What does the word “Loyalty” mean in the NBA? Apparently Nothing.
Somewhere amid the midst of Kevin Durant leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the fully stacked Golden State Warriors and Demar Derozan getting traded off of the Toronto Raptors, loyalty has disappeared into thin air. Not only has a player’s allegiance to their team been thrown out the window lately, but the same can be said for a team’s attachment to a player. Being loyal, a trait that has been seen as one of the best qualities that an athlete can have, is not as black and white as it should be. Although it is admirable to stick by the people who stick by you, that is not always the case in the NBA and in the sports world in general.
For example, Isaiah Thomas was traded off of the Boston Celtics after suffering a hip injury that never left him quite the same as the 2 time All-Star player he used to be. After his sister died in a car accident right before the 2017 playoffs, Thomas still played for his team even though he was filled with grief and on the verge of tears before every game. Not only did he play, but he capitalized on huge performances dropping 30 points or more each night. At the time, the Celtics administration, coaches, and teammates were in awe of his resiliency. Thomas created a bond with the city of Boston in meaningful way and they genuinely loved him the way that he loved them. This is where I get confused; for a team that was so vocal about their support and love for Thomas, how could they trade him to the Cleveland Cavaliers just a few short months later? He gave his heart and his hip to the Celtics, but this is a heartless and brutal game sometimes. Isaiah Thomas is just one of many players who have given everything and more to an administration and was still blindsided in the end.
Although it is a cruel game sometimes, there is another way to look at this. Because teams will cut or trade a player in an instant if it will benefit the organization, perhaps that is the way it should be. Since their team is a business, it's any business' responsibility to improve their product--the product being their team. If there's a deal that a team believes will achieve their present or future goals, then they should make any decisions necessary without thinking twice. With this being said, athletes should be allowed to do the same without the intense backlash from the public. This is not to say that when trading a player, the player should be disrespected. This attests to my 2nd point.
Tons of basketball players including Demar Derozan have spoken out about being traded off of what they call their “2nd home.” It is my belief that they are more angry about the lie and deceit behind the trade than the actual trade itself. Demar Derozan expressed via social media that the Toronto Raptors lied to him and said they would not trade him. He was caught off guard and not notified about the Kawhi Leonard trade until news hit the public. Derozan was under the impression he would move forward with his team, constantly supporting young guys in the summer league and figuring out ways to make his team better. You would think that the Toronto Raptors would have a little more decency when handling decisions that involved a player who has dedicated 9 years to their organization. Derozan said it himself that he felt like he wasn't treated with what he had sacrificed for nine years and with the courtesy that he deserved. He never said “You don’t have to trade me,” but all he wanted to know was that there was a possibility he could be traded so he could adequately prepare for the next chapter in his basketball career. No one told him a single thing. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of hearing sports organization blaming a “gap in communication” for the utter lack of respect they have shown to a player because they are too scared to talk to the player face to face. The Toronto Raptors will now be seen as the Baby Dinosaurs in my eyes, I frankly don’t care.
The game of basketball went from a team sport that brought people together to a cut and dry business on both sides of the equation--player and team. Most of the time, organizations will make the decisions that best serve their interests whether it is morally or ethically justified. It is up to you to decide if sports teams not taking a player’s feelings into consideration is a good or bad thing.
Written by: Natalia (A.k.a Lebron James Enthusiast)
