Why LeBron James and the NBPA Need One Another to Succeed

Updated by Stephen Babb at 5:15 pm EST, Aug. 12

Almost as quickly as he proclaimed his interest, LeBron James is reportedly no longer considering a run to replace Derek Fisher as president of the NBPA's executive committee according to USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt. Nevertheless, Zillgitt also notes that, "James told NBPA leadership that he wants to be a voice for change and when his voice is needed, he will participate."

So there may be room yet for James' increased informal involvement.

---End of update---

Most people don't know—or care—much about what the National Basketball Players Association does, but there's a good chance LeBron James would change that. He told ESPN's Brian Windhorst he's considering a run to replace Derek Fisher as the NBPA's president, saying he thinks, "the union is going backwards."

James also said his "voice could be huge in that situation," but cautioned that he might not really have the time to be the executive committee's top dog. 

With the players union meeting to discuss and potentially determine its future leadership in Las Vegas later this month, the fact James is even talking about the possibility is encouraging. If he doesn't take the reigns himself, merely bringing attention to the NBPA's dire circumstances could at least catalyze some action from the league's more prominent stars.

The players association will take whatever help it can get, but the prospect of James turning around one more ballgame can't be taken lightly.

Controversy's been brewing in NBPA circles almost ever since the lockout came to an end in late 2011.

By April of 2012, there were already (unheeded) calls from the executive committee for Fisher to resign and by February of the next year, the NBPA instead voted unanimously to fire Billy Hunter as executive director.

Meanwhile, Fisher's tenure as president of the executive committee came to its natural end this summer, leaving all eyes on James to make the next move. Whatever the odds this super-team comes to fruition, the potential rewards go beyond free publicity—for both the NBPA and LeBron James.

The NBPA's Crisis of Confidence

Billy Hunter's dismissal in February is only half the player association's sordid story. Hunter has since filed a lawsuit against the NBPA and Derek Fisher alleging breach of contract and defamation.

In addition to Hunter's substantive legal claims, Darren Heitner writes in Forbes that the former executive director is also taking the fight to Fisher's handling of the 2011 lockout:

"

He essentially says that Derek Fisher was desperate for the lockout to end because Fisher’s playing career was coming to a close and each game that was cancelled meant that Fisher would never realize any remaining basketball-related income. Hunter claims that Fisher was negotiating for his personal benefit and against the bulk of the NBA players’ interests.  

"

Yep, it's getting ugly. This is either a desperate attempt at saving face, or perhaps—worse yet—an indication Hunter wasn't the only one up to no good.

Attorneys for Fisher and the NBPA have since requested Hunter's suit be dismissed. USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt reports that a hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 27. According to one of the motions for dismissal, attorneys argued Hunter's suit is "seeking to chill the Defendants' rights to free speech."

The courts will ultimately decide what comes of Hunter's grievances, but to some degree, damage of a different sort has already been done.

As if the lockout itself wasn't bad enough, the protracted fallout and ill will leave not only a power vacuum in administrative terms, but a problem of legitimacy in the eyes of those working with the NBPA going forward. 

It's hard to overstate how far James' presence would go toward restoring that legitimacy. As a figurehead if nothing else, his brand so thoroughly communicates success that we can only assume he'd bring his Midas touch to the next round of CBA negotiations. He'd be the first legitimate star to hold the post since Patrick Ewing did so from 1997-2001. 

This is about credibility and leveraging a voice with which owners will have to reckon. And it's about healing a fundamentally important organization that has plenty of work to do. That's a top-down process that needs a trusted face at the helm, someone who can help change the culture of negotiations with the league.

That all sounds well and good, but alas, let's not forget James is a very busy man. How could this arrangement be even remotely beneficial? Because really, what could you possibly give the man who already has it all?

What's In It for LeBron

Well, there is one thing LeBron James could use, even if he doesn't really need it—namely a little something to pad his resumé. OK, so maybe it's too soon for him to be bookmarking CareerBuilder.com, but even the best basketball player on the planet has to plan for life after basketball—or anyway life after playing basketball.

James could easily follow in Jordan's footsteps and buy a stake in his own team, or he could even pursue a more hands-on Joe Dumars role. The opportunities will be there.

But getting his feet wet with the NBPA would ensure he's more ready to make the most of those opportunities, perhaps even more certain of whether he really wants to pursue them. This is the other side of NBA life after all, the side typically left to agents.

If you're convinced James can do anything he wants, allow me to introduce you to his acting skills. Not to mention, no one wants to be compared with Kobe Bryant in the charming Hollywood darling department. So cross one potential career off James' list.

Whatever LeBron wants to do, building additional capital with the league's movers and shakers couldn't hurt—even with respect to his short-term interests. Michael Jordan's agent David Falk told USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt that this is really about the here and now:

"

I told LeBron that at dinner. I went to dinner with his friend (and new agent) Rich Paul when I was in Miami visiting Juwan (Howard). I'm a big fan of LeBron's. I said, 'Get more involved. They're stealing your money under the rules' and he's come to realize that.

"

Though Falk makes the task sound somewhat adversarial, he goes on to explain that Billy Hunter took that dichotomous approach too far, failing to build a cooperative working relationship with the league. He says the executive director, "needed to be David Stern's partner."

James has a chance to bridge the gap between league and player interests. It won't be about him making more money—it'll be about the entire NBA making more money, to the benefit of owners and players alike.

James has as much at stake in the NBA's long-term success as anyone. His fortune's ceiling has more to do with the NBA creating more fans than it does divvying up current earnings.

And that's exactly what players and owners need right now, someone who's really invested in everyone winning. Just two years removed from seemingly intractable differences, the health of the NBA's financial future needs a uniter right now, not a divider.

There's Just One Thing...

There's one problem with having such an incomparable star representing the players, namely that most of them aren't stars. Most of them are guys who—much like Derek Fisher—are just happy to pursue career longevity and hopefully some success along the way.

In other words, there may be a little too much in this for James. Either the NBA or NBPA can opt out of the current CBA after the 2016-17 season, and you can expect another round of debates about salaries, free agency rules and everything else that gets collectively bargained.

Not only do players like James theoretically stand to benefit from arrangements in which franchise players can earn higher maximum salaries, teams like the Heat also stand to gain from less punitive luxury taxes and more permissive salary cap rules.

Even if James isn't playing for the Heat in 2017, it's hard to imagine him championing causes like league-wide parody, both in the contexts of dividing talent among teams and dividing wealth among players. And even if James is committed to ignoring ulterior motives, it's the perception that matters. Other players could very well doubt his willingness to serve as a zealous advocate for their interests. 

You can question James' ability to get the job done, but chances are he'd be surrounded with the appropriate consultation. The concern shouldn't be capability. It should be about vision, and whether James' is consistent with the league at large.

As an institution, the NBPA desperately needs James—or someone of his caliber—working hand-in-hand with the next generation of representation. But should he choose to accept this mission, it will be up to LeBron to prove the players need him too.

As much as the players association stands to gain from this joint venture, it's still the players themselves who have the most to lose.