The NBA and the NBPA ended their CBA talks today with no agreement, meaning a lockout will become effective at the end of the day. NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter said that the union proposed a new deal during the three-hour negotiations with no progress. "The gap is too great," Hunter said, declining to disclose specifics of the offer. Hunter said that the union expects to hold more talks with the league in the next two weeks, despite the work stoppage. "I anticipate going forward maybe talking about the system as opposed to the economics," Hunter said. “I have been anticipating a lockout for the past two years and it's here" (John Lombardo, SportsBusiness Journal). A source said the union “has no plans to decertify as of now” (CBSSPORTS.com, 6/30).
NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said after union proposed today to increase the average player salary from $5M annually to about $7M in the sixth year of a new deal, there was no shot to make a agreement. "It goes without saying that we didn't make the progress we had hoped," Silver said. NBA Commissioner David Stern said that the NBA had a great year this year "but not a profitable one." Stern: "We have made several and significant moves since the original proposal" (Lombardo).
SI’s Chris Mannix: “Lockout was inevitable, but still painful, outcome of fruitless labor talks. Expectations high this will involve litigation at some point.” ESPN’s Dana O’Neil: “So many smart men, so many bad decisions.” The AP’s Jenna Fryer wrote, “NBA just had a terrific season, great playoffs, exposure was fantastic. A lockout is about the stupidest thing owners and players can do.”
