Union chief Billy Hunter threatens collusion charge against NBA
Liz Mullen, SportsBusiness Journal

Billy Hunter, executive director of the NBPA, warned that the NBA players' union could potentially file a collusion case against the NBA if the league did not have "a good faith basis" for a memo to teams projecting a steep drop in the salary cap and luxury-tax threshold for the 2010-11 season.

"A memo of this nature can have a chilling effect on the market for free agent and rookie signings," Hunter said in a statement to SportsBusiness Journal, a sister publication of Sporting News. "If it later turns out that the league did not have a good faith basis for making these projections, the NBPA will pursue all available legal remedies, including a treble damages claim for collusion.

Related Links
2009-10 salary cap drops
Many offseason issues still unresolved
'Mini-max' contracts change player-team paradigm
"The NBPA has no basis whatsoever to confirm the projections the NBA has released for the 2010-11 season. The NBA has not shared these forecasts or the basis for the projections with us," Hunter continued.

"What we do know is that a large portion of next year's Basketball Related Income – especially national and local broadcasting deals and many sponsorships – is already committed and locked in with increases for next year. On various occasions the NBA has publicly speculated on revenue projections for the 2008-09 season that have since been proven inaccurate. The salary cap and luxury tax projections for 2009-10 based on these revenue projections have thus likewise been proven inaccurate."

In response, the NBA said that the memo issued to teams was based on the league's "best, good faith projections."

"The memo speaks for itself and it was issued to give our teams our best, good faith projections," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said,

The NBA and union are expected to begin discussions this month toward a new collective bargaining agreement. The current deal runs through the 2010-11 season.

Congress appears to be willing to address anti-trust issues with various leagues over the past few years. I wonder if this will grab their attention.

Posted by eViL:

Posted by Pharzeone:

Congress appears to be willing to address anti-trust issues with various leagues over the past few years. I wonder if this will grab their attention.

Well, how's about you comb trough the Sherman act and then let the board know what you think? Thanks for volunteering

Democrat led sub-committees are more willing to open taboo issues like this. When members of a CBA start screaming collusion it doesn't help. Congress will want to see the books and that is something Stern doesn't want out there. Regardless it is a great ploy to use for any future CBA negotiations.