Suns Discussing Trading 2031 First-Round Pick In Deal For Jimmy Butler

[puja21]

Here's the thing... the players will get away with it until they don't. At some point a player is going to be held up to the standard that a $50m contract warrants. Some player will be the first to lose at this game. Riley should keep expecting him to come to work and suspending for every infraction. In the meantime, if he really tries to sabotage his team while he's on the floor, his teammates should take him out back and beat the snot out of him. And lest we forget, the Players Association also represents the 16 teammates that are getting screwed by Jimmy's behavior.

I'm not naive, I just think Riley is stubborn enough to go the distance.

Here's to hoping this is the time

I'm probably in the minority but it feels like player empowerment has shifted too far in their favor -- to the degree it's now damaging the product at times.

Magic Johnson's league-leading 94/95 salary would be worth $30.4M today versus Curry is at $55.8M.
The average of the top-5 salaries in 95/96 is $20.8M (in 2025 dollars), versus today the average is $52M (Curry, Joker, Jojo, KD, Beal)

So the players have shared in the growth more than ever before -- and generational wealth is great. Bravo. Enjoy it.

I'd just prefer to see more of the players be better stewards for the game.

And we may need the pendulum to swing just slightly back to right that ship in that regard.

And lest we forget, the Players Association also represents the 16 teammates that are getting screwed by Jimmy's behavior.

Sadly i think ALL unions forget that. Remember the NBPA went for cap spike rather than smoothing in the KD-warriors summer. Lebron/CP3 steered everyone to superstar interests, average player be damned.
This is pretty typical labor behavior -- police unions protect their most dangerous/damaging members over the good of the majority. The Teamsters chose to let Yellowfreight go out of business entirely (and cost all its members their jobs) rather than carve up the shrinking pie fairly and try to restore profitability.

Top-heavy favoritism has been a common flaw in organized labor IMO.

[Pickled Prunes]

Here's the thing... the players will get away with it until they don't. At some point a player is going to be held up to the standard that a $50m contract warrants. Some player will be the first to lose at this game. Riley should keep expecting him to come to work and suspending for every infraction. In the meantime, if he really tries to sabotage his team while he's on the floor, his teammates should take him out back and beat the snot out of him. And lest we forget, the Players Association also represents the 16 teammates that are getting screwed by Jimmy's behavior.

I'm not naive, I just think Riley is stubborn enough to go the distance.

Here's to hoping this is the time

I'm probably in the minority but it feels like player empowerment has shifted too far in their favor -- to the degree it's now damaging the product at times.

Magic Johnson's league-leading 94/95 salary would be worth $30.4M today versus Curry is at $55.8M.
The average of the top-5 salaries in 95/96 is $20.8M (in 2025 dollars), versus today the average is $52M (Curry, Joker, Jojo, KD, Beal)

So the players have shared in the growth more than ever before -- and generational wealth is great. Bravo. Enjoy it.

I'd just prefer to see more of the players be better stewards for the game.

And we may need the pendulum to swing just slightly back to right that ship in that regard.

And lest we forget, the Players Association also represents the 16 teammates that are getting screwed by Jimmy's behavior.

Sadly i think ALL unions forget that. Remember the NBPA went for cap spike rather than smoothing in the KD-warriors summer. Lebron/CP3 steered everyone to superstar interests, average player be damned.
This is pretty typical labor behavior -- police unions protect their most dangerous/damaging members over the good of the majority. The Teamsters chose to let Yellowfreight go out of business entirely (and cost all its members their jobs) rather than carve up the shrinking pie fairly and try to restore profitability.

Top-heavy favoritism has been a common flaw in organized labor IMO.

I agree 100%. The players then elected CJ as president of the NBPA. The majority of the players on the current NBPA executive committee are journeymen. That is how change comes about.

As with anywhere else in life, change is slow in coming. Be the change you want to see!