Stock market is just as big of a game if not more-so than ball python investment!
Well, see.. that 20K isn't his to spend. He's getting it from an investor for an established business, so there isn't really any reason he should not get these animals if he has the husbandry, feeding, facility, and reputation taken care of.
Personally, I would look at some of the combinations you could make with the current ball pythons you have, and get a couple good animals with Recessive and Co-dominant traits mixed into single individuals. You'll have good clutches and lots of traits to work with and potentially even create something new! I would not buy a recessive morph that costs 18,000 that has no other genes. Any revenue and profit would be limited to breeders and it would be too localized.
Just my opinion.
From what he said, I'm taking a gander that the breeder is trusting him to make the decision and to do the research on the best morphs to purchase because he hasn't worked with very many ball python morphs in the past.
This guy seems more of a lizard and turtle breeder who is looking into ball pythons.
Just how I interpreted it.