Several prominent free agents will essentially be assured of leaving their teams by tomorrow night.

And what kind of outside influence was a certain prominent agent exerting on negotiations?

"He is difficult," says one prominent agent who had several clients on "Sanders."

In the headquarters building one prominent special agent was sitting at a large conference room table.

"He's up for lots of jobs," says a prominent agent.

"What's going on is brutal business," said one prominent agent.

As they spoke inside a ballroom, a dozen or so of the game's most prominent agents waited outside the meeting.

Once the first prominent free agent makes up his mind, others soon follow.

Also, a player's need for a prominent agent to get him the most lucrative deal possible seemed to be reduced.

Green, a 29-year-old power forward, was the league's most prominent free agent after averaging 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds last season.