Just a few months removed from a great championship game that saw the Dallas Mavericks make history, we are facing the very real possibility of an NBA lockout. You might think that such a time would require great restraint, and exceptional prudence, as no one wants to raise a ruckus and inadvertently cost us an NBA season next year. For the most part, players have been keeping their mouths, even though they continue to remind their bosses that they have options in Europe.

Then there’s Michael Jordan. Maybe he’s so used to being the big elephant in the room that he’s become accustomed to telling it like it is, but the NBA wasn’t amused at some of the comments he made to the press. Jordan told The Herald Sun that he believed revenue sharing was necessary and also dropped a player’s name; Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut. The NBA has currently banned public mention of the lockout as well as mentioning players by name.

The NBA meant business and fined Jordan, the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, $100,000. Jordan’s ideas are not necessarily ill-advised; after all, the revenue-sharing plan already has precedent in the NFL and the MLB. Nevertheless, the NBA side of the lockout claims that the sport actually lost $300 million last season and that losing more money due to profit sharing is not feasible.

Breaking the golden rule was Jordan’s mistake, and can only be interpreted as zesty rebellion or startling ignorance, since the league made this rule clear as early as July 1, 2011. Nevertheless, it’s understandable why this could happen, since players and owners are being stressed out over the ramifications of a no-show season.

We’re glad to know that the NBA players are still taking the sport seriously and keeping in practice. In fact, Jared Dudley of the Phoenix Suns and 70 or so other players are meeting in Las Vegas in the month of September to work with the Impact Competitive Basketball League. This is a smart strategy, as it is definitely possible that the two sides could come to an agreement. And if and when that happens, the players don’t want to be lacking–not if they succeeded in getting the raises they requested. Time will tell what happens with the lockout, but it’s good to know that our favorites are just itching to play!