Carmelo Anthony says players have not ruled out decertification – NBA Update
NBA owners and players have been jousting over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for quite a while now, but no one has been able to strike the decisive blow, even with the scheduled opening of the next NBA season approaching fast.
Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks star, however believes that the players are focused and are willing to go to all lengths to turn the tide in their favour, including decertification of the union.
The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) has been engaged in talks with NBA officials over the labour dispute for over a year now, however, no progress has been made and the lockout is set to enter its third month, come October.
The NBA training camps, scheduled to begin on the 3rd of next month, as well as the pre-season games, have already been cancelled and the situation has not shown many signs of improvement.
It is widely believed that the agents of NBA players have long been pushing for a decertification of the union so that the players can sue the league. The route was followed in the NFL and a deal was agreed soon.
The NBPA however doesn’t want to follow the same route.
Executive Director of the union, Billy Hunter, has repeatedly stated that the players are not thinking about it.
Carmelo Anthony does not rule out the possibility though. Talking to ESPN, Anthony said if the players had to, for the sake of the season, they would not hesitate in taking the step.
"If that's where we've got to take it," Anthony said, "that's where we've got to take it. Whatever it takes to get a season."
He also said though that whatever decision the players take, they will take it collectively. NBA players have presented a united front against the league throughout the NBA lockout. Melo said that was the first and foremost priority of the players, to stay together, because it is all about the collective at the moment.
"Our main thing as players is that we have to stick together," said Anthony, "We communicate almost every day. We talk about the lockout, different situations, different schemes. We talk about the owners, we talk about ourselves, we talk about reality. Hopefully we can get something done soon."
This theme set by the players has proved to be successful so far. Super stars like Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and veteran such as Anthony’s New York Knicks teammate Chauncey Billups have all sent out the same message, and have even been talking to younger players and stressing the importance of standing behind the union.
The players are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to obtain a good deal and its only a matter of how far the owners are planning to push them.
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