NBA Players Take Case to Court, File a Class-Action Suit
National Basketball Assn. players filed a class-action suit in federal court in Newark, N.J., Thursday, challenging the NBA’s draft, salary cap and right-of-first-refusal policy.
“We are not surprised,” said Gary Bettman, general counsel for the NBA. “Unfortunately, they’ve decided to litigate rather than negotiate. We’re extremely comfortable with our legal position.”
The plaintiffs include Junior Bridgeman of the Milwaukee Bucks, president of the NBA Players Assn.; Ens. David Robinson, the San Antonio Spurs’ No. 1 draftee, and free-agent guard Rory Sparrow, who played for the New York Knicks last season.
Players’ union attorney Gerald Krovatin said those players represent a cross-section of the contractual situations. The suit was filed in Newark because of favorable antitrust case law in the court district, and because the district is known for its efficient “management” of cases, Krovatin said.
In New York, Larry Fleisher, general counsel for the players’ union, said the association has asked for a quick decision to avoid labor conflict.
“We’re hoping to avoid any lockouts or strike,” he said. Training camps open next Friday, and the season is scheduled to start Nov. 6.
Also Thursday, a moratorium on signing players or conducting rookie and free-agent camps expired after having been in effect since June 17. The NBA and the union had agreed on the moratorium to hasten collective bargaining negotiations to replace the contract that expired June 15.
After nine negotiating sessions, however, no progress was reported on the players’ key demands concerning the college draft, the salary cap and the right of first refusal.
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