NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts on Thursday responded to claims from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver that about one-third of all teams are losing money under the current CBA by saying, "The NBA's cries of poverty will not work this time," according to Adrian Wojnarowski of YAHOO SPORTS. Roberts said of Silver's claims, "I can say that I was more than surprised. I am not suggesting that Adam is telling a lie. I am sure that the owners told him that. But it's difficult for me to believe that, especially after looking at the 2011 CBA negotiations and seeing all the money the players don't have now. There's $1.1 billion that the players would've been otherwise entitled." She added, "I find it very difficult to appreciate how any owners could suggest they're still losing money. It defies common sense." Wojnarowski noted another element of Silver's news conference at the recent BOG meeting "caused Roberts to pause: Silver's idea of artificially lowering the future salary cap to incrementally raise payroll spending." Roberts "cautioned the union was still studying the potential implications for the league and players and hadn't reached a conclusion" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/30). Roberts said the mantra in '11 during the last work stoppage was that the owners "were losing money and some change in the BRI split was appropriate," but that is "not something that's going to be repeated in 2016, 2017, because we all should agree that the game is more profitable than ever." She added she takes Silver "at his word" that he does not want a lockout. Roberts: "We don’t want a lockout. The owners don't want a lockout. The fans clearly don't want a lockout. So if we all agree that we don't have to fight over who's making money, who's losing money, then there should be no reason in the world why we can't go forward and have the games continue without a lockout" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 10/31).
AGE AIN'T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER: Roberts also discussed the league's current age restriction and said there is "something inherently disturbing about telling someone that they will not be able to earn a living simply because they're too young." Roberts: "The 19-year-old limit is here, we're living with it. I'm concerned about and troubled about anything that suggests yet another year has to go by before someone is able to earn a living because that’s what we're talking about, earning a living. We should also be clear that not every 18-year-old is so talented that the GMs are going to recruit. So we're talking about a small group of potential players. We're talking about people who are clearly ready to come in. It's going to be a bit of a haul to get me, at least personally, to agree to yet another increase in the age limit. I think the union is going to take that position as well. But, again, we're always prepared to talk about it" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 10/31).
