Players Union and NBA owners meet again to save a full season – NBA news
The night before NBA was to commence terminating regular season games, player’s union and NBA owners assembled once again in a hurriedly called meeting in Manhattan. The last ditch effort to save the regular season was totally unscheduled and unexpected, occurring two days after both parties refused to budge from their stands on the Basketball Related Income or BRI.
At that time, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) had blamed NBA of setting stipulation for more talks. After Friday’s meeting collapsed, it looked like the season was done and dusted. NBA deputy commissioner, Adam Silver ratified that the owners wouldn’t be bargaining beyond the 50-50 split offer. With no further negotiations anticipated, Union decided to move to Los Angeles for a membership meeting.
Considering the awkward scenario, it was a pleasant surprise when both parties decided to sit again on the same table on Sunday. Particulars of the meeting, which panned out for 11 hours, are not known yet but there is a hope that this session would prove meaningful and good news relating to the end of deadlock will hit the headlines soon.
The NBA team was embodied by owners of San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves Peter Holt and Glen Taylor respectively, Commissioner David Stern and deputy general counsel Dan Rube. From Union’s side, President Derek Fisher, executive director Billy Hunter, general counsel Ron Klempner and labor lawyer Jeff Kessler were amongst the representatives.
As of now, it is not clear whether the league conceded its 50-50 BRI proposal or if the union has made some concession in 53 percent demand of revenue. There is also a possibility that both the sides decided to completely ignore the revenue split and made other issues the focal point in order to progress any further.
Both players and owners have been very strict in their stances up till now. Players have already made it clear they will not bow down to injustice and will be willing to sacrifice the whole season if they have to, in order to save their financial interests and that of the future superstars. Talking to media after a charity game last Saturday, Carmelo Anthony had said
"They're going to cancel the first two weeks of the season, we'll see what happens then. If they want to lock us out, lock us out. We're going to stick together."
Even if the issue is resolved this week, the probability of season commencing on time is bleak. The league requires at least one week to plan a new labour deal, a week for signing free agents, and week for training camps and exhibition games.
However, if an agreement is reached, it will be a blessing for the concerned.
The two sides are now going to meet on Monday, the deadline day, after which the league will announce the cancellation of the first two weeks of NBA season.
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