NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter is quoted by Lacy Banks of
the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES today as saying that he now believes
NBA owners might cancel the season. Hunter said yesterday:
"The more we give, the more they want us to give and the
less they're willing to give in return. I guess they really
are willing to blow up the whole season. It's sad. But
it's true." Banks writes that this is "a change of tune and
tone" for Hunter, who has "consistently" said NBA
Commissioner David Stern and the "owners are too smart to
cancel the season." But when a meeting ended after just 30
minutes over the weekend, Hunter said, "Saturday, we broke
up so soon when (the players) made more concessions and the
owners simply said, 'That's not enough,' instead of offering
us anything." Asked if he called Stern on Sunday, Hunter
said, "No. I don't plan to call (today) either. In fact, I
don't know when or even if I will call them again to set up
new talks" (SUN-TIMES, 12/14). After Saturday's brief
meeting, NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said, "It's
very clear we don't have the basis for a deal between us, or
anything even close" (AP, 12/14). USA TODAY's Roscoe Nance
writes that Saturday's "aborted meeting, the shortest since
the lockout began July 1, came two days after a five-hour
secret meeting Thursday that created optimism that a
settlement might be imminent" (USA TODAY, 12/14).
DETAILS: A source said Saturday's breakdown "came when
a league negotiator asked the union to outline 'what kind of
deal the players would be willing to accept.'" After the
response, the league reportedly countered by saying the two
sides were "too far apart" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/13). In
Houston, Michael Murphy wrote that the "biggest problem" was
that the "union was reportedly still insisting" on receiving
57% of BRI and "unwilling to consider a maximum salary tied
to a percentage of the salary cap" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE,
12/13). This comes after Murphy wrote Saturday that it was
"expected" a final deal would have players "receiving an
average" of 54% of BRI over the seven-year deal (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 12/12). But the 54% figure "caused an outcry on
the part of player agents and union hard-liners, who never
had any plans of accepting anything lower" than 57%. Agent
Marc Fleisher: "I was told they would never go below 57. To
me, [54%] is pure capitulation" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/13).
TESTY, TESTY: Stern, after seeing a group of reporters
who had "learned of the secret site" for Saturday's session,
said, "Get a life." One reporter responded, "Get a
settlement." The AP notes that Stern "has said he is
planning to lay off employees" at the NBA office, which
draws its budget from a 6% cut of gate receipts (AP, 12/14).
In Houston, Michael Murphy wrote that "it is rumored that
Stern is now making plans to shut down the league office in
New York" as a way to save money (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/13).
LOCKOUT FALLOUT: The NBA will hold its annual Xmas
party today, but "instead of holding the party at a midtown
Manhattan hotel," it is being held at the NBA Store. The
store will be closed for three hours this PM for the event
(BLOOMBERG, 12/14)....Smith College Professor and NBPA
consultant Andrew Zimbalist responded to NBA Chief Legal
Office Jeffrey Mishkin's December 6 op-ed rebutting
Zimbalist's November 29 piece on the lockout. Zimbalist
writes that Mishkin's "mischievous missive is a masterpiece
of obfuscation" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/13).
