Miles was reportedly around the team plenty last season... hell, he was wearing a suit behind the bench and leaning in on Timeouts in games I attended, so I know that claim is BS. Raef was also obviously around the club all last year and I never heard a peep of discontent about him in the press. What "slights" are you referring to and how were they so terrible that the he or the club couldn't perform to their capabilities in any way? Guys are aware that the league is a business and that rookie salaries are slotted... they know their chance at big money comes when they hit Free Agency and has little to do with what others are making.
I truly think you are grasping at straws here on a nothing point.
STOMP
Actually, the straw I am grasping at is where in a JQ interview he complained because they would not let him practice with the team, lift/physical therapy with the team or go out on road trips with me. But go ahead and type down to me like you think you are addressing Mixum. It was painfully obvious that the front office did not want Miles around the team at all and only let him around when he complained and I am sure that KP got a call from the players union.
Raef was around the team all of last season, sure. And what kind of freak show was he? I remember an interview whare Aldridge was goofing on Raef being the oldest and not playing. I am quite sure that Aldridge knows Raef makes at least double he does and does not appreciate it. Also, why did Raef forgo surgery in the off season and piss off KP by having it during training camp? Oh yes, he said he was hoping it would heal on its own, but then KP said they knew last year he would have to have surgery. I would venture to say that Raef knows his act is a side show and did not want to go through it again so he dogged it to spare himself further embarrassement.
As for Francis, would you really like to debate his not being in Portland? Portland, desperate for a PG even today punted his sorry ass to the curb before the ink was even dry on the trade papers.
While the NBA is a business, it is human nature to resent the person that is making more money than you are while contributing absolutely nothing. I am certain the vast majority of people in any career would not like that.
And as I said, it was painfully obvious the team did not want Miles around. When he did finally start attending games and poking his nose in on time outs I just laughed at the spectacle. Everyone knew he was not wanted but he had to play the role of being interested so he could look like a real NBA player and sit behind the bench and wink at his strippers in section 103.
I stand by my assertion that no team wants their highest paid player to be the fifth or sixth best player on the team. But then I will add that Raef was taken on to get Roy, so that is a rare exception. Unfortunately Portland had Miles' dead weight on the cap and then took on two years of Francis to dump four years of Randolph. I am sure KP wished that Miles, Francis and Randolph were never around to be a cap factor.
Now go ahead and argue how it does make sense to have $36.5 mil of dead capspace. Forget about our differing opinions of weather Raef and Miles were side show freaks. I remember Jon Koncak, the guy Seattle signed away from NJ, maybe Mcintyre or something that were signed to huge deals and then the joke of the league for many years. Last I checked, Joel P. is the fourth highest paid player on this team, is not on a rookie contract and has contributed double what Miles, Raef and Francis ever contributed. I am sure he would love to see that money go to those that are contributing to winning games. Don't bother trying to convice me other wise, I know human nature.