A group of NBA owners "held a conference call Monday to express their displeasure with the 50/50 revenue offer" NBA Commissioner David Stern presented to the NBPA Saturday night, according to sources cited by Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. The deal, which the union "sees as an 'ultimatum' offer, calls for players to receive anywhere between 49 and 51 percent of basketball-related income." But sources said that the group of "displeased owners," are "hoping the players reject" the offer. The players argue that the offer "would make it nearly impossible for them to get anywhere above 50.2 percent of revenue." Stern has said that if the players do not accept this deal by tomorrow afternoon's deadline, the league's next offer "will call for a 53-47 split in the owners' favor, along with essentially a hard salary cap." One source has said that the union "appears split on the deal," adding that the Exec Committee "is staunchly against voting to approve the deal, while the player reps may also be divided." Stern "was not on Monday's call, but the sources said that up to 11 owners took part," including the Bobcats' Michael Jordan, Trail Blazers' Paul Allen and Bucks' Herb Kohl. A source said, "There are at least 15 owners who are praying that the players say no, because then they'll get the deal they want" (ESPN.com, 11/8). YAHOO SPORTS' Adrian Wojnarowski cited sources as saying that some "hardline owners didn’t want to even give the players until Wednesday to make a decision on accepting or rejecting Saturday’s offer." Those owners "wanted to force a decision within 24 hours, but were talked out of it" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/7). A source said, "I think, at the end of the day, this group (of hard-line owners) said, 'OK, we will let you do it your way up until Wednesday.'" The source added that if the players "didn't accept by Wednesday, those owners would say, 'We do a deal on our terms'" (CBSSPORTS.com, 11/7).
ON TAP FOR TUESDAY: In Boston, Steve Bulpett reports player reps from all 30 teams will meet in N.Y. today with union leadership, but reports indicate that it "may not be the only meeting" Lakers G and NBPA President Derek Fisher and NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter attend. There is a "strong possibility they will get together with the league in an attempt to head off further damage." Player sources said yesterday that they "believe there will be strong moves in different directions at today’s gathering of reps." A push "will be made by some to begin the decertification process, while others say there is interest in putting the league’s last offer to a vote." Bulpett writes Stern and the NBA "are trying to force the players’ hand" by indicating that the league’s most recent deal "will be pulled at 5 p.m. tomorrow and replaced by an offer of 47 percent with a de facto hard salary cap." But agents said that the "negotiating move was a slap at the players that may have an effect opposite of what was intended." One agent said, "David Stern has done what Billy and Derek have been unable to do. They have unified the players" (BOSTON HERALD, 11/8). On Long Island, Alan Hahn notes it is "not expected that the reps will have the opportunity to take the deal" during today's meeting. Knicks G and NBPA VP Roger Mason Jr. said, "There will be no vote" (NEWSDAY, 11/8). Sources said that Stern "has expressed a willingness to meet with the Players Association with the possibility of relenting on some system issues that are important to the union in reaching an agreement." But sources said that Hunter "was still deciding late Monday whether he wanted to take the meeting" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/7).
DECERTIFICATION PUSH: Sources said that Lakers G Steve Blake "has been canvassing peers throughout the league over the past 48 hours, pushing them to contact team player representatives to push the Players Association to let its 450-plus membership vote" on the owners' offer. Sources also said that agents and players "pushing for decertification of the Players Association believe they’re on the way to getting 50 percent of the league’s players to sign a petition this week." Agents "working on the decertification" include Mark Bartelstein, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Bill Duffy, Leon Rose, Henry Thomas and Dan Fegan (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/7). In DC, Michael Lee cited one prominent agent as saying decertification is the "only threat the players have." The agent added, "The biggest problem now is Stern is forcing the players to jump off the cliff. Decertification is the parachute. The owners will have to analyze their vulnerability, which could be immense" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 11/7). In N.Y., Fred Kerber cites an NBA GM as saying that decertification "would kill the season." But even without decertification, the GM "questioned the possibility of saving the season." He said, "I don’t think we’ll have one. I think the players are strong and I don’t think they’ll be intimidated" (N.Y. POST, 11/8). Stern said of the union, "I just don't know what they're thinking." He added decertification "would be a long process" and would "slow down" negotiations ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 11/7).
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Martin believes it is time for players to
accept 50-50 proposal and start season |
DEAL OR NO DEAL? Rockets G Kevin Martin believes that it is "time for players to accept the proposal and get back to work." Martin said, "If you know for sure (the owners) are not moving, then you take the best deal possible." He added, "My opinion -- which is just one of 450 players -- is that if it comes down to losing a season and 100 percent of the money, we all definitely have to sit down and think about reality. That doesn't sound smart to possibly become part of the (country's) growing unemployment rate." An agent involved in the decertification push said, "There's no doubt in my mind that David Stern would be jumping for joy at this deal (if he was in control). There's no way he would want to do the damage to the league he's going to do with all the concessions the players have made. He would look at this like a home-run deal and be done with it. It's pretty amazing that he has lost so much control of it" (SI.com, 11/7). Cavaliers F and player rep Anthony Parker said that he is in favor of "rejecting the league's offer." But ESPN.com's Marc Stein cites another player rep as saying that he is "leaning toward voting to accept the deal." Parker said, "Most of the people I'm talking with don't like the deal. We don't think it's a good deal for the players." Parker added that he "realizes that if the players reject the deal, decertification may be their only option." Sources said that union leaders "have not budged from the view that the NBA's offer is 'unacceptable'" (ESPN.com, 11/8).
SMOKE AND MIRRORS: Thunder C Nazr Mohammed yesterday wrote on Twitter, "We've expected that we have to accept less money to ensure that our owners can have the opportunity to compete and make a profit. We've given back more than $1 (billion) over the life of a (collective bargaining agreement) in our proposals. We're asking for a system that allows movement and competitiveness for our services. And to grow with the popularity of our league. But (their) proposals want a restrictive system & unacceptable givebacks" (
THE OKLAHOMAN, 11/8). Knicks G Chauncey Billups called the owners' latest offer "a terrible deal" (
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 11/8). T'Wolves F and player rep Anthony Tolliver yesterday said, "Pretty much everything is split. Half of the people want to decertify. Half the people want to vote on it" (
Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 11/8). Lakers F Kobe Bryant said, "We need for the two sides to get together again before Wednesday, because we're too close to getting a deal done. We need to iron out the last system items and save this from spiraling into a nuclear winter" (
SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/7). In N.Y., Frank Isola cites a player agent as saying that he "believes many of his clients would vote yes on the deal even though the agent believes it is a bad one." The agent said, "Give the NBA credit for having everyone, including the media, focus on the 50-50 split. The bigger issues are the systems issues for teams paying the luxury tax" (
N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/8).
AIRING IT OUT: In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell notes Jordan has "stepped knee-deep into these negotiations." Reports indicate that Jordan is "the de facto leader of a small-market faction pushing for the toughest negotiating stance." Sources said that the Bobcats' success "rests on closing the gap between what big-market teams can pay for players vs. what the Charlottes, Sacramentos and Milwaukees can afford." Bonnell wonders, "Would Jordan's tough stance become a hindrance to future player recruitment?" A former agent said that "that's a legitimate concern." A source said that it is a "calculated risk the owner was willing to take because changing the system is so essential to the Bobcats' future" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/8). In Phoenix, Bob Young wrote Jordan's stance is "the height of arrogance and hypocrisy, and it makes us wonder whether it might hit Jordan in the pocketbook a lot harder than a bad labor agreement or reasonable tip" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/7).
