Loyalty in sports has long been an overrated, not to mention outdated concept.  

 Barring a few exceptions, players will jump ship the minute the cabbage is flashed before their eyes, while teams will dispose of players the second they become expendable.  While in theory the idea of players spending their entire careers with one team sounds romantic, the novel concept of free agency has pretty much wiped away such aspirations.

 For some reason, NBA players seem to be the worst culprits when it comes to proving their disloyalty.   Inexplicably, we are beginning to witness a league-wide trend where players feel the need to talk candidly about playing in other cities, even though they remain gainfully employed with their current teams.

 Players love free agency.  Why wouldn?t they?  It is arguably the one time in their careers, especially if a player is in his prime, when they can really hit the jackpot, and in most cases, fleece teams into handing them overblown, underserved contracts.  But there has to be a point where players should at least have some respect towards the teams who are signing their paychecks.

 Let?s take Phoenix Suns guard/forward Joe Johnson as an example.  

 Here?s a player whom the Boston Celtics deemed expendable rather quickly in his young career.  Drafted 10th overall by the Celtics in the 2001 draft out of Arkansas, Johnson figured to be a fixture in the green and white for many years to come.   Doesn?t work out that way, of course, as JJ winds up being dealt to Phoenix midway through his rookie season.

 Phoenix gave Johnson something the Celtics did not:  an opportunity.  And the 23-year-old has blossomed into a solid cog for the Suns, averaging 16.7 points and 5.2 rebounds, while shooting .451% from the field and .465% from three-point range in this, a contract year for the restricted free agent.  

 So how does Johnson pay thanks to the organization that helped him flourish at the pro level?  By bailing to the highest bidder come this summer.

 ?When the season is over with, I?m going to be open to see what?s out there,? Johnson said earlier this season.  ?I would love to stay (in Phoenix), but it?s not set in stone.  It?s a business.  I?m just trying to do what?s best for me.?  

 Nothing wrong with looking out for number one.  Pro sports are definitely a business, as Johnson points out.  But in the midst of a magical season for Phoenix, in which they enjoy the league?s best record and are considered by many as a legitimate title contender, it?s nice to see Johnson has his priorities straight.  

 By the way, Johnson listed the Denver Nuggets as a team he?d be interested in joining next season.

 And how about Seattle?s silky smooth shooting guard, Ray Allen, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year?  Like Johnson, Allen is playing for another league Cinderella this season in the Sonics, who lead the Northwest Division by a whopping 10.5 games, but yet seems to want out of the Emerald City.  

 How about the opportunity to play with King James in Cleveland next season, Ray?

 ?Who wouldn?t want to play with him??  Allen asked earlier this season.  ?LeBron has taken his game to another level.  And a lot of guys feed off him.  Anytime he plays hard and puts that passion into the team it makes them better.?

 Or how about a reunion with your former bench boss, George Karl in Denver?

 ?When the time comes, if it comes to that, definitely I wouldn?t turn that down,? Allen said.  ?I can look at it and try to figure out if that will be best for my career, if it?s going to be a good situation.  I wouldn?t say ?no? to George because I have nothing against George.?

 And then, there?s Toronto Raptors forward Donyell Marshall, who has basically gone on tour campaigning to play anywhere but north of the border.  

 In the span of three days last week, Marshall, an unrestricted free agent at season?s end, offered his services to both the upstart Chicago Bulls and his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers.

 First, it was the Bulls, one of Marshall?s former teams, who visited the Air Canada Center last Wednesday.  Before the game, Marshall reminisced about his time in the Windy City and how he would like to return to the organization.

 ?Chicago is definitely one of the teams I wouldn?t mind playing for,? Marshall said.  ?I?m looking for a team where I can get meaningful minutes, a good contract and a chance to play for a winner.  The Bulls have those.  I didn?t want to leave in the first place.?  

 With the Raptors playing a road tilt in Philadelphia two nights later, Marshall was at it again, this time expressing his love for the city of Brotherly Love.

 ?I love coming back here,? said Marshall, a native of Reading, Pa.  ?I grew up watching this team, idolizing this team.?

 Marshall didn?t stop there; adding that he?d be a perfect fit in Sixers coach Jim O?Brien?s offense.

 ?When you?ve got (Andre) Iguodala and (Allen) Iverson, they like to get to the basket with their penetration and kick the ball out.  I can hit that shot.  Right now, they got (Kyle) Korver on one side, and if you have someone on the other side, it?s a lot harder to guard.?

 This from Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire, yet another soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, on the prospects of playing for his former boss in Toronto, Isiah Thomas, who drafted Stoudamire back in 1993: ?If that happens, that would be great,?  Stoudamire said.  ?I?ve got some history with a lot of guys on that team, Isiah, (assistant coach) Brendan Suhr, and I even played with (Knicks head coach) Herb Williams in Toronto.  At the end of the day, it?s something I will definitely listen to.?    

 Where?s the shame in players today?  And more importantly, where is the respect?  Quite frankly, players show a complete disregard for their organizations, teammates as well as fans by openly lobbying for a change of scenery before they actually become available on the free agent market.

 In a league that hands down fines for players wearing their shorts too low, perhaps it?s time NBA commissioner David Stern start punishing pending free agents who just don?t know when to keep quiet.

Kostas.Bolos@realgm.com