Boies: Stern ended negotiations. It is "absolutely clear, if there was ever any doubt, that the collective bargaining process has ended."
Boies: We've brought this case in order to try to restore "competitive free-market conditions. Nobody can tell you how long it will take."
Boies: It is in everybody's interests to resolve this quickly. The longer it goes on, the greater the damages for teams and players.
Boies says 2-3 player filed another lawsuit in Minnesota today, and "it's conceivable that other lawsuits could be filed."
Boies says players are not asking for preliminary injunction to lift lockout. Asking for summary judgment instead.
Boies: The season is in jeopardy because the owners have locked the players out and have maintained that lockout for several months.
Boies: It's possible to get summary judgment before season canceled. But goal is to resolve it out of court.
So it will be the 9th Court of Appeals that will consider any appeal to the original decision. Minnesota because that's where the NBA to an initial favorable ruling from Susan Walton. It's selective shopping of courts.
Boies says Stern's ultimatum is quoted in the complaint. "That's not collective bargaining," the players' attorney said.
Boies says settlement negotiations can occur at any time and "might be a pathway by which an agreement could be reached."
Boies: The players showed that were "exhausting every opportunity," and have made clear that the NBA won't be able to argue this is a sham.
NBA players antitrust complaint alleges league has coerced players into agreeing to anticompetitive player restraints & massive salary loss.
