The players association filed an unfair labor practice charge Friday against the NBA over its issues with the new ball and the league's crackdown on player complaints.
A number of players publicly have complained about the change in the ball from leather to microfiber composite. But the crackdown on complaints after the whistle, often referred to as a "zero-tolerance policy," might be the bigger problem.
With players fined for each technical they receive, union director Billy Hunter told the Associated Press last month that a lawsuit could be the next step if NBA commissioner David Stern didn't tell the referees to "back off."