The NBPA released the following statement Thursday regarding the 24-game suspension of Jeff Taylor on Wednesday after Taylor plead guilty to misdemeanor domestic assault charges earlier ths month:
New York, NY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 -- The 24-game suspension imposed by Commissioner Silver against Jeff Taylor is excessive, without precedent and a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement ("CBA"). The CBA contemplates a minimum 10 game suspension in any case involving a conviction for a violent felony, including domestic violence. In contrast, Jeff Taylor was charged with a misdemeanor that is likely to be dismissed at the end of a probationary period. The 24-game suspension is one of the longest in the history of the league. We have a scheme of discipline that was the result of collective bargaining between the parties that has been applied consistently over the years. While we appreciate the sensitivity of this societal issue, the Commissioner is not entitled to rewrite the rules or otherwise ignore precedent in disciplinary matters. While ultimately this is Jeff's decision, we stand ready to file an immediate appeal on his behalf.
The NBA is reportedly willing to contest the idea of this being "unprecedented."
Jeffrey Taylor's 24-game ban by NBA, I'm told, is NOT a new standard for DV cases. NBA plans to handle such situations on case-by-case basis
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) November 19, 2014
The underlying context here surrounds the current conversation about domestic violence following the NFL's Ray Rice situation and subsequent cases, as well as Roberts' intention of setting a new tone for how the NBPA is set to pursue its goals in negotiations with the league. Less than two months ago, both Roberts and NBA commissioner Adam Silver agreed that the policies surrounding domestic violence cases needed to be re-examined but apparently there's some dissonance about exactly how those policies should be changed.
