Derek Fisher wants player agents to stop pushing for decertification – NBA Lockout News
Derek Fisher, the President of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is a busy man these days.
However, he took time out recently to write a letter to the members of the union regarding the NBA labour dispute. Although addressed to the players, the letter had a clear message for the NBA player agents as well - stop talking
about a Players’ Union breakup.
The NBA agents have been rumoured to be working on their own agenda for long now. Many sources believe that they want the players union to decertify, following the model of the NFL lockout where after decertification, a deal was
reached. It is also believed that five powerful player agents even held a meeting in this regard.
However, the message from the union is completely opposite. Executive Director Billy Hunter has repeatedly dismissed the suggestion, so have some senior NBA players. In his letter, Fisher added his voice to the dissent on the issue,
"What would be appreciated by the 400-plus players would be the support of our agents and constructive ideas, suggestions and solutions that are in our best interests," Fisher wrote in the first letter. "Not the push for a drastic
move that leaves their players without a union, without pensions, without health care. We just aren't there."
The Los Angeles Lakers point guard is a firm believer in the union and has been on the forefront of negotiations with the league over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement or CBA. Although so far those discussions have not borne
fruit, Fisher believes an opportunity is arising.
Fisher also highlighted the revenue sharing within the NBA franchises, something that happens on a much larger scale in the NFL. The players believe that is the way to go forward in NBA, but Commissioner David Stern has so far
refused to make it a part of the negotiations.
Fisher believes once that matter is sorted out, there could be reasonable progress made in the negotiations.
"It is also my belief that once they have worked out more of their internal issues, the opportunity to negotiate and get a fair deal done is there."
He also stressed on the players not to accept a deal that does not favour them in the long run, no matter how much pressure the NBA puts them under. “We can't allow that to happen guys. Not under any circumstances.” Said the Lakers
guard, stressing on the matter.
Whatever the players union decides to do, they have to make their decisions quickly. The NBA training camps and pre-season games have already been cancelled. If a deal is not reached soon, the season could be delayed, or even called
off.
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