NBA players "are not happy" with the latest CBA proposal from ownership, saying that the "new offer of a 10-year deal is only marginally different from the original one the owners made," according to Sheridan & Broussard of ESPN.com. The latest proposal, which NBA Senior VP/Basketball Communications Tim Frank said was delivered to the NBPA last week, is the "second formal offer made by the owners." Lakers G and NBPA President Derek Fisher said, "This last proposal doesn't look close to what we were expecting." NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter previously said that the players are "willing to give up" their 57% guarantee of basketball-related income, guaranteed under terms of the current CBA that expires June 30, but he "wants to keep most other elements of the existing deal." The owners, however, "have taken a hard-line stance in arguing that a new economic operating system is needed to give all 30 NBA teams an equal chance to be profitable and to contend for a championship." The owners in their initial proposal "sought a reduction of nearly $800 million in salaries" for the '11-12 season. The new proposal "still seeks a similar financial cutback, though it would be phased in over the first two seasons" (ESPN.com, 5/4). Pacers G Dahntay Jones said, "The climate surrounding the situation hasn't changed in the past two years, so a lot of players have been preparing for a lockout since then." Pacers F and player rep Danny Granger: "I expect it to happen, from everything I've heard. It'll be bad for the league. It's going to happen, so we're going to have to try to get through it" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/4).
