I agree that no player “owes” it to any team, owner, or fanbase, but I do think there is a very legitimate tradeoff there–especially if it’s very clear in the off-season that the star is taking the cut that there is a meaningful shift in championship odds (which, if the gamble pays off, can yield exponential returns in terms of endorsements). I remember when CP3 and Blake recruited Kevin Durant, the Clippers didn’t have a max slot and Blake and CP had 1 year left on their deals before their opt outs. In the meeting, they told KD that if he took the slight paycut to sign with LAC (on a 1+1 deal where his non-bird rights would have been enough for a full max after 1 season), then they would each take paycuts when they re-signed the next year so he could get a full long-term max.