NBPA President and Lakers G Derek Fisher sent a letter to NBA players yesterday in response to a FoxSports.com report that "reaffirmed his loyalty to them and his commitment to 'the best deal possible,'" according to Howard Beck of the N.Y. TIMES. Fisher "labeled the report false and absurd." He wrote, "Before these reports go any further, let me say on the record to each of you, my loyalty has and always will be with the players. Anyone that questions that or doubts that does not know me, my history, and what I stand for." He added, "How dare anyone call that into question" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/1). Fisher also wrote, "The Players Association is united and any reports to the contrary are false. There have been no side agreements, no side negotiations or anything close" (SI.com, 10/31). CBSSPORTS.com's Ben Golliver wrote Fisher "probably should have just stopped after the first sentence, but he didn't, and the messaging that follows isn't surprising to anyone that's followed this lockout. Solidarity. Loyalty. Honesty. Integrity. United. Etc." (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/31).
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: The '11-12 NBA regular season was scheduled to start tonight with two games (Mult., 11/1). In Chicago, David Haugh writes today for the "first time since the lockout began July 1, Chicago's sports void feels real. Real empty." Haugh: "I will miss the anticipation of another fascinating Bulls season and the NBA taking its rightful place on the sports calendar. My sense is that puts me in the minority in one of the league's major markets, a reality that should worry league and union officials as much as the precious BRI split" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/1). In Boston, Steve Bulpett writes the NBA "might well retain its interest among the hoop freaks (card-carrying member since the ’60s here), kids and fame junkies," but sources said that they are "more than a little concerned about the ticket-buying masses." The league is "concerned about making it all [too] easy for fans to get used to missing the games" (BOSTON HERALD, 11/1). ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst noted Oct. 31 normally is a "day of significance on the NBA calendar," as it is the "day when teams must make what often prove to be weighty decisions on former first-round draft picks." But with the lockout in place, the "option and extension deadlines have been pushed back indefinitely." Windhorst noted GMs assume that teams "will be given a grace period in the new collective bargaining agreement, when it is in place, to make those decisions." One GM said, "We were given memos in June that said everything would be frozen when the lockout started. We're assuming that when we get a new deal we'll have a certain amount of time to make those decisions. But for now we can't" (ESPN.com, 10/31). Meanwhile, TRUE HOOP's Henry Abbott noted the "upcoming, agreed-to-in-principle amnesty" provision is a "very popular clause with fans, because it's a chance to reset all those bad contracts owners and teams have offered in the past." Abbott's complete review of the amnesty clause appears on his blog (ESPN.com, 10/31).
NO MEETINGS SCHEDULED: YAHOO SPORTS' Adrian Wojnarowski cited sources as saying that the NBA and NBPA have "discussed resuming talks" this week with Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service Dir George Cohen, but "no meetings are scheduled" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/31).
