Discipline has long been the backbone of success in the NBA with countless careers shaped or shattered. From Allen Iversion’s controversies regarding practice to Latrell Sprewell’s coach choking incident, there are numerous instances in basketball history where talent has been squandered due to disciplinary actions. However, a recent case regarding a disciplinary issue has the former Washington Wizards shooting guard all fumed up. But why?

In the recent episode of the “Gil’s Arena Podcast” Josiah Johnson brought up the topic of New Orleans’ Pelicans small forward Brandon Ingram being dropped off the team for not attending a week-long minicamp held by the New Orleans players in California, which was considered as a breach of discipline. Gilbert Arenas exploded on this. “You think this is football man. I don’t giave a f**k if y’all got a team function business. This is my summer. I am fine, I’m doing what I’m doing. No volunteer sh*t around here… I’m a veteran, I’m a veteran. You ain’t going to get a veteran like that. I make, I make $37 million a year,” said Arenas during the podcast.

Arens emphasized that Ingram has been with the team for four years, so he has the right to make his own decisions. Additionally, the camp was voluntary, meaning attendance wasn’t mandatory. The 42-year-old former shooting guard illustrated this by comparing a practice camp organized by Kevin Garnett to one organized by a team. According to him, no one would dare miss KG’s camp, as it could lead to being dismissed by the Boston Celtics legend. However, missing a team-organized camp is completely voluntary and comes without any negative consequences.

So was Ingram dropped off the team just for his bad discipline? Not fully. Moreover, he wasn’t the only player who missed the meeting. There was Daniel Theis also who didn’t attend the meeting. Another main reason for which the small forward’s contract was not extended was because of failed negotiations. Ingram wanted a long-term contract with higher pay than his current $36 million. But the club didn’t agree to it since they already had players in their teams like Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Dejounte Murray with higher payrolls. Moreover, one of the main reasons why he didn’t attend the camp is that he already knows that he will be off the team. 

As the situation unfolds, it serves as an example of the larger tensions shaping the NBA’s future. Although the rumors of Ingram’s trade had solidified, did you know that Pelican’s executive vice VP said something else regarding the player?

New Orleans Pelicans’ Vice President’s comment on Brandon Ingram

Brandon Ingram, a key player for the Pelicans, has been the subject of trade rumors in recent months. However, in a recent interview with NBA.com’s Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans Vice President David Griffin addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding Ingram’s future with the organization.

Griffin focused on the fact that both parties were on the same terms. He also talked about the recent situation regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement and also stated that the team wants Ingram to have a future with them. “We’ve been really clear, we’d prefer Brandon stay with us. And Brandon has been pretty clear, he prefers to stay with us. … So for now, we’re going to play it out. I think we’re committed to each other and committed to seeing if this team can work in a way that makes sense.” said Griffin (as per NBA.com)

As the NBA trade deadline approaches, fans will be closely watching to see if any significant moves are made involving the talented forward.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.