8:46pm: An NBPA statement issued to Charania (Twitter link) strikes an optimistic tone regarding negotiations: “Each of us has a stake in doing what’s fair, what’s best for our business and what respects the rights and interests of all stakeholders. We are confident we will get there.”
Meanwhile, Wojnarowski reports in his full ESPN.com story that the NBA fears delaying opening night to mid-January could result in potential losses of $500MM to $1 billion next season and beyond.
8:01pm: The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are once again extending the deadline for either side to serve notice on terminating the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new date is now next Friday, November 6, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
This the fourth time the two sides have agreed to extend the deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. They are trying to hammer out modifications on the CBA, including next season’s salary cap and luxury tax thresholds. Discussions will continue this weekend, Wojnarowski adds.
The decision has been confirmed in an NBA Communications press release. If either side provides notice to terminate by November 6, the CBA will terminate on December 14 unless the parties agree otherwise.
The start of next season remains a point of contention, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The league is pushing for a pre-Christmas start, which would allow its TV partners to broadcast Christmas Day games. The NBPA still prefers a mid-January start date, most likely the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
The league reportedly considered countering with a reduced 50-game season and significant reductions in salary if the NBPA insisted on the January start. However, a 50-game proposal hasn’t been put forth at this point, Wojnarowski reports in another tweet. Playing fewer games in the event of a January start hasn’t been raised but a 72-game schedule has been proposed with the December 22 start.
The league’s Board of Governors last week recommended the December start in part so that the 2021/22 season could begin at its normal starting point in late October.
Escrow withholding on player salaries due to reduced revenues without fans in the stands has also been a sticking point, Wojnarowski adds.
If the players want a 50 game season, they must be happy to accept at least a 40% pay cut, it seems the fair thing to me.
But if they start pre-xmas then they can get very close to 100%, seems way to go!
Also I can’t understand why players ain’t happy with having their salaries withheld! I am all for people being paid for their work, regardless if the company makes or loses money, irrelevant… but here the issue is that their money is withheld ’cause they ain’t working!
Easy solution, get back to play asap & you’ll your $$$!
A TA writer proposed a staggered start. That is a good word for it, better than “bubble” was lol. Eight teams get going Dec.1, and 22 go when the union says it’s time.
This doesn’t have to play out like for instance a school board vs teacher strike, where either everything is on, or everyone stay home.
I’m sure that the union position reflects the wants of bubble- busy stars incl. Lebron, more than the wants of uninvited players , which is one reason to take it outside the box in planning.
If losing 1 billion revenues. Players should get rid of Chris Paul