NBA Players Union Stands With Refs

Hornets guard Chris Paul may not be worried about replacement referees coming to the NBA, but Paul's union apparently feels differently. Derek Fisher, the Laker who heads the National Basketball Players Association, put out a statement Tuesday supporting the referees union in its labor dispute with the league.

In the statement, Fisher called the implementation of B-level referees "unacceptable" and said that replacement refs "could compromise the integrity of the game." He also asks the league to treat the refs fairly, presumably because Fisher would like the league to treat players fairly in ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

The league has locked out its current referees, and will begin training replacement refs culled from the D-League and the WNBA this week. The first preseason game -- to be officiated by replacement refs unless a last-minute deal is struck -- is October 1.

The NBPA statement comes at very interesting time, as the players union and a committee of team owners and league execs meet today to continue those CBA negotiations. The bargaining agreement expires in two years. The owners have vaguely threatened a lockout if their demands to reduce the share of revenue guaranteed to players is not decreased. The owners are also expected to push for a higher age minimum for draft eligibility, while the players want to preserve their revenue share while also pushing for expanded revenue sharing between the teams.

The referees and league are fighting primarily over changes to the retirement benefits packages afforded to officials.