Iguodala’s ascension worthy of closer study

It’s apparent that the NBA and the Players Association were stunned last month at the sudden resignation of executive director Tamika Tremaglio, just months after the sides procured a new collective bargaining agreement and her most arduous task was over.

Tremaglio held her position for roughly 34 months and she formed an immediate bond with commissioner Adam Silver, which helped foster smooth negotiations for the new CBA. It’s uncertain why she stepped down, but the naming of Andre Iguodala as her interim successor could set a new trail for former players who may want to fill that role permanently.

The NBPA executive director is generally a lawyer who represents the players in high-level negotiations. Iguodala, who played 19 NBA seasons, has prior experience serving on the executive committee. Many players are closely observing whether he will hold the post permanently.

Executive committee member Jaylen Brown of the Celtics endorsed Iguodala as interim director.

“I think Andre stepping in that seat is fantastic,” Brown told the Globe.

“He’s a player that has set the tone for players who can be more than basketball players. He has a lot of respect from different guys throughout the league. Him stepping in that interim role, in the meantime, sends a great message to our union and the great direction for us. So we’re just building off of that.”

Regarding the change in leadership, Silver said, “I was surprised when Tamika was replaced only because I had no prior knowledge that there was any issue there. I mean, she and I had a very professional relationship in the role . . . It’s my job to work with whoever is presented to me.

“Nothing has changed in terms of our day-to-day relations with them, and I have no other knowledge about why either the Players Association or Tamika decided to change the relationship.”

One person interested in how Iguodala fares is Brown, who told the Globe he may have aspirations of being the NBPA executive director when his career is over.

“Absolutely, it sets a precedent of how we view ourselves,” Brown said.

“To put the trust in another player to be in that position is just showing togetherness and that’s what we’ve been trying to build and establish for the most part since I’ve been there: a brotherhood, togetherness, get more and more people on the same page so we can start to make decisions, start to use our leverage to make a little bit of change and make it for the next generation.”

Brown said there were a lot of layers to Tremaglio’s departure, but the NBPA respected her decision.

In her statement, Tremaglio said, “With a new CBA in place, I am ready to move on from this role and pursue other opportunities. I am grateful to [CJ McCollum, NBPA president], Andre, the entire executive committee, and all of the players for the opportunity to serve them these past few years. I’m confident that Andre will flourish in this role and continue to empower the players and this union to reach their full potential.”

Said Brown: “One, there’s just a lot of decisions that go into operating and running the organization. People make decisions for themselves, for the next portion of their career. We think about the future of our career. We want to make sure everything is good for everybody. I think that’s what that decision came down to.”