Chauncey Billups, Leon Powe among players listed as plaintiffs in the anti-trust lawsuit: NBA News
After rejecting NBA owner’s ultimate proposal and announcing to disband the union last Monday, the players association wasted no time and filed two antitrust lawsuits against the league.
One of the filing includes the name of former Boston Celtics point guard Chauncey Billups and power forward Leon Powe as the listed plaintiffs. The complaint was filed in the North District of California after the NBA owners and
players association failed to reach to an agreement during nearly four months of negotiations.
Both the parties met more than 20 times officially since the National Basketball Association Lockout took its first breath upon the expiration of the old Collective Bargaining Agreement on July 1. However, these were not the only
times when owners and players attempted to make a settlement on the new CBA.
The two sides had been negotiating on the issue for nearly two years. However, disagreement has been the only thing common throughout the negotiations process and this has ultimately taken the matter at the doors of the court.
According to the NBA sources, US Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu in Oakland, Calif will be handling the case.
The second filling was made in Minnesota with a different cast of players. Among the list is New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant and rookie Kawhi Leonard, who was drafted by the Indiana
Pacers as the 15th overall pick.
One of the attorneys Jeffrey Kessler, who will represent players in the lawsuits, declared that they have given liberty to the players to determine their anti-trust right as this is best for them.
“Looking at this from a player’s standpoint, collective bargaining has totally failed. So rather than exercise their labour law rights to futility, they've decided to free up all players to assert their anti-trust rights to treble
damages. We think that's the best -- not we, the players -- think that's the best protection for all NBA players going forward." Kessler said.
Considering that every player now has the right to assert their damages freely, many more lawsuits are expected to be filed in the near future. However, the whole process is expected to take some time which ultimately puts the
entire 2011-2012 season in jeopardy.
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