According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:
As many as 50 disgruntled NBA players - including several All-Stars - participated in a clandestine conference call with a top antitrust attorney on Thursday to discuss the process of decertifying the Players Association, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Angry with the concessions already made to the owners and fearful of worse ones coming with the completion of a new collective bargaining agreement, the players could push for a scenario that throws negotiations into chaos and could eventually lead to the loss of the 2011-12 season. Paul Pierce played a prominent role on both calls, leading the charge on decertification, sources said.
Sounds like decertification is becoming a realistic possibility.
"We're beyond frustrated with the concessions that have already been made," one source on the calls said. "If the union gives in on the [basketball-related income] split and the open system issues don't go to the players side, decertification may be the next step."
Thirty percent of the union members would need to sign a petition to force a vote on decertification. A majority vote could then dissolve the union.
The two sides are scheduled to meet again on Saturday, November 5. With games already cancelled until the end of November, the recent threat of decertification and a substantial two percent difference in BRI negotiations, the 2011-12 season may be in jeopardy.
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