Union President Fisher Assures N.B.A.’s Players That He Will Stay the Course

In the face of collapsed negotiations, canceled games and unsourced reports of fractures in his union, Derek Fisher moved to reassure N.B.A. players on Monday with a letter that reaffirmed his loyalty to them and his commitment to “the best deal possible.”

The letter was a response to a report by FoxSports.com, published Saturday, that alleged that Fisher, the union’s president, had attempted to cut a deal with Commissioner David Stern without the support of other union leaders. The report cited an anonymous source.

In his letter — a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times — Fisher labeled the report false and absurd.

“But before these reports go any further, let me say on the record to each of you, my loyalty has and always will be with the players,” Fisher wrote. “Anyone that questions that or doubts that does not know me, my history, and what I stand for.”

He added, “How dare anyone call that into question.”

According to the FoxSports.com story, Fisher told Stern he could get the players to approve a 50-50 split of league revenue, as proposed by the league. The union has been seeking 52.5 percent, and the executive director Billy Hunter has insisted that it will not go lower. According to the report, Hunter and an unnamed player from the union’s executive committee confronted Fisher on Friday morning and persuaded him to hold firm at that figure.

Talks collapsed that afternoon, with the N.B.A. and the union still 2.5 percentage points apart. The league canceled two more weeks of games, wiping out the rest of the November.

Fisher addressed the report directly, saying: “There have been no side agreements, no side negotiations or anything close. We are united in serving you and presenting the best options and getting everyone back to work.”

He added, “The attempt by ‘sources’ to divide us will be unsuccessful.”

For his part, Hunter denied any rift with Fisher, telling SportsBusiness Journal, “My relationship with Derek is very good. There was no confrontation."

The season was supposed to start Tuesday night. No new bargaining sessions have been scheduled. However, the parties are discussing the possibility of bringing back George Cohen, a federal mediator who worked with them in mid-October, according to people briefed on the matter.