"Negotiators for the NBA and its players union resumed talks
in New York yesterday aimed at retooling a proposed six-year
labor contract," writes Mark Asher in today's WASHINGTON POST.
"But, after five hours of discussion, the union's bid to elminate
a luxury tax that would penalize teams for spending big money to
re-sign their own free agents was being rejected by the league."
NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said the league has "an
overwhelming problem relating to the (luxury) tax and, as of
right now we have no solutions." NBPA Exec Dir Simon Gourdine:
"That's where we're at loggerheads. Our players have given us a
mandate to eliminate the tax. As a result, we don't think we can
come up with something that has a substitute effect, because it
would be akin to keeping the tax but calling it something else."
According to Asher, players making less than the league's average
salary "will be permitted more movement by the league as a result
of concessions yesterday," and injury execptions eliminated in
the proposed CBA will be restored. No new talks have been
scheduled (Mark Asher, WASHINGTON POST, 7/26).
MORE FROM THE NEGOTIATORS: Granik: "We have an
overwhelming problem. They've indicated they can't have any tax
system and can't give anything in return. I don't see how we can
do that." NBPA President Buck Williams: "We've been very
adamant that the luxury tax is definitely gone. We can't budge
or the decertification effort will become much stronger....I
don't think talks have broken down. I think we're still in the
early stages. These things take time." NBA Commissioner David
Stern: "It was good to sit down again and some progress was
made, but there remains a vast gulf" (Barbara Barker, NEWSDAY,
7/26).
DREAM TEAMS OF A DIFFERENT KIND: Representing the players
were Gourdine, Williams, Charles Smith, Dikembe Mutombo, Mark
West, LaPhonso Ellis, Doug Overton, Tyrone Corbin, John Crotty,
Vern Fleming, John Salley, Danny Ferry, and Mark Price. For the
owners: Stern, Granik, 76ers Owner Harold Katz, Suns President
Jerry Colangelo (AP/Mult, 7/26).
AS FOR DECERTIFICATION: The NLRB is expected to issue a
ruling on a decertification election today (Roscoe Nance, USA
TODAY, 7/26). Attorney Jeffrey Kessler, on the push by players
to bust the union: "We'll see this movement build and build. ...
The union is hoping for a great deal to convince the players not
to decertify. We think they're banging heads in a futile act"
(AP/Mult., 7/26).
HIS AIRNESS SPEAKS: Michael Jordan: "I'm involved in this
for the better of our players. ... I feel that the
decertification really, basically is to make sure that the game
continues, to alleviate the lockout so that we can continue
playing. We feel that if there's no union, it's hard to lock
out" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/26). Jordan on "SportsCenter": "I'm
never going to be able to make my worth, so I don't look at it as
that, but I think every other player should not be in the same
situation as Michael Jordan. He should have the opportunity to
make his worth on the basketball court if teams are making their
worth in the other aspects of the business."("SportsCenter,"
ESPN, 7/25).
