Sprewell

[Michael Joseph Byrnes <mbyrnes@leland.Stanford.EDU>]

Matt Healy wrote:

> Three cheers for the previously insulted Gary St. Jean.  This is not a
> great business decision.  Probably not a great basketball decision.  But
> this is without question, the right decision, and he deserves a great
> deal of respect for standing up and making that decision.  We can only
> hope this will set a precedent for what kind of behavior is unacceptable
> for players.

Actually, I think this decision *is* a great business decision, *and* a
great basketball decision.  Before Sprewell's assault on Carlesimo, he was
an overpaid player with little trade value who was not helping his team
win.  Now, he is off the team, and the Warriors not only do not have to
pay him, but they have more space under the salary cap.  In essence, PJ
Carlessimo "took one for the team".  I'm sure that he and St. Jean are
pleased with the final outcome (the termination of Spree's contract).

It will be interesting to see what happens with the player's association
grievance.  They will probably contend that the Warriors' decision was
motivated not by the assault, but rather by their inability to get rid of
Sprewell (and his contract) any other way.  The player's association will
contend that Warriors' management is using the assault as an excuse to get
rid of Sprewell.  And, it wouldn't surprise me if that was true.  

Still, Sprewell deserves exactly what he got (termination), and I will be
very disappointed if the Warriors are forced to take him back or pay him
another dime.

Michael Byrnes
mbyrnes@stanford.edu