NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has put his stamp on this year’s labor talks by creating a new committee of top team executives that is helping negotiate the expected new collective-bargaining agreement.
The six-member collective-bargaining advisory committee consists of Alex Martins, CEO of the Orlando Magic; Steve Mills, general manager of the New York Knicks; Andy Elisburg, senior vice president of basketball operations for the Miami Heat; Dennis Lauscha, president of the New Orleans Pelicans; Dennis Lindsey, general manager of the Utah Jazz; and Arn Tellem, vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons.
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NBA Commissioner Adam Stern says a collective-bargaining agreement is nearing completion.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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The group is working with Silver, league executives and the seven-member NBA owners’ labor relations committee to complete negotiations for a new CBA that’s expected before Dec. 15, when the league and the National Basketball Players Association could opt out of the current deal.
While the labor deal is not “done done” in Silver’s words, the new agreement is close to completion and when signed will avoid any work stoppage that could have come next season if either side opted out.
The owners’ labor relations committee consists of Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan, whom Silver recently praised as being an integral part of the negotiations, along with Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, Minnesota Timberwolves owner and chairman of the NBA board of governors Glen Taylor, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens.
It’s the first time the NBA has included a separate team committee in labor talks. Silver is completing his first labor deal as league commissioner.
The addition of the CBA team executive committee mirrors a similar strategy used by Silver in 2014 when he added a six-member team executive committee to help negotiate the NBA’s whopping nine-year, $24 billion TV deal with Turner and ESPN/ABC, which begins this season.
Martins is the only executive who was a member of the television committee and is a member of the team CBA advisory committee.
“We have always informally sought and relied on insight from owners and team executives,” Silver said.
“While we are in constant communication with all of our teams, having a dedicated group focused on our CBA negotiations is invaluable.”
