NEW YORK (via Associated Press, ESPN) — With a month until the NBA season, players and owners don’t sound much closer to a labor deal than they did when the lockout began.
NBA Commissioner David Stern talks to the media after a 7-hour meeting, labor talks is set to resume later today.
They’re so far apart on money they decided to leave it alone Saturday and focused mainly on the salary cap.
They couldn’t solve that, either.
“I wouldn’t say there was any progress. What happened was, they put some concepts up, we put some concepts up, and we’re still miles apart,” union executive director Billy Hunter said. “There’s a huge bridge, gap, that I don’t know if we’re going to be able to close it or not.”
The sides will meet again later today — the day training camps were to have begun — though time is getting short to save the start of the regular season, scheduled for November 1. Neither side sounds optimistic.
In a seven-hour bargaining session, their longest since the lockout began July 1, the sides talked about one of the two major issues that divides them. Owners want a hard cap, or at least want a number of changes to the current soft cap system, which the players prefer to keep largely intact.
The sides didn’t even attempt to deal with the division of revenues, the other big obstacle to a labor agreement that would end the lockout.
Commissioner David Stern said he had nothing to announce in terms of cancellations. But the remainder of the preseason schedule is in jeopardy — some games already have been canceled. Regular-season games could now be threatened, too.
“Our desire would be to not cancel, and we had been hopeful that this weekend would be a broader marker, but for reasons which we understand, the players suggested that we resume on Monday, and we said ‘fine,’ ” Stern said.
Stern did indicate some level of progress, saying: “We’re not near anything, but wherever that is, we’re closer than we were before.”
Read the complete article on ESPN.
I’m not too high on it, I just hope these guys do their best to save the NBA season, it’s been frustrating so far.
Robby
What does Stern bring to these deliberations in terms of any integrity whatsoever ? In all honesty he simply cannot be trusted ! Is it any reason why was derided by Dwyane Wade in public ?
tophatal ……
Honestly I like the way Dwayne Wade kinda rub it on Stern’s face because he deserved it.
But right now, we all can only hope that the NBA season could be saved and like it or not Stern will play a huge part of whether the season will be cancelled or not.
Thanks as usual for all your great comments and unwavering support. That goes to Joe Perez too and to the other regular readers here at Spurs World.
Both sides are not always going to agree 100% on anything, they just need a majority on both sides too. I notice that all the big name players have been out of the lime light and just now want to make their presence known. WTF, I see this as just looking out for themselves and not about their teammates. Imagine a season where all big names are overseas and 2nd, and 3rd Tier players are the only ones playing.
Robby;
With all due respects my apology for using WTF on you blog bro. Have a Good Nite Guys.
@Joe, no need to apologize bro, we use that word a lot of times, especially when we are frustrated (and the NBA lockout is a frustrating issue).
I can block those kind of words if needed, but I don’t see it as an issue. I always look forward to your witty comments and topic suggestions. I’m just a bit busy right now so the post here has been scarce.
Again, thanks for the regular comments and reads.
Robby
Someone needs to prove me that Stern if of a sound mind ! I know he might have a law degree … but so too do more than half of the idiots in Congress and the Senate . And we’ve all seen the amount of common sense they’re now showing . LOL,LOL,LOL !!!
Stern much like the league hierarchy and union are completely devoid of any intelligence . If this mess should go to mediation within the NLRB or FMCS then absolutely no one wins . And should this mess going in front of a Federal Court judge then look for the fur to fly as well as a boatload of fecal matter . I can now smell …. what both sides are cooking and it ain’t beef bourguignon !
tophatal ……….
Robby;
Thanks for your understanding. If I could make a suggestion for all your bloggers how about something funny such as Posting some of the Spurs players commercial videos bad or good it doesn’t matter which ones. Something like the Noll’s with David Robbinson and Tim Duncan, I thing it was a shaving cream commercial.