Much has been written about those controversial times, some supportive of the team and some not so much. But the historical record stands to show that McNeill, who made $9M for this year’s Sawyer Silk winning season (, has clearly had his revenue stream depressed by front office acrobatics designed to control his contract.
Only recently has McNeill made much of a fuss about it, with some suggesting that his pop-star wife, British singer Mikki Manning, was the major impetus—using her business wiles created in the dog-eat-dog world of the entertainment industry to drive his approach to getting his true worth. “We all know Lucas is making half what he’s worth on the market,” she said earlier this year after her star husband had his play reduced in a losing All-Star game. Insiders at that time said that it would be interesting to watch negotiations between McNeill and the team, and that idea got a boost when Jacksonville’s David Noboru got a 6-season deal at essentially $26M per.
Now comes grapevine whispers says last-ditch negotiations have broken off after McNeill’s rep asked for $50M. And, no, if this report is right, that’s not $50M in overall value, but instead is $50M/year for five seasons.
Take that you selfish sonsabitches.
Documents leaked from the negotiations support the veracity of the request [ed- see bellow], but other indicators are the McNeill negotiation team high-fiving as they left the Nine’s front office, and Manning’s social media blowing up after she posted “payable in diamonds, gold, and silk, baby,” a post some are saying is made in reference to the Zimmers, Pucketts, and Silks her husband has won during his time with the Nine.
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We’re not sure when the last time the BBA had a reining Sawyer Silk winner in the free agency pool, but it looks like it’s all but certain now.
