After Kevin Garnett(notes) delivered an inspired sermon in the NBA players union meeting a week ago, declaring his willingness to sit out the season and forfeit $18.8 million in salary, a far more measured voice spoke up with 60 rank-and-file players in a New York hotel ballroom.

Shane Battier’s(notes) question, directed to Players Association executive director Billy Hunter, was simple: The NFL’s union leader, DeMaurice Smith, had agreed to take $1 in salary for the length of the NFL lockout.

Will you do it too, Billy?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-wojnarowski_billy_hunter_nba_union_062911


ShaneBattier:
Dear @NBA, I hate public breakups. I'm sorry. Call me. Its never too late. Xoxo.

http://twitter.com/#!/ShaneBattier

Good for Shane. Why head up a union if you're not willing to take on the same fight as those you are representing?

"well, hell no, i'm not about to stop making my money...I'm telling YOU guys to make the noble sacrifice for the year"

typical leadership in this sort of deal.

Battier

I'd label someone willing to give up $19MM as stupid, not inspirational.

Yeah, ask Garnett if he still feels that way in November when those paychecks aren't rolling in. What a freaking punk. Some things never change.

I'm sure all the guys who make from minimum up to a couple million a year love the idea of losing a whole year's salary.

I just gained more respect for Battier and the Duke degree he received shows what a difference college makes. KJ could have used some of that hopefully the players will see right through Hunter by November.

This is the only time Hunter should be getting paid. He's actually working on a deal. It's the last 10+ years he should have not been paid

Garnet has already made $100 million. Who gives a sheet if he offers to give up $20 million more?? And good for Battier, but they are all pretty much rich punks.

Being a a lifelong Mavs fan, having the championship now, I don't care if they ever play another game!

I hope the NBA disbands and the Mavs are the last Champions of the NBA

The NBA players get regular paychecks up until the new season starts, so saying the union rep should only get paid a $1 is hypocritical... at least until the NBA players stop getting paid.

I see the NFL coming back this year, but not the NBA....

ShaneBattier Shane Battier
I am proud to announce this over twitter. I am coming out of retirement to help the Texans playoff push.

ShaneBattier Shane Battier
I was Punt Pass & Kick State champ 1990 for MI. The answer is yes. RT @PokesFan10: @ShaneBattier can you throw the ball??

Funny thing is that he really was the PPK champ for his age group.

Garnett has made $270,115,354 PLUS endorsements over the course of his career. And his knees could probably use a year off.



The only acceptable reason for Shane Battier not being president of the players union would be if Battier didn't want the position.

quote:

---

The only acceptable reason for Shane Battier not being president of the players union would be if Grant Hill had already accepted the position.

---

fify

I think Grant Hill and Shane Battier are smart enough to not take that job.

Would you want to represent that crew? No matter what, you take some heat. It's a no win situation.

Love Shane

Wish he was still in H-town, not that it matters this season...

For anyone interested in Shane Battier:

Free agent forward Shane Battier has narrowed his list of prospective teams from more than the original dozen or so to a handful of teams, including his current team, the Memphis Grizzlies, Miami, Indiana and Toronto


http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/12/04/battier-narrows-it-to-handful-of-teams/