Unless your team is a preferred destination, player empowerment usually work against your team and the fans. Coaches, GMs and owners can do a bad job, but at least their intention align with the fans, which is for the city to work towards a championship. Since players are cut, signed, and traded all the time, it's hard to demand loyalty. Players wants a ring too but as years roll by, they may not care which city they do it in. It could even be on a team that eliminates the Rockets. In a star driven league, the org can make itself more 'preferred' without cow tow to the bad, unproductive, team cuffing whims of that star. Good infrastructure, good coaches, trainers, facility, sound salary cap management...etc. Team should come before the player. A good GM finds his player a competent shooting coach. A bad GM finds housing for when player's side chicks visit. As far as players aspiration outside baskeball, and the brand, that's on the player. He could do it as long as it doesn't affect his main job. If Christopher wants to sell clothes, or Green with NFTs do it on their free time.
