Arbitrator John Feerick will convene a grievance
hearing at 10:00am ET today on the NBPA's "contention" that
NBA owners are liable to pay salaries to some 220 players
with guaranteed contracts for the upcoming season, according
to Chris Sheridan of the AP. The hearing is scheduled to
last two days, and Feerick's "ruling should come in early
September." The union "is expected to argue that owners
should have protected themselves by inserting lockout
language into individual players contracts." One source
close to the union: "These players are supposed to be paid
under those contracts in virtually all circumstances. It
(standard player contract) ... never says anything about a
lockout." The winning side "should have an increase in
leverage" when CBA talks resume (AP/DETROIT NEWS, 8/24). In
Houston, Michael Murphy wrote Feerick's decision "will be a
day of wreck-oning in the NBA's ongoing labor dispute."
Rockets G Brent Price: "That decision could virtually put an
end to the lockout if it's in favor of the players. There
are a lot of guaranteed contracts, and if the owners win
that decision, to be honest that would take a lot of power
away from the players and would really test our unity."
Murphy: "Should Feerick rule in favor of the owners, the
players might have to resort to decertification as a way to
force the owners to get back to business." Price thinks
decertification will "come into play" once players "start
losing money on paychecks." Price: "We feel very confident
that if it came down to decertification, then the players
would get their money. But I think everyone would lose in
the long run if the union broke up." Price said such a
situation would be "chaos" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/23).
WHERE DO WE GO FROM FEER? One union source: "We'll go
back to the drawing board if we lose. We'll fall back and
continue to fight ... completely unwilling to accept a hard
cap. But if the league loses, however, they've got an
entirely different issue to contend with." In Philadelphia,
Stephen Smith wrote that the league would "definitely appeal
any unfavorable ruling," but the "problem" is that any
appeal would be heard by U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones,
"who approved of Feerick's involvement in the case weeks
ago," after the league tried to get him removed saying his
contract expired on June 30 (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 8/23).
TOM SAYS LOOK IN THE MIRROR: Former NBPA President Tom
Heinsohn: "The players today take everything for granted.
... Players all travel first-class, have plenty of meal
money and they stay in separate rooms. The players have a
very cavalier attitude about the union itself. Now, I'm
fearful that if they decertify the union, all of the players
are going to have to fight for those things individually in
their contract" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 8/23).
