Tim Duncan would have earnt a pretty penny up to that point however. It'l be interesting to see if Jason Kidd goes to NY for money and finishes his career on a crap team.

At the end of the day, it IS a business.

Players are going to want the most money they can get. Its like if you had the options of leaving your current job, to a new job where you are doing the same thing, but with 30% higher pay, would you take it? Of course you would. Well its the same for these guys. Everyone just gets personal because its sports. You can't expect these stars to do things you wouldn't do yourself.

Personally I don't mind teams being mixed up a bit each year, anyway. I find it interesting to see how stars can play with different people, e.g. Garnett to Boston. I'm looking forward to 2010 when the whole NBA will get reshuffled.

Same reason I always like Grant Hill to be honest. Seemed like the kind of guy to take a pay cut to get a better squad around him.

Just look at how long star level players stay in College. I long for the day when a consensus #1 type of player (with this kind of status from his freshman or sophmore years) stays in college the full 4 years and doesn't bolt to ther NBA first chance he gets... It's less the loyalty thing that peeves me - it's more the lack of there being a culture of paying your dues and/or having a conception of that...

Grant Hill was exactly the kind of guy that the NBA has not had enter the L for quite a while (and when i read this post i thought - he's a dying breed)...

FWIW the guy that Minny drafted at #6 Flynn (this is NOT me being a homer either) seems to be quite grounded - judging by his interviews and his draft diary (check out his draft diary) - if it's real or the result of media coaching, we'll have to wait and see... At any rate it's refreshing to see a guy who doesn't act and talk like a freaking troglodyte (see: Jennings - i think he and Skiles are ging to "Spree and Carlisemo" before the season is out...)...

darwin in NBL - if Kidd does go to the Knicks, it will be for less than what Dallas have offered. Knicks are hamstrung by the cap (Curry and Jeffries), whilst Dallas have offered $25M over 3.

Re: loyalty - it goes both ways. Just ask Leon Powe.

Boozer = Captain Loyalty.

Jennings is already cementing his spot as the new stephon marbury

Didn't "Captain Loyalty" Boozer shaft the Cavs a few yrs back to sign with Utah?
If my memory serves me right the Cavs could only offer him a certain % increase in his rookie contract as he was a 2nd round pick. The understanding was that he would accept the one year deal (this is from memory) on the basis he would recieve a larger contract the following year. He verbally agreed to terms and then turned around and signed with Utah once the date arrived to officially sign contracts.
Good player and yes his game has developed further in Utah. But where would the Cavs be if they still had Booz playing alongside Lebron?

I found this a little funny actually. Over in Melbourne some of the kids I work with who has been with their club since a junior always show loyalty although the club isn't treating them right.

Personally I have said to them there is no loyalty in sport. If the club isn't treating you right, you have to leave. Imagine this, for whatever reasons (eg. politics) you don't get minutes although you may be the better player this can severely damage your chance to further your career in the sport.

This reality is no difference in any level of sport.

The lack of loyalty goes both ways. look at Bruce Bowen. he is a main reason why san antonio won its championships but when a good player like jefferson becomes available the team says thanks for everything but bye. you cant blame the players for being disloyal when their teams will trade them at any moment.

Reggie Miller would be the most loyal player in history surely, I mean the burnt his house down then he STILL stayed!

Reggie Miller would be the most loyal player in history surely, I mean the burnt his house down then he STILL stayed!