The NBPA's firing of Exec Dir Simon Gourdine is an example
of the union's "dysfunctional" operation, according to Theresa
Smith in Tacoma. Seen as "unresponsive" and "too agreeable to
owners' demands" by some, Gourdine was dismissed last week by a
vote of player reps --just weeks after he was granted a contract
extension by the NBPA's Executive Committee. NBPA VP Detlef
Schrempf: "We needed to give him benefit of the doubt and let him
run the office for a couple of years, get it back on its feet and
give us at least time to interview other people. Now we're
basically forced to fire him and select a new executive director
within three weeks, by the All-Star Game. Who's gonna tell us if
we make a wrong decision? We don't know these people. How are
we going to interview them in three weeks? We're spread out all
over the country." Smith reports the hiring process is "rushed"
because there is no one to run the union office and continue
talks with owners over the final language of the new CBA. Along
with the hire, the committee has to negotiate a buyout with
Gourdine. NBPA VP Dikembe Mutumbo calls it "the most ridiculous
thing the players have done" and accuses the players who favored
decertification this summer of orchestrating the move. Sixteen
NBA teams have new players reps, with many decertification
supporters. Smith notes, "Interestingly enough, [the reps]
didn't appreciate the committee's decision to keep Gourdine
without their approval, yet they didn't seek the approval of the
entire union when they fired Gourdine. They just made sure they
had a majority of anti-Gourdine player reps on the conference
call" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 1/29).
