ties to the agency, the Curry extension was brokered by Octagon basketball agent Jeff Austin. Sports Agent Blog

Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Lance Young, Octagon 

Nixon became involved last year at the request of Minnesota General Manager David Kahn and Beasley's agent, Jeff Schwartz, who both saw the impact Nixon had as Jalen Rose's mentor in Indiana. "The smarter guys become off the floor, the better players they become," Nixon said. "Michael is a great kid. A lot of the problems he had were because of who was surrounding him. Sometimes, you have to eliminate those distractions. "Once you get a tag, it's hard to shake. Once you see his work ethic and see him off the court, you'll be pleasantly surprised." Arizona Republic

Minnesota Timberwolves, Free Agency, Michael Beasley, David Kahn, Jeff Schwartz, Norm Nixon 

Tim Bontemps: In addition, Teletovic is represented by Jeff Schwartz, the same agent as Williams, Jason Kidd and second rounder Tyshawn Taylor. Twitter

Brooklyn Nets, Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Mirza Teletovic, Tyshawn Taylor 

Chris Tomasson: Jerry Colangelo said Lamar Odom dropped out of Team USA today. He said Jeff Schwartz, Odom’s agent, called him today to tell him that. Twitter

Los Angeles Clippers, Lamar Odom, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Injuries, Team USA, Jeff Schwartz 

The Detroit Pistons have struck a verbal agreement to sign Ukranian center Vyacheslav Kravtsov to a multiyear deal, according to his agent. "Vyacheslav intends to sign a player contract with the Pistons when the moratorium period ends," Kravtsov's representative, Jeff Schwartz, said Sunday night. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Free Agency, Jeff Schwartz, Vyacheslav Kravtsov 

Mike Fisher: I ask Donnie Nelson abt Deron agent Schwartz. 'I consider him a very good friend' the GM says. Good. #Mavs cod use a friend right now. Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Free Agency, Deron Williams, Donnie Nelson, Jeff Schwartz 

With a Friday deadline looming for the Dallas Mavericks to buy out the final year of Odom's contract for $2.4 million, Mavs officials have green-lighted Odom's agent, Jeff Schwartz, to try to find a new home for Odom this week via trade. The Mavericks and Schwartz have also discussed pushing the deadline back into July if an Odom trade can't be struck before Friday. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Trade, Lamar Odom, Jeff Schwartz 

Jason Kidd also has expressed a desire to join one of the New York teams as a free agent and has endorsed the notion of serving as Williams' backup next season, when he turns 40. Kidd and Williams are represented by the same powerful agent, Jeff Schwartz. CBSSports.com

Brooklyn Nets, Free Agency, Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, Jeff Schwartz