NBA players briefed on the "exhaustive, eight-month review" of the NBPA's finances and business practices "have been told it uncovered no illegalities, but the final report is expected to include painstaking detail and numerous recommendations for changes to union policies and governance," according to sources cited by Ken Berger of CBSSPORTS.com. Sources said that the review by law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is "all but over and the report -- believed to be more than 100 pages long -- is being finalized." Sources said that the review, "spearheaded by noted white-collar criminal defense lawyer Theodore V. Wells Jr., will be reviewed by the U.S. Attorney's office before it concludes its own criminal probe." Sources also said that NBPA officials "have met with 15 of the 30 teams during the past several weeks and informed players that the law firm uncovered no illegal activity or violations of the NBPA's constitution." The report will include "significant detail about how the union conducted business during executive director Billy Hunter's tenure and could directly cite internal union emails." Among the "most anticipated aspects of the report, which is expected to be released within two weeks, is whether Paul, Weiss will recommend changes to union hiring practices." The law firm also will "make recommendations for addressing what it found to be a lack of player involvement in union practices and business" (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/3).
