Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 In the Boston Celtics Championship 1985-86 season , their payroll amounted to $6,560,000.00 . In today's money , that comes to $23,353,000.00 - quite far from the projected, record-breaking $500 million attached to the Celtics 2025-26 season (includes luxury tax, etc.).   Larry Bird earned the most money on the Celtics that season - a "whopping" $1.8 million - or $6.4 million in today's money. Compare that to Jaylen Brown's present earnings for the 2024-25 season ($49.2 million). Overkill? Excess? Yes, possibly both . Inflation and the popularity and success of the NBA has driven everything connected to the League sky-high - ticket prices, player salaries, TD Garden beers, etc . Where (and how) does it end.  I have followed the NBA since 1960, and I admit to liking today's game as much-or-more than past decades. But this financial trend can not continue without some negative repercussions.  In 1979, Bird - after lengthy negotiations - earned $650,000.0...

 This will be short and sweet. Is it ethical for NBA superstars, including the Celtics Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, to get supermax deals in the range of $50-60 million per year? My favorite definition of ETHICS is: The greatest good - for the most people - for the longest time Pro basketball's main function , despite becoming Big Buiness, is to supply entertainment and serve as a pleasant diversion for fans. The NBA does just that for millions of fans, and has been around for a long time.  Salaries have soared in the League, and if that is what is required to maintain the NBA in a healthy, successful, entertaining status, then perhaps that answers my initial question - particularly if wealthy players give back to the communities and the world in the form of some kind of aid. "Greatest good-for the most people-for the longest time". Long live the NBA, which hopefully will not self-destruct under the heavy weight of the money it takes in.