NBPA president Derek Fisher believes decertification of players union is the way to go – NBA Update
Derek Fisher has said the decertification is in his opinion the best option present for NBA players at this moment. Fisher, who is President of the National Basketball Players Association, was speaking to reporters after the NBPA
rejected an ultimatum by Commissioner Stern.
The union had been offered a take or leave it deal by Stern and the owners, which entailed a 50-50 split of the Basketball Related Income and did not have concessions on system issues that the players had demanded. The union, after
a meeting on Monday, rejected the proposal and decided to disband and sue the owners on anti-trust basis in a federal court.
"This is the best decision for the players," Derek Fisher said.
Fisher conceded that many different players had different personal issues they had to face up to. Not all players were as financially stable as others who could bear the consequences of sitting out a whole season, but their collective
interest lied in a decertification at present.
"I want to reiterate that point, that a lot of individual players have a lot of things personally at stake in terms of their careers and where they stand. And right now they feel it's important -- we all feel it's important to
all our players, not just the ones in this room, but our entire group -- that we not only try to get a deal done for today but for the body of NBA players that will come into this league over the next decade and beyond." He said.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard was supported in rejecting the NBA’s offer by all 30 team representatives who attended Monday’s meeting, as well as around 20 other players who showed up.
The NBPA will now go to court to seek the dismissal of the lockout, which they believe is now illegal. There is a 45 day waiting period though before the National Labour Relations Board rubber stamps the decertification.
It had been argued by analysts that the 45 day window could be used for some last gasp negotiation between the two sides. Stances could be softened now as the season would most certainly be lost once the matter reaches a court,
and the NBPA still seems to have left room for a deal outside it.
"I don't want to make any assumptions," union VP Keyon Dooling said. "I believe we'll continue to try to get a deal done or let this process play out. I don't know what to expect from this process."
The NBA owners and David Stern though have a much more rigid stance. When Stern presented his last offer to the union, he declared that no more negotiations will be held with players.
He seemed prepared for this perhaps.
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