The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are nearing an agreement to test the league’s players blood for human growth hormone (HGH), reports ESPN.com.

The testing could start as early as next season. NBA Commissioner David Stern has said that basketball has fallen behind Major League Baseball, which has an agreement to collect and analyze players’ blood.

The NBA has never tested for HGH, because it would mean taking samples of the players’ blood. The union has never allowed this because there are questions with the test’s reliability. NBA players currently can be tested for illegal substances up to six times a year, two of which occur in the offseason.

“According to the expert witnesses who testified at our hearing, there is consensus among the scientific community that HGH testing is safe and reliable. Since the NBA agreed last year to start HGH testing — and since professional basketball players already compete in the Olympics where they are subject to HGH testing — there is no reason to delay HGH testing for the NBA itself. My hope is that all our professional sports leagues implement HGH testing right away to set an example for millions of young athletes across the country who look up to them,” Rep. Elijah Cummings said in an email to ESPN.com.

Player support of NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is waning. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams says change is needed at the top of the league’s players association and says NBPA chief Billy Hunter needs to go, reports CBSSports.com.

Hunter has been the National Basketball Player Association’s executive director for the past 16 years. He is the subject of a 469-page report released Thursday by independent law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in which they questioned Hunter’s use of union finances and accused him of failure to properly manage conflicts of interest.

“I think change is needed, top to bottom,” Williams said. “I don’t think things were getting voted on like they should have been,” Williams said. “I’m sure there’s guys that are still with Billy, and some guys that aren’t. We’ve just got to figure out what the next step is.”

That independent law firm also said that Hunter’s 2010 contract extension, reportedly worth $18 million, was not voted on by the board of 30 player representatives.

The NBA reportedly denied Kings’ center DeMarcus Cousins appeal request. Cousins was suspended two games by the league for confronting a broadcaster. (Rocky Widner/NBA/Getty Images)

The NBA denied an appeal request that would have allowed Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins to play in Tuesday night’s game against the Portland Trailblazers, reports USA TODAY.

Cousins was suspended two games by the NBA for “confronting” San Antonio Spurs broadcaster and former Spurs player Sean Elliott in a “hostile manner” after Friday’s 97-86 loss to San Antonio.  He served the first game of the suspension on Sunday when his team played without him against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Kings also lost that contest.

The National Basketball Players Association was set to appeal the two-game suspension.

The National Basketball Players Association is expected to issue a statement in strong disagreement with the ruling either tonight or on Wednesday morning.

Ellliott was critical of Cousins for trash talk that took place between him and Spurs forward Tim Duncan. Cousins is averaging 17.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game this season. The Kings’ next game is a home contest against the Atlanta Hawks.

National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter made $3 million last year, a $600,000 raise from the year before. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter was given a 25 percent raise over the past year, including money that was paid during the NBA lockout, reports USA Today.

Hunter was paid $3 million from July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012 —  according to NBPA documents filed Friday with the U.S. Department of Labor. The 25 percent raise amounts to $600,000.

Compared to other executive directors of the other three main North American sports, Hunter makes the most. Hunter is also the longest-tenured union chief among the four major sports leagues.

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith made $2.49 million from March 1, 2011-Feb. 28, 2012, and former NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw made $4.26 million in a similar calendar year in 2006-07. Upshaw died in August 2008.

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Michael Weiner earns $1 million per year.