Cba, Nba Lockout | featured news

After 15 hours of negotiating that began on Friday, the two sides have 'reached a tentative understanding' early Saturday morning, Commissioner David Stern says. It took 149 days and countless hours of hand-wringing, but the NBA lockout finally appears to be over.

When the NBA labor negotiations broke down two weeks ago, disagreement over a half dozen or so significant "system issues" between the two sides was blamed. How significant? The owners and the players essentially had agreed on the money split -- going 50-50 on basketball-related income -- but only if each got what it wanted in the system. And each wanted it all.

NBA players and owners did not reach a deal early Thursday morning on the bitter labor struggle that has postponed the basketball season.

NBA players have until the close of business on Wednesday to accept the latest proposal from the owners or risk receiving a significantly worse deal afterward. As of early Sunday morning, National Basketball Players Association president Derek Fisher and other representatives of the players’ union were unwilling to accept the deal, which would allow players to receive between 49 percent and 51 percent of revenues.

NBA players could have a choice Saturday: Accept a 50-50 division of basketball-related income or risk having more owners join the hardline faction that wants a 53-47 split in its favor— and a hard salary cap. When talks resume, they may quickly break down unless the sides can compromise on positions that seem to be hardening by the minute.

In a letter, Derek Fisher denies reports of attempts to cut a deal with Commissioner David Stern without the support of other union leaders.

Multiple sources predict a 78-game NBA season will be staged if the players and owners can compromise on the revenue split by next weekend, the New York Post reported Sunday. After hatcheting November's games following another labor negotiation breakdown, NBA commissioner David Stern proclaimed officially Friday that there is no longer a chance of squeezing in an 82-game schedule with a Dec. 1 starting date.

The National Basketball Association announced Friday that all games through November 30 are canceled as team owners and players continue to battle over a new collective bargaining agreement.

The NBA will on Tuesday announce that at least two more weeks of the season will be canceled, after labor talks broke down last week, the New York Daily News reported, citing a source. NBA commissioner David Stern already canceled the first two weeks of the season, which was scheduled to begin Nov. 1, and that is now expected to be extended through Nov. 28, accounting for 102 more games.

Labor dispute talks between the NBA and its players union will continue into Thursday, said federal mediator George Cohen, following two straight days of marathon mediation sessions.