NBA cancels training camps and the first week preseason action: Lockout News
With the NBA owners and players’ association (NBPA) holding tight to their positions in the negotiations over the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the lockout moved an inch closer towards the cancellation of the NBA season
on Friday, September 23rd, 2011.
After yet another failed round of talks over the revenue sharing issues, the NBA officials announced the postponement of training camps and the first week’s preseason games, scheduled from October 9-15 for an indefinite period.
Adam Silver, the Deputy Commissioner of NBA, released an official statement in this regard.
"We have regretfully reached the point on the calendar where we are not able to open training camps on time and need to cancel the first week of preseason games," NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "We will
make further decisions as warranted."
After Thursday’s meeting in New York fizzled out, it was expected that the pre-season games and the camps will be affected and the announcement by the league is being considered as a formality.
Orlando Magic’s point guard Chris Nicholas Duhon admitted that it was not surprise considering both parties were firm on what they want in the new CBA.
"This is what we expected. It's not a surprise to us. Obviously, we want to play. That's our stance. We want to play. We're trying to play. But we knew that they [the owners] were really firm on what they wanted, and we're really
firm on what we wanted. We just haven't found a great negotiating scheme yet."
There have been reports that the NBA owners, who wanted the share of players in the Basketball Related Income or BRI reduced from 57 percent to the low 40’s have offered to bring that percentage up to 46. However, the players,
who had already come down to 53 refused to accept the proposal. The next round of talks however might take place as early as next week, which is about the only positive vibe so far.
It is a fact that time is running out for the two parties to reach an agreement before the start of NBA season, but judging by the positions that both the players union and the NBA officials have taken, the timely beginning of
the 2011-12 season looks like a distant possibility. While Adam Silver and Commissioner David Stern are non committal on any such question, there have been voices in the player’s camp, most recently from Boston Celtics vet Ray Allen, that they are braced for
a season cancellation.
Whether that will happen or not, will be clear in the coming weeks.
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