The NBA last night canceled the first two weeks of the '11-12 regular season "after failing to reach a new labor agreement" with the NBPA. The move came after seven hours of talks yesterday in a "last-ditch attempt to save the Nov. 1 scheduled start of the season." NBA Commissioner David Stern: "We remain very, very apart on all issues." Stern "hinted" that the owners' proposals "might only get worse so they can recoup losses incurred by the cancellation." The two sides "don't have any future meetings scheduled." NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter: "You can't say you're moving away from a hard cap, but then do everything else that brings about the same result" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/11).
NBA teams Monday night quickly deleted games scheduled before Nov. 15 from their websites (L.A. TIMES, 10/11). Rolling cancellations “are likely to follow, likely in two-week increments, which also are the increments that NBA player are paid. In essence, Monday's move by the league cancels the players' first paycheck of 2011-12” (SUN-SENTINEL, 10/11). This will be the "second time in the past 13 years" that the league will not have a full 82-game season (WASHINGTON POST, 10/11).
Many players immediately went to Twitter to express frustration on the move last night. Suns G Steve Nash: "Why are the owners unwilling to negotiate in good faith? As a player I apologize to the fans that we're in this position. ... The NBA has experienced over 60 yrs of growth with new growth projected using the current model." Heat G Dwyane Wade: "STERN's 'WORDS' 2day hurt the ppl who work at the AAA,other arena's,as well as local businesses &our fans. ... Those are the one's who are affected by STERN's 'WORDS' 2day..its a Lockout-NOT a Strike." Heat F LeBron James: "I wanna sincerely say sorry to all the fans! It's a sad day for all of us, especially u guys! There's no US w/o You."
