Billy Hunter has been unanimously voted out as executive director of the NBA Players' Union on Saturday, at a meeting of the union during the league's All-Star Weekend.
Hunter has been the leader of the players' union through three work stoppages, the most recent cutting off the first quarter of the 2011-2012 season. Hunter has been placed on a leave of absence since February 1 amidst an audit of the union's activities over the past couple of years.
The review concluded that Hunter's contract extension to lead the union, done in 2010, might be invalid. It also cited poor decisions such as the hiring of Hunter's family members to key spots within the union. Lastly, it questioned potential conflicts of interest and usage of union funds for illicit (not necessarily illegal) activities such as gifts and travel expenses.
Derek Fisher, most recently with the Dallas Mavericks and currently the president of the Players Union, said that "(W)e want to make it clear that we are here to serve only the best interests of the players. No threats, no lies, no distractions will stop us from serving our memberships....We do not doubt that this process will possibly continue in an ugly way."
Fisher could step into the role himself, if he does not return to a NBA roster anytime soon. He was reecnetly let go by the Mavericks but has not signed on elsewhere as of yet.
Hunter plans to fight the decision - and the possibility of not getting paid the rest of his salary.
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