LAS VEGAS -- A little more than a month after he proclaimed the start of Harper's Bazaar, Scott Boras stood in front of the giant Christmas tree at Mandalay Bay on Wednesday, swarmed by a horde of reporters, and answered questions for nearly an hour, most of which were about his biggest free agent.
These Winter Meetings being held in Bryce Harper's hometown of Las Vegas could not have been orchestrated any more perfect by Boras himself, the grand stage where one of baseball's biggest stars could sign a record-breaking contract. And yet, Harper's free agency does not appear close to an end, and if it is, Boras did not indicate so.
"We've had a lot of meetings over the last three weeks," he said. "We've met with a number of clubs and had a lot of discussions. When you get to that point, certainly something can happen quickly. Something can also happen in a matter of weeks. So, you really can't put a timeline on it."
• Latest Hot Stove rumors
Even as several teams lately have, at least publicly, downplayed their interest in signing Harper to the richest free-agent deal in MLB history, Boras described a robust market for Harper, pushing back on the idea that demand for the outfielder might not be as high as it was once assumed.
Nationals owner Mark Lerner said last week he believed Harper had moved on, and then Nats general manager Mike Rizzo left the door open.
"I think when they say the door is open, I would certainly pay attention to what they're saying," Boras said.
The idea that the Yankees are not in on Harper?
"I've never heard the Yankees say that."

The Phillies reportedly have focused their sights on Manny Machado. The Cubs have said they do not have room to make large additions to their payroll. The Dodgers and Giants have not appeared willing to hand out those sort of long-term deals.
"This is not a race where every car is labeled," Boras said. "There's a lot of people that want to keep what they're doing very private, which is usually the practice with a major free agent. They're bringing about a process that's different. Some clubs are more open and direct about what they're doing. And some clubs really want a very private process for them."
• Rizzo reaffirms optimism about signing Rendon
One thing Boras made clear again Wednesday was that signing Harper will likely require a long-term commitment. He called the Nationals' initial offer -- reportedly 10 years and $300 million -- respectful but a starting point. Boras also refuted speculation that Harper could perhaps receive a shorter deal at a higher annual value.
"Owners are after -- from a business standpoint, what they're trying to build and look at when they're involved with this kind of player -- they're really after his legacy," Boras said. "They're after building a brand around him, building a team around him ... certainly everyone, I think, that wants Bryce wants to make sure that wherever he does go, he's going to be there a long time."

Boras also once again sold the value of signing Harper, whom he refers to as a generational talent. He credited Harper with the increase in attendance, TV ratings and value of the Nationals organization. Players with the combination of Harper's youth and accolades -- a six-time All-Star and the 2015 National League Most Valuable Player, who will begin next season at the age of 26 -- rarely hit the market. Harper pays for himself, Boras said.
"I think again, the qualifications to be young, to be extraordinary … there just aren't many players that get to that place and establish that at [26 years] old," Boras said. "You may get one or two if you're lucky in a decade.
"I think in the end all organizations are going to look back on this opportunity and say, 'What should I have done, how should I have done it, what steps should I have taken?' These are pivotal moments. A lot of general managers are going to be evaluated on what they did or didn't do when you have the availability of this player."