The effect is worded in a slightly complicated way
Given its Izzet colors, it can be an extra, uncounterable counterspell in the arsenal of spellslingers
It was also mentioned by MaRo himself that WotC wanted to expand the mechanic into other colors
Black Market Connections is the headliner, a premium engine that each turn trades life for Treasure, cards, or a 3/2 changeling Shapeshifter that counts as a Villain, and it slots perfectly into a deck built around paying small costs for big advantage
Like, if something was an awesome idea, we did it. He pointed to having a card that showed off 15 different versions of the character Cid, or having just one pair of cards with the Meld mechanic because it mechanically and emotionally fit the characters on those cards as examples