All NBA contracts may be void if union decertifies

[Renew Deal]

That's what the NBA says. It would be pretty cool if every player was suddenly a free agent.

<snip>
Finally, the league's lawsuit also makes an attempt to secure support for virtually apocalyptic salary reform should the union dissolve. The NBA asked the court to declare that such a decertification would in turn void all existing player contracts, because they're guided by the union's involvement in the old CBA.

Without a union and a collective bargaining relationship, the league argued, the terms and conditions of those previously negotiated contracts would not apply.

"The NBA Players Association has not made any decision to disclaim its role as the collective bargaining representative of the players and has been engaged in good faith bargaining with the NBA for over two years," Hunter said in Tuesday's statement. "We urge the NBA to engage with us at the bargaining table and to use more productively the short time we have left before the 2011-12 season is seriously jeopardized."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6826716/nba-takes-legal-action-locked-players

[madinmaryland]

1. Aww, FUCK! Another Decision thingie by LeBron, and the restarting of the jealous Douchebag thread

:(

[Renew Deal]

4. I've decided to bring my talents to the South Minneapolis!

It would be pretty cool to see the entire league re-drafted, but I doubt that would happen. I bet Dolan and the Knicks would find a way to screw it up.

[KamaAina]

2. Bullpucky!

The NFLPA decertifies and recertifies more often than McDonald's brings back McRib. You know prefectly well the owners would have used this against them if they could have.

[Angleae]

3. Wrong sport

Basketball, not football.

[KamaAina]

5. I know that

but the principle is the same. If football players don't become free agents whenever their union decertifies, neither do basketball players.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. I'm With You

The contracts may have been under the old CBA, but they are effectively (though not truly legally) personal services contract between one organization and one player.

The CBA is not the sine qua non of the contract. It's merely a framework.

This is a negotiating ploy and it won't succeed in court. I'm sure Hunter know it, too. He's a lawyer.
GAC

[Angleae]

7. Depends on how their individual contracts are worded.