LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers teammate James Jones and Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul have been served with notices of deposition in former NBA players' union executive director Billy Hunter's wrongful termination lawsuit against the National Basketball Players Association, sources said Thursday.
Paul operates as union president, James as vice president and Jones as secretary treasurer. Hunter is suing the NBPA for $10.5 million in addition to attorney's fees, for compensation he did not receive after his ouster in February 2013.
James was the most recent of the three to receive his notice. Former union president and player Derek Fisher was also served on Feb. 26, 2016.
In addition to the deposition notices served by Hunter's legal team, California Superior Court Judge Huey Cotton has ordered the NBPA to turn over the documents regarding an investigation conducted by law firm Paul Weiss into Hunter's reign as executive director, a review that preceded Hunter's ouster.
According to a Sports Business Daily report, Cotton has also ordered the union to pay $30,550 in sanctions for failing to comply with a previous order to turn over documents.
The two sides are scheduled for a hearing Nov. 3, wherein the NBPA legal team may appeal the order that it cede documents in discovery. Hunter's legal team has asserted that more depositions of NBA players are forthcoming.
