Juwan howard case study - Essay Example

community and had a large number of fans. Because of Howard’s qualifications, when he became a free agent in July 1996, several teams became interested in recruiting him including Pat Riley of the Miami Heat. Howard was represented by David Falk of the Falk Associates Management Enterprises (FAME) and his partner lawyer Curtis Polk. The Bullets through its General Manager, Wes Unseld made an offer for seven-years for $78.4 million which amounted to $136,000 per game during the 2002-2003 season (Brubaker & Asher, 2007).

Although Howard wanted to remain a Bullet, he was not happy with the offer because he knew that he was worth more than $78.4 million; thus, together with Falk they sought offers from the other NBA teams. The Miami Heat’s opening bid through Riley was $84 million over seven years which later increased to $91 million plus $3.5 million in bonuses and other perks. The Bullets then increased their bid to $84 million which was still unacceptable to Howard. At this point, Howard admitted that his top choice was the Heat but he wanted to up their offer so he still was not accepting any deal.

His move was successful because the final deal was closed at $100.8 million in cash plus perks. This contract however was voided by the NBA citing that the Heat exceeded its salary cap. The NBA also claimed that the Heat had signed an agreement with Alonzo Mourning before the contract with Howard and that the bonuses of two other players were excluded from the cap which should not have been the case. So on August 5, 1996 after several heated negotiations, Howard was back with the Bullets after signing a seven-year contract worth $105 million.

There are several benefits, both tangible and intangible, among the players in the negotiation contract of Howard. For Howard, the intangible benefit of the negotiation of his contract was that it was a measure of his true worth as an NBA star player. He gained a sense of fulfillment and pride from just knowing that there are several teams interested in his services. A $205 million total contract offer from two top teams in the NBA was a real boost to his ego. Also, another intangible benefit for Howard was the fame he got from the negotiations.

He was adored by numerous fans so the Bullets came up with an advertisement in the Washington Post which promised the fans that they will do everything to keep Howard in Washington. The tangible benefits that he gained from the negotiations are the financial rewards and other bonuses and perks that were offered to him including hotel suites and limousine service. If Unseld is successful at having Howard accept the Bullets’ offer, the team will benefit from the outstanding performance of Howard.

Their fans will continue to support them, meaning more revenues for them. Howard can motivate again his other team members and hopefully lead them into winning more games that will bring them closer to the championship. On the other hand, the benefit for Riley if his offer is accepted by Howard is that the Heat will have another star player in the team which will make them the team to beat in the NBA. Riley will gain much publicity and will earn him the respect among basketball enthusiasts, being the coach of