Kevin Love says players want end to lockout but won’t give in to excessive demands of NBA owners
Minnesota Timberwolves player Kevin Love revealed in a recent interview that NBA players are looking to resolve the ongoing labour dispute as soon as possible. He added though, that the players still won’t agree to the current
owners’ proposal.
Kevin Love was speaking in wake of a new round of pessimism that has swept the NBA landscape in recent weeks. The league locked out the players back on July 1st. Since then there has been no progress, with just one meeting
held between the sides.
To make matter worse, NBA Commissioner David Stern filed a lawsuit against the National Basketball Players Association recently. In such circumstances a number of analysts have commented that an NBA season for 2011-2012 seems very
unlikely.
Love, who is the star player in Minnesota, revealed that the current situation is not of the players making. He argued in the interview that NBA players want to get on with their job as soon as possible, i.e. playing basketball.
They were willing to resolve the crisis and have even proposed taking some cuts; the players are genuinely trying to work towards a solution.
"We all know we'll have to sacrifice but something has to be done," Love said Tuesday night. "It has to be sooner than later. We have to get the ball rolling. We can't wait around until October or November and then nothing gets
done. The owners will keep stalling and obviously they have more means than us to lock us out."
Love warned though that the owners are making demands that are simply unreasonable and will not be accepted even though the players want a compromise.
"I want to play basketball," Love said. "I want us -- the players -- to sign a great deal. I want us to make a compromise with the owners but not sign what they're proposing. We'll play hardball if we have to. I want there to be
an NBA season but it's also apparent that we're going to miss games."
The warning by Kevin Love that games are likely to be lost should not be taken lightly. More and more players have come to think the same way. Not only them, but ex-players are jumping on the bandwagon as well. Just recently newly
inducted Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman spoke on the issue and his words were not very encouraging.
Both sides are frustrated with the lack of developments taking place since the lockout began, but the real suffering is reserved for the fans.
If the NBA and the players do not get serious about the negotiations it might be too late and the damage done to their fan base could last a while.
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