2 Live Crew’s Luther Campbell Not Happy With David West
By Ben Gibson
David West is leaving the Indiana Pacers for the San Antonio Spurs and taking a massive pay cut to chase a title. 2 Live Crew’s Luther Campbell is not happy about this.
It seems very short-sided to not see why David West would be willing to sacrifice $10 million for a championship shot. But he wasn’t done as he soon turned his attention to San Antonio’s management and Gregg Popovich to blame them for “taking advantage” of David West.
I’m sure a grown-ass man like David West knows exactly what’s going on and is fine with it. I don’t know how much money West has in his bank accounts but he seems like a guy who would have been smart enough to save some of his $87 million career earnings. It’s a one year deal so he might sign another contract after next season to make up for some of that money he missed out on. It is a ton of money and maybe he’s a little crazy for passing on it, but wouldn’t say he’s being taken advantage of.
Campbell has never been a big fan of agents like Drew Rosenhaus but there is also some humor in him worrying about management taking money from an employee as he was forced to pay back one of his in a lawsuit in 1995.
"Last year, he lost a $1.6 million judgment in state court. A judge ruled Campbell cheated Peter Jones, also known as M.C. Shy D, out of $699,165 in royalties; $499,000 in interest; and $399,000 in punitive damages.M.C. Shy D recorded two albums, Gotta Be Tough and Comin’ Correct, under Campbell’s Luke Records label in the late ’80s."
Campbell may not be happy with certain agents but this isn’t even close to being the same sort of issue. There are plenty of problems with the way some people in sports will gladly make money off black athletes but be concerned with the number of black people at games. We are also only a year removed from Donald Sterling being an owner in the NBA so it isn’t as if there isn’t recent history to tell us this is an on-going issue.
But a man like West with a successful career and almost $90 million in earnings taking a pay cut to play with a championship contender isn’t part of that problem.
Next: Monta Ellis's Time with Mavs Shows How He Can Thrive with Pacers