What does it matter how much, or how little, KOC "negotiated"? The only question that matters is what KOC decided Matthews was worth. The reports are Matthews agent was gunning for the MLE, not using that as a threat to get a reasonable offer from the Jazz. Turns out, he was right. Now we're going to find out definitively what KOC thinks Matthews is worth. I can't find one thing KOC did wrong in this process.
I agree with this, but it's simply absurd to claim that KOC "refused" to make an offer to Matthews. It's possible that Matthews refused to even hear one, I spoze. For example:
KOC: We are prepared to offer your client the amount of.....
AGENT: STOP RIGHT THERE! Is it the max?
KOC: No, I'm making an offer of...
AGENT: JUST SHUT UP, THEN! We don't even want to hear it. It's the max, or NUTHIN. Don't even call us if ya aint offerin the max. Good-bye.
Possible, but highly implausible.
The recurring suggestion here is that Matthews would immediately and gladly have accepted, say, $4 million a year IF only KOC had offered it, but KOC refused to make any kinda offer, or even ask them what they would be willing to take, under the max.
It's absurd, of course. If Matthews "only" wanted, say, $5 million, then he could have accepted an offer from Portland for that, and then let KOC match, if they wanted, even if he, Matthews, was unwillingly to tell KOC that directly for some unknown reason (which is yet another absurd assumption) and/or KOC refused to listen to any offer from Matthews (another absurdity).
For some reason, it seems that the more absurd the tale, the more attractive it is to conspiracy theorist types, eh?