The problem is they don't want to be there. Adam Silver knows that is true. The players know it's true.
- They didn't choose it.
- They don't like their boss.
- They have limited control on where they live or raise a family.
- They may not like their role in the organization
- They may not like their co-workers
When any of these things happen to a free employee, they go find somewhere they want to be. This increases their interest, their retention, their drive, etc.
It's funny that fans demand 100% loyalty and effort from players, but very little loyalty or choice is allowed to them.