Billy Hunter: Don’t expect the 2011-12 season – NBA Labour Dispute Update
Billy Hunter dropped a bombshell on NBA fans around the world when he conceded that at the moment, he did not see an NBA season taking place in 2011-2012. The executive director of the National Basketball Players Association was
speaking at a seminar on Wednesday when he made the remarks, and given his high position and insight of what is going on behind the scenes of the NBA labour dispute, this certainly should not be taken lightly.
Hunter’s exact words, when asked about the chances of an NBA season, were,
"If I had to bet on it at this moment, I would probably say no."
Billy Hunter revealed that the NBA and the players were as much as $800 million apart in terms of agreeing on a deal, and that is only a per year number. Over the length of a 10 year deal, as proposed by the owners, the difference
would be in billions of dollars. And that is after the players have already conceded ground from the last CBA,
"We agreed to go from 57 to 54," Hunter said.
Matters have gone from bad to worse in recent days as the NBA has sued the players in a federal court. Hunter is named as one of the respondents in the case. It is ironic given the fact that in the NFL labour dispute, the players
sued the league and the NBA players had also been advised by many to follow the same route. Hunter and NBPA President Derek Fisher though resisted such a move, insisting that they wanted to keep the matter out of the courts and try to get a deal done through
negotiating.
They certainly did not expect such a drastic move by the NBA, for which David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, has come under the ire of many fans. However, Hunter believed that Stern’s hands were tied because of a new breed of owners,
who want to maximize profits at all costs,
"The circumstances have changed among his constituency," said Hunter, "In the last six or seven years, there is a new group of owners to come in who paid a premium for their franchises, and what they're doing is kind of holding
his feet to the fire."
He also revealed that with both sides locked into their positions and showing no flexibility in their stances, something had to give,
"Something has to happen that both of us can use as leverage to save face."
The current situation does seem precarious and it will be interesting to see how the latest move by the league pans out. The NBPA has already declared that they will seek an immediate dismissal of the lawsuit.
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