Chris Paul is union president and reportedly asked LeBron to run as the NBPA gears up for a potential labor struggle in 2017, when the union is expected to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement. NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts says LeBron’s role is important because “it gets your attention.”
The NBPA is anticipating a $7 billion revenue for the NBA and the players would like a bigger piece of the pie. Since 1998 – the first time NBA players experienced a lock out – a max salary player’s salary has been cut by about one third.