Source says NBA talks to resume Wednesday

By Brian Mahoney
Associated Press

NEW YORK — Officials from the NBA and players’ association will meet Wednesday, less than a week after three days of talks with a federal mediator couldn’t produce a deal to end the lockout, a person with knowledge of the plans said.

Talks broke down last Thursday after players said owners insisted they agree to a 50-50 split of revenues before they would further discuss the salary cap system. By not reaching an agreement last week, the NBA will likely be forced to cancel more games to go with the two weeks that were already scrapped.

There was a far nastier tone than usual to the breakdown, with union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers accusing Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver and Spurs owner Peter Holt, chairman of the league’s labor relations committee, of lying during their press conference.

But just as they have multiple times this month when they walked away from the table without another meeting scheduled, the sides are getting back at it relatively quickly.

The meeting, first reported by the Daily News of New York, will be small groups from each side, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the negotiations were to remain private. Commissioner David Stern will take part after he was forced to miss the session last Thursday because of an illness.

Stern said without a deal last week, he feared games could be lost right through Christmas. The sides tried, spending 30 hours together while meeting for three straight days for the first time since the lockout began July 1. They made some progress on minor issues, but continue to be stuck on the two main ones.

Players proposed lowering their guarantee of basketball-related income to 52.5 percent, leaving the sides about $100 million apart annually based on last season’s revenues. They are also sparring over the length of contracts and the raises attached to them, along with the penalties teams would face for exceeding the luxury tax level.

Clock ticking for NBA deal

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Associated Press

NEW YORK — NBA players and owners still have no deal headed into the deadline for starting the season on time.

Negotiators for the sides met for more than five hours Sunday before breaking for the night. They are scheduled to return Monday afternoon.

“We’re not necessarily any closer than we were going in tonight, but we’ll be back at it tomorrow and we’ll keep putting time in,” union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers.

If they can’t come to a deal then, Commissioner David Stern has said the first two weeks of the regular season will be canceled. It is scheduled to begin Nov. 1.

Neither side offered any specifics, but a person with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press that they did not discuss the split of revenues, perhaps the biggest issue dividing them. The person was granted anonymity because the details were supposed to remain private.

When they last met on Tuesday, league officials asked the union if they would consider a 50-50 split of basketball-related revenues. The players, guaranteed 57 percent under the previous collective bargaining agreement, rejected that and said they were not prepared to go below 53 percent.

The salary cap system is the other big issue remaining.

Fisher also said the union would postpone a regional meeting scheduled for Monday in Los Angeles so he and other officials could remain in New York for more talks.

“We feel like our time, and our guys would want our time, to be used in meeting and try to get closer to getting a deal done,” he said. “So instead of going forward with that meeting, we’re going to put it off and then we’ll reschedule it accordingly depending on what happens tomorrow and into the week if we continue to meet.”

No further talks had been expected this weekend. On Friday, a person close to the union told AP players had been seeking a session before the deadline, but were told it came with a precondition of agreeing to the 50-50 revenue split.

The NBA later confirmed it wasn’t prepared to move above a 50-50 split but still was open to discussing other issues, but that the union had declined.

Stern, Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, owners Peter Holt of San Antonio and Glen Taylor of Minnesota, and senior vice president and deputy general counsel Dan Rube met with union executive director Billy Hunter, Fisher and vice president Maurice Evans of the Wizards, and attorneys Jeffrey Kessler and Ron Klempner.

Stern wouldn’t comment on Sunday’s talks beyond saying they would meet again Monday, adding they had an agreement with the players not to provide any details.

Durant says players are determined not to give in during lockout

It’s hard to imagine an NBA star with a brighter future than Kevin Durant.

The former University of Texas standout is coming off a banner season after leading the league in scoring in each of his last two seasons and taking his team to the Western Conference Finals last year. He turns 23 in September.  

And Oklahoma City’s player representative has fired off the about the NBA Player Association’s determination to stick together during the lockout.

“We’re going to stand up for what we have to do, no matter how long it’s going to take,” Durant told The Associated Press. “No matter how long the lockout’s going to take, we’re going to stand up. We’re not going to give in.”

These are bold words on July 1, particularly because we haven’t heard much from any of the league’s other superstars.

But let’s set how determined that Durant might be in November when the game checks aren’t being paid.