NBA owners, players reach tentative deal to lift lockout - NBA Update
The NBA owners and players union declared early Saturday that they had agreed a tentative deal for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The announcement came after a marathon 15 hour meeting that started on Friday and lasted
well into Saturday.
"We want to play basketball," Commissioner David Stern said at a joint press conference seated alongside National Basketball Players Association Executive Director Billy Hunter.
The two sides refrained from giving too many details about the deal, but it is believed that the player will get a band of 49-to-51 percent share in the Basketball Related Income. Progress is also believed to have been made on
salary cap issues though a number of matters still needed to be sorted out.
If all goes to plan in the following 48 hours or so, the NBA will be able to end the lockout and begin training camps on December 9th. The free agency will also begin on the same day. Most importantly, the NBA plans
to start games as early as Christmas for a 66 game regular season.
Stern said the deal was "subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin Dec. 25."
Three highlight games are scheduled for December 25ht which would prove a perfect curtain raiser for the new season. MVP Derrick Rose is set to take his Chicago Bulls to face off with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. A rematch
of the NBA Finals is set to take place as the Miami Heat battle the Dallas Mavericks while the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks will lock horns for another engaging battle.
The deal has been announced just around 12 days after talks broke down between the two sides and the season looked in jeopardy. The union had disbanded and players filed anti-trust lawsuits against the owners, but Billy Hunter
always maintained that he favoured an out of court settlement.
"We thought it was in both of our interest to try to reach a resolution and save the game and to be able to provide the mind of superb entertainment the NBA historically has provided," Hunter said.
The deal cannot be immediately formulated for a number of reasons. The NBPA is currently disbanded and it will have to reform in order for a Collective Bargaining Agreement to be signed. Players will have to withdraw their lawsuits
against the owners while both the players and owners at large will have to ratify the deal.
It sounds like a lot, but Stern is positive they will get there.
"We're very pleased we've come this far," Stern said. "There 's still a lot of work to be done."
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