Kessler joins the NBPA's case against the league. Again. (Getty Images)
OK, this is slightly complicated. A lingering issue out of the CBA they never got to was whether players who are waived and then signed retain their bird rights, allowing their team to re-sign them and retain space to sign other players. The union says they do. The NBA says "Ha, funny story, bro." They're in arbitration to resolve the issue. The case has become called "the Lin case" because its biggest impact is on the Knicks ability to sign Lin with Bird rights and retain their mid-level exception.

The league is expected to win the case, but the union is putting up a fight. And they've brought in their secret weapon! From the New York Post:  

Jeffrey Kessler, one of the union’s bulldog negotiators during the lockout, has been added to the team to fight for Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak’s Bird rights in today’s arbitration showdown with NBA lawyers, according to a source.

via New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak arbitration hearing set for Wednesday; a source says the union negotiator Jeffrey Kessler will be on the Lin/Novak team at the the hearing - NYPOST.com.

Kessler is famous for two things during the lockout. One, the famous "hijack line" and calling the NBA's treatment of the players akin to that of plantation workers. Two, he was allegedly the most combustible entity in the roo in those fall months, which lead to the repeated meltdowns which nearly scuttled the season. Well, you know, that and the owners' insatiable lust for money, but we're past all that now!

Kessler's obviously a very talented and accomplished attorney given his station in life. It's just odd that a guy who has had such bad luck going up against the league is now back in the room. Hopefully no one storms out after this one, with a four our hearing to decide the matter Wednesday. 

(HT: HoopsHype)