Leaders of the NBPA are meeting with G League players to discuss the possibility of unionizing the NBA’s minor league, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Players and NBPA representatives will talk during the G League Showcase event in Las Vegas this week.
Both sides talked about the prospect of making this happen during last year's showcase event, and talks are expected to advance this week.
League officials are aware of this possibility, keeping in touch with NBPA executive director Michele Roberts about the union’s support for the players:
“We support the players’ right to unionize,” G League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim told Shams Charania of The Athletic. “We view this as a positive thing and are looking to continue to grow our league for the players to develop and accomplish their dreams.”
The NBA is trying to expand the G League into a virtual replica of its major league predecessor, hoping to have 30 teams to match the 30 NBA teams and their rosters.
The benefit of unionizing would allow players to receive increased salaries, freedom of movement, work benefits, and to have a say on issues of discipline and contract structures. The NBPA is still unsure as to what could change in conversations with the two leagues, but creating a union could open up further conversations:
“Right now, G League players are in a one-way contract negotiation,” one source with knowledge of the situation said. “Unionizing would bring everything up.”
The base salary for a G League player was $35,000 in 2018 from the previous $19,000 or $26,000 tiers. Unionizing has been deemed “inevitable” since players have looked to improve their circumstances, something they've looked to do for years:
“Travel, housing, a little more money — it’ll be about small gains,” a G League general manager said.“The G League probably doesn’t generate enough revenue for wholesale changes unless we tap into the NBA’s BRI (basketball related income), but unionizing can be a start.”
“This was always bound to happen,” another team executive said of the possibility of unionizing. “Certain things need to change, whether that is pay or the structures of deals for players.”
G Leaguers on two-way contracts can only play in the NBA for 45 days, which includes gamedays and practices after a provision removed travel days from inclusion. After the 45 days expire, the player can no longer take part in NBA games for that season unless signed to a full-fledged NBA deal.
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