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NBA players are happier than ever after a summer filled with hefty contracts being signed.
But after the 2016-17 season, both the NBA Players Association and the NBA have the option to end the 10-year collective bargaining deal it signed back in 2011. With this in mind, both sides are now at work to negotiate a new deal.
The hope is that an agreement will be reached soon, possibly even before the start of next season, NBPA executive director Michelle Roberts says.
From Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe:
Roberts said the discussions have been amicable and she remains hopeful of a deal before the Dec. 15 opt-out date.
“I’ve heard Adam (Silver) proclaim his optimism,” she said. “I’ve proclaimed mine, so I would like to sooner rather than later be able to have a press conference where we both stand together and announce together that we have a deal and there will be no work stoppage. There will be no lockout.
“Having said that, I gotta be ready for anything. But I am optimistic.”
The owners are reportedly not too happy with the influx of TV money causing the salary cap to jump so violently for next season. They would have preferred a more gradual increase.
The deadline to opt out of the current deal is December 15th and one of the sides will surely do that unless a new deal is negotiated beforehand. If the sides can't come to terms, that means another lockout would possibly be on the horizon, and no one wants that to happen, especially with so much money that would be left on the table during that time.
