One of the most tiresome demands of spoiled athletes is one of the most familiar. It\u2019s the \u2018trade me to a contender\u2019 routine. The general idea of professional sports is that players are supposed to make their teams better. Michael Jordan came to the Chicago Bulls and they built a team around him. Ditto Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers. This is how it works with championship level players. They take the responsibility on themselves to make the team they\u2019re on a contender. Sub-championship level players don\u2019t accept that it\u2019s \u2018on them\u2019 to help make their team one that can be in the mix for championships. These players look everywhere to place blame\u2014the coach, the front office, teammates, fans, etc. They need to be looking in the mirror. Players that are always moaning about wanting to play on \u2018a contender\u2019 seldom do because they don\u2019t have the mindset of a champion. Pretty simple stuff.<\/p>\n
The latest NBA player to go with the \u2018trade me a contender\u2019 routine is New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis. Davis wants to play on a team that can contend for an NBA title. Or as his agent, Rich Paul, put it when interviewed on ESPN his client “wants to be traded to a team that allows him a chance to win consistently and compete for a championship.” Of course he wants to go to the Los Angeles Lakers like seemingly every other player in the league. He\u2019s made clear to the team, fans and media that he wants to be a Laker and if that doesn\u2019t happen before next season he\u2019ll be a \u2018rental player\u2019 in the meantime.<\/p>\n
This sort of thing goes on all the time though the NBA doesn\u2019t like it. In fact, the league\u2019s collective bargaining agreement specifically denies players and their representatives the right to request personnel moves. The league may look the other way when LeBron James does it but not when Anthony Davis does it. The league hit Davis with a $50,000 fine<\/a> and released a statement that his agent\u2019s comments were \u201can intentional effort to undermine the contractual relationship between Davis and the Pelicans.” The $50,000 is the most that the league can fine a player without filing a grievance.<\/p>\n In actuality, Davis and his agent are likely doing the New Orleans team a favor. Why would anyone want a player who won\u2019t take responsibility for making his team better? More specifically, why would anyone want a player making $25 million per season who won\u2019t take responsibility for making his team better? For their part, the Pelicans aren\u2019t going to ask \u2018how high\u2019 because Davis told them to \u2018jump\u2019. They\u2019re not going to move Davis prior to next Thursday\u2019s NBA trade deadline unless they\u2019re offered what they describe as an \u2018overwhelming package\u2019 for the petulant power forward.<\/p>\n