NBA players will await a decision by NBA owners on whether they want to meet one more time before the CBA expires at the end of the day Thursday and owners can implement a lockout, NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter said. "We said we would be available to meet and we have set aside Wednesday and Thursday," Hunter said in a telephone interview Sunday night. "It would be one of those two days," he said. The players and owners are still far apart on terms, and the owners are scheduled to meet on Tuesday.
"I would assume we would hear on Tuesday night whether or not they think another meeting is merited," Hunter said. Asked why the players offered to meet for one day rather than two after the owners meeting, Hunter said, "To just say we are going to meet for two days – two days for what? As I have indicated, we have to get some indication from them as to whether or not an agreement is achievable."
The NBPA declined to make a new proposal at a bargaining session Friday. Hunter said NBA Commissioner David Stern "was encouraging us to come up with another proposal, something he could go to the owners with." But Hunter said the union's position is that the players’ proposal is reasonable and one on which a deal can be made. He added that he did not want to explain the proposal publicly.
