There's only a handful of players that could get away with the kind of preferential treatment that he demands.
Dennis Rodman Meta Ron Artest Rasheed Wallace Stephen Jackson Vernon Maxwell Chris Anderson Michael Ray Richardson Shawn Kemp. Feel free to add to this list, but it takes a lot of talent to overcome being a role-playing shithead, let alone a franchise player, and those I listed actually proved to have a legitimate NBA skill level that meant they have or had a decent career.
Zeller was still undrafted. If Morey wanted a gamble, Sullinger was there. Middleton, Crowder, etc. were still on the board. Nicholson, Terrence Jones.