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Home > NBA News & Analysis > Paul Pierce And Kevin Garnett Rip Modern-Day Players For Lacking Competitive Spirit

Paul Pierce And Kevin Garnett Rip Modern-Day Players For Lacking Competitive Spirit

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett think the competitive fire has disappeared from modern NBA players.

Ishaan Bhattacharya
Aug 17, 2023
3 Min Read
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Credit: Fadeaway World

• Paul Pierce got frank about the state of modern NBA players

• Pierce believes modern players lack competitive spirit due to the amount of money they’re making

• Pierce used a Kevin Garnett analogy to drive the point home with Garnett agreeing with him

The NBA becomes more popular around the world every season and has consistently been growing since the Michael Jordan era. As a result, the contracts players get paid have exponentially increased from what was being offered even 10 years ago.  

Paul Pierce got real on the massive contracts affecting modern players on the court, as they lack hunger and competitive spirit because their financial future is secured. He shared the same using a Kevin Garnett analogy on their show together.

“I don’t see the competitive spirit there. I worked my whole life to get to a point where it’s like, ‘Damn, I just signed for a $150 million contract, and I got another $100 million in shoe deals.’ How hungry? You said this, I’ll never forget you said this, Ticket. If you wanna see how real a motherf***er is, give them a boatload of money.” 

The distractions from the game are at an all-time high.

Don’t miss the latest episode of Ticket and The Truth on our YouTube. pic.twitter.com/7GV4blb4K7

— All the Smoke (@allthesmokeprod) August 16, 2023

Pierce then spoke about how they saw players sign for big-money deals and then regress almost instantly. He also discussed how players look at themselves as a brand and not just an athlete anymore, so protecting their financial future takes priority over achieving on the court.


The Golden Age Of NBA Contracts 

With every passing season, we have a .new ‘richest contract ever’. We saw Jaylen Brown sign the first $300 million deal this summer while Anthony Davis signed a contract extension with the most guaranteed money over one season at $63.7 million in 2027-28. 

With a new media rights deal to be negotiated before the 2025-26 season, another salary cap spike could be incoming. 

As the top-end rises, we’re gonna see many rotational players secure life-changing contracts over a season or two of great performances. After that happens, they may lose hunger and motivation. But at the absolute top level of the sport, that rarely happens.

Nikola Jokic signed the largest contract in NBA history last summer and won a championship that very season before the deal even kicked in. The best want to win and will keep trying to win.

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TAGGED:Kevin GarnettPaul Pierce
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ByIshaan Bhattacharya
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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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