Labour Trouble for the NBA???

[VanCitySportsGuy]

http://tsn.ca/nba/news_story.asp?id=125166

I hope the majority of the owners aren't complaining about contracts. Nobody put a gun to their heads to give out big money long term deals to the likes of Foyle, Van Horn, Bradley, Fisher, etc...

[Tha_Kid]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

I remember all that "good vibrations" bs they were spewing back during ASW, now they can't even get together to discuss things. I think stern is really trying to stick the age limit on there and if thats what it comes down to, hes pretty stupid to let a lockout happen due to that...

[4BiddenKnight]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

If stern really wants a lockout, he should focus the lockout discussion on poor officiating rather than the age limit.

[jmood88]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

This isn't hockey. There will be something worked out.

[SPTO]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

Actually they have a legit beef on one aspect of contracts and that's the length of said contracts. I also hope that Stern will try to tighten some of the obligation on contracts. I can't stand the BS that goes on when players whine their way to trades or don't even show up when they get traded somewhere.

BTW I think age limit is a foregone conclusion. I believe both sides are pretty much in favour of it.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

Looks like it's getting ugly
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...had&id=2062066

Hunter met with 12 of the most powerful agents in the business April 18 in New York and laid out the current proposal by the league.

Here's what happened, according to several agents who were in the room: After Hunter laid out the proposal, the rhetoric from the agents started getting tough. At one point, shouting and obscenities filled the room. Before the end of the meeting, Hunter had each agent stand, say his name and pledge that they'd urge their clients to support the players association if the league didn't soften its stance on several key bargaining issues and forces a lockout.

The agents are especially concerned about several major issues.

The biggest is the owner's insistence that guaranteed contracts be shortened considerably. Currently, players can sign a contract for a maximum of six or seven years, depending upon whether the player is signing with a new team (six years) or his current team (seven years). The owners have been trying to get that rolled back to three and four years.

"Of all the issues that the owners are trying to push, that one is the most absurd of all," Chicago-based agent Mark Bartelstein, another of the meeting's attendees, said. "No one is putting a gun to owners' heads and forcing them to sign players to these long-term deals. Almost every proposal that the owners are pushing are rules that really save the owners from themselves. It's ridiculous. If an owner is willing to give a player a six- or seven-year deal, the player should have the right to sign it."

Three other issues have become sticking points: 1) the owners' proposal to reduce the amount of annual raises in a contract from 10 percent to 5 percent; 2) a "super luxury tax" that would more harshly penalize teams that spend more than a certain predetermined threshold; and 3) the proposed 20-year-old age limit.

In almost every case, the owners are asking the players to compromise without offering much in return. The only concrete concession the league seems willing to make, according to the agents ESPN.com interviewed, is raising the salary cap from $43.8 million to $50 million next season.

[Freelance]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

All leagues are seeking what the NFL has had.

Hockey will have it now. The NBA is determined to have it. Baseball is still clueless on how to get it.

TV ratings for hockey and basketball make it worth it for owners to have long stoppages. They lose money anyway, or they at least don't make much.

While NFL television contracts skyrocket, those for hockey, basketball, and baseball are plummeting like cinder blocks.

[mvb34]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

I'm wondering why Hunter had a meeting with the Agents instead of the players!!

[Vince]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

I'm siding more with the players in this case as opposed to siding with the Owners in the situation with Hockey.3-4 years for Max deals is a joke.5 would be ideal.And no one is in fact forcing these moronic owners to sign Mark Blount or Adonal Foyle to 40 million dollar deals.As for the age limit,i've made it clear that i'm against it so i won't add on.And the luxury tax that's in place now is fine.I don't see why they should stiffen it.

[HardwoodHeisman]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

This isn't hockey. There will be something worked out.

Ofcourse it ain't hockey but the last time the league was this off as far as negotiations, we had to settle for a crappy 50 game season. This is gettin very serious and I'm definitley worryin a bit.

[jmood88]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

Ofcourse it ain't hockey but the last time the league was this off as far as negotiations, we had to settle for a crappy 50 game season. This is gettin very serious and I'm definitley worryin a bit.

It might go down to an 11th hour agreement but they have to make a deal. They've had the momentum go their way in terms of attendence and ratings and having a lockout or a strike would just kill all of that. And after seeing what happened with hockey, I'm sure that they'll try to make something happen.

[tenth]

Re: Labour Trouble for the NBA???

I'm siding more with the players in this case as opposed to siding with the Owners in the situation with Hockey.3-4 years for Max deals is a joke.5 would be ideal.

I agree. I imagine the owners are saying 3-4 with the idea of giving in a little to get an ideal position. 5 is definitely a good number, but I think 6 and 7 year deals are just too long.

Even though no owner litterally "has a gun to his head", that is essentially the position they're put in when you're trying to field a competitive team. If you don't pay for the talent or don't want to commit long term, someone else looking to improve will and you lose a competitive edge, fan support, and possibly your job. The Clippers are a perfect example. They finally started paying their talent, and they're finally fielding a decent team.