The NBA is racing toward an even richer future with global stars like Victor Wembanyama. Oh! Let’s not forget the elite young stars like Cooper Flagg and AJ Dybantsa fueling a league already backed by a staggering $77 billion TV deal. Yet Jaylen Brown believes players deserve more than massive paychecks and endorsements. The 29-year-old wants ownership in the franchises they help build into billion-dollar empires, and Kyle Kuzma is firmly behind that vision.

In a tweet on Monday, the 2020 NBA Champ said:

“Let’s be real…the CBA makes sure owners, PE funds and outside investors can eat off NBA team equity, but the players driving the ratings and the merch are treated like short‑term contractors. And funny thing is we should be like independent contractors. Since we are w-2 we can’t even write off certain things like our agent fees. BS.”

Current NBA rules prevent active players from buying stakes in the teams they play against, largely to avoid conflicts of interest and protect the league’s competitive balance. Even so, stars like Kyle Kuzma, Steph Curry, and Jaylen Brown have repeatedly argued that players should have a path to ownership.

Kuzma had already challenged team owners long before his Monday post. Earlier this month, the 30-year-old shared his experience of sitting through two NBA free agencies this year. The star claimed the league introduced the new CBA to create a more balanced competition. Instead, many believe the first and second apron rules have made it much harder for teams to keep their core players together, reward talent fairly, and make roster moves.

In his long tweet, Kuzma said, “Teams are no longer making purely basketball decisions. They’re making fear-based apron decisions. That means good players get squeezed, homegrown cores get broken up, fan-favorite teams lose their identity, and the overall product loses some of the nostalgia and continuity that made people fall in love with the NBA in the first place.”

His explanation is simple: the players fully recognize the league operates as a business. Therefore, he believes the NBPA must approach every negotiation with the same level of expertise as team owners. Which means they must involve top lawyers, economists, salary cap specialists, and others in the loop. According to Kyle Kuzma, players deserve representatives who can match that level of preparation and protect their long-term interests.

Moreover, the Bucks star feels players often receive updates after key decisions instead of gaining enough knowledge before talks begin. Kuzma believes players, fans, and the NBA all benefit when talent receives fair value and successful teams have a real chance to stay together.

And well, his feelings aren’t his alone. Long before the 30-year-old Stephen Curry stepped in to voice similar concerns. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown also cleared his stance on the same.

Jaylen Brown wants player ownership

Jaylen Brown wants NBA players to own part of the teams they help build. He believes they deserve more than the role of employees. “Players should be able to invest alongside ownership groups and business opportunities,” the 29-year-old said. “I don’t understand why that’s ever been a thing. It’s like you’re an athlete, and they make it seem like they can control how much wealth or growth that you could actually accumulate. I think that’s wrong.”

“I also think that, just like in any other major corporation, when you work for Apple, Nike, or anywhere else… If you’re a CEO or someone who’s been on the board for a long time, at some point, you receive equity in the company. You’re part of it. I think athletes should be viewed the same way,” he added.

Jaylen Brown believes players who spend 20 years with one franchise deserve more than a paycheck. Their work helps raise the team’s value over time. Therefore, he feels they should earn a share of that growth.