agent zero promotes sustainability

Agent Zero recently accepted a contract extension from the Washington Wizards for $111 milli, the team which he's spent the last 5 years, the place where's he's blossomed into one of franchise faces of the NBA. Initially, the Wiz offered Gilbert $127m. A few other suitors looking to lure him away from DC also offered up max contracts. But, in the end, the man took the the $111m. Why? Gilbert: "What can I do for my family with $127 million that I can't do with $111 million? This is in line with what I've been saying the whole time. You see players take max deals and they financially bind their teams. I don't wanna be one of those players and three years down the road your team is strapped and can't do anything about it."

Skeptics, I know you're hovering. The professional athlete makes too much... Here's what you would say, and as a precursor, I'm not saying I disagree, but here's your rebuttal:
A) Well, shit, when you're making that much money, what's $16 mill to him? Why not $50 mill?

B) The man's just doing this for publicity, for the promotion of his public image, for more ad space.

I say, so what?! His motives, who knows, except Agent Zero himself. But, Gil's not being insincere. Not saying he's being all sacrificial, either. The key is that the man did it, no matter what his motives, whether sincere, partially sincere, or outright phony. He said he'd return once Antawn Jamison was resigned, and carried out his word to the team. Sure, you could debate that he could've taken even more of a discount, but regardless, that $16 milli will help his team pursue a couple more valuable components. This existence of ours, one that has been dragged in the dirt by the predatory insatiability of hypercapitalism, is an existence that needs to find compromise between commercial demands and humanity. That's the bottom-line. And this, what Gilbert did, extraordinary or disingenious, is a step in the right direction, toward sustainability. Really, Gil has made the most business savvy decision of all - one that was forgotten in the get-rich-quick irony of hypercapitalism - investing in the future, building a sustainable presence. That in which you invest in will ultimately reward its benefactor threefold. The longview is simple: he knows that little discount will give management more opportunity to build a better team around him, keep his teammates, his friends, and in effect, from having a stronger unit, win more games, and thus, expand his own celebrity. Duh. Whether it's $16 mill or $5 g's or $1, it's enough. Make steps and soon they'll become strides.

Drop the gospel, Gil: "Your whole city is depending on you, wondering if you're going to make the right decision. I'm a franchise player and sometimes franchise players need to make franchise decisions."