NBA Lockout: Long Labor Talks Generate Optimism, More Talks Today

by Tom Lewis on Oct 27, 2011 8:45 AM EDT in Indiana Pacers News

The negotiating teams for the NBA owners and players met until the wee hours of the morning today, eventually wrapping up what would be 15 hours of cautiously optimistic talks around 3:00AM. There is now a wave of optimism that a deal may be within reach by this weekend.

Commissioner David Stern was back in control of things after missing last week's debacle with the flu. There was no sniping back and forth or name calling after this meeting. Stern emerged from the laborious labor talks in a good mood, while on the players' side Billy Hunter talked about making progress and Derek Fisher didn't refute the chatter about progress but made clear that there is still much more to be done before striking a deal.

Still, the negotiators will take yet another wave of positive momentum into this afternoon's talks which are expected to resume around 2:00PM. There was no sniping at each other or name calling this morning. There were no mentions of lost games, in fact both sides talked about still having time to work in an 82-game schedule. While I appreciate the effort, just get the deal done and any amount of regular season games they land on for this year is fine with me.

Adrian Wojnarowski has been skeptical on progress at every turn in this mess and even he reports that there was solid progress toward a deal despite both sides trying to downplay the significance.

From front-office executives to player agents, optimism is rapidly rising that there's significant momentum toward reaching an agreement and saving most, if not all, of the 82-game regular season. Union executive director Billy Hunter said he "assumes" the full schedule could be saved if a deal is reached by "Sunday or Monday." Stern said the league will work with the union to schedule as many games as possible.

While both side mentioned there was not talk of the BRI split, I'd have to think if they figure out the system stuff the BRI percents will fall into place since they are reportedly so close. That will be the true test of whether or not the owners actually intend to have a season this year.

After the jump, plenty of links including the players World Tour which appeared in jeopardy last night with LeBron James, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony pulling out. At one point it seemed like a sign a deal was imminent. Still not ruling that out.

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Comments

Wilbon, from PTI, thinks a deal will be done by this Friday…at least a handshake on the major sticking points.

I wish I had that optimism. But at least they are talking. I’m hopefully there will be a season and that we’ll play more than half of it.

And it's now my sig
by Bronn on May 17, 2011 4:56 PM EDT

by Sparhawk on Oct 27, 2011 9:15 AM EDT reply actions

Sounds good to me

every round of optimism seems to get stronger, hopefully Stern is really determined to make it work and keep owners in line.

Indy Cornrows

by Tom Lewis on Oct 27, 2011 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Finally

At least something more positive. Looks like we need to start the sign Landry and trade Granger posts right away.

***Forever Grunge...Man!***
*I'm Alive* Eddie Veddar, Pearl Jam

by rockguyinindy on Oct 27, 2011 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

No, No, No!!!!

Landry is not the tough guy we need. At least wait to make sure Paul George is following the trajectory we all are hoping for before putting Grainger on the block!

by FortWayneKarl on Oct 27, 2011 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

jeez Karl, it was obviously a joke

by latrell spreewel on Oct 27, 2011 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Hot Carl is still a better option then David West.

by PatsR18andDONEwithoutCHEATING on Oct 27, 2011 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions

A deal will definitely get done

Players better come back from the vacation and start working together ASAP, free Agent is a white wash this year any ways, hope they just sign McRobert and get a replacement for SOLO, hopefully it will be Mbenga.
I really hope they still get in 82 games, the sports world isn’t all that busy during late hune or early July anyways, just move everything back 3-4 weeks. Well 82 games is just icing on the cake, thank god cooller heads prevail. Can’t wait to see what the new CBA is like, and definitely can’t wait til the season begins.

by latrell spreewel on Oct 27, 2011 10:25 AM EDT reply actions

The Also Need to get replacements for Mike I'm Doneleaving the Pacers for good and TJ "I Suck" Ford

Oh wait I forgot that’s already happened their names are George Hill, Paul George and Daren “DC” Collison (or however you spell his first name). I guess now all that’s left to do is say goodbye to Solo, Doneleaving, and Ford.

by PatsR18andDONEwithoutCHEATING on Oct 27, 2011 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

what will you post about once they actually are on different rosters?

Sup Jello Shot?

by IndyPacers on Oct 27, 2011 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

By 'Doneleaving' do you mean he's not leaving anymore??

by pendulum55 on Oct 27, 2011 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Na Dunleavy is going to be gone and everyone including him knows it.

Bird just hasn’t said anything, because he’s never in trouble with the law and he’s white.

by PatsR18andDONEwithoutCHEATING on Oct 27, 2011 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions

or maybe it has nothing to do with race and everything to do with Bird getting fined if he publicly comments on NBA players. just a thought

by pendulum55 on Oct 27, 2011 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Well actually that may have something to do with race too

Considering the fact that the Pacers officially released TJ Ford who isn’t white and is less worthless to the teams then Doneleaving and nothing happened.

by PatsR18andDONEwithoutCHEATING on Oct 27, 2011 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions

TJ Ford never got released

You continue to be a moron.

Sup Jello Shot?

by IndyPacers on Oct 27, 2011 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions

It's hard to feel as though...

…a deal is imminent when you consider how the overall negotiating process has gone so far, but I’ll bite anyway and start getting my hopes up yet again. I guess I’m just that desperate to see the Blue and Gold in meaningful games. I wonder what happened yesterday to make everything start moving forward. Part of me thinks this is a ploy on the owner’s end: make some compromises regarding the system issue that they didn’t necessarily care all that much about, then expect the players to do the same regarding a 50-50 BRI split, which the owners do care passionately about. We’ll have to see…

by Glenn A. on Oct 27, 2011 12:03 PM EDT reply actions

Believe it when I see it

I’ve always expected compromise, but for it to turn around so quick I’m afraid there’ll be too much from the owners. Once the games start I’ll probably stop caring, but I hope changes are made that help the long term viability of the Pacers.

I’m pretty surprised the players seemed to have accepted the amnesty clause, AND (right?) the “stretch provision” thing. Let’s just hope we don’t ever have to use it on David West.

Sup Jello Shot?

by IndyPacers on Oct 27, 2011 12:14 PM EDT reply actions

well the thing is, even after every breakdown there seems to be incremental progress in every talk

And from all the info we have so far, the sides are much much closer than when this process started about a month and a half ago. The last break down only had them by 2.5% margains apart given that those are the true figures. Any progress from yesterday, would mean that the two sides are very very close to a figure where they can live with. Plus it doesn’t make any sense to continually lose games for such a small margin of difference. The 1999 lockout was resolve somewhere in january, and they still played 50 games, I just can’t the two sides sacrificing two month worth of revenue for such a small difference as of now. I am very very optimistic by the quotes coming from Stern and Hunter. Don’t get me wrong, I felt really pessimistic after the break down a week ago, but damn, after the latest report, it feel a lot more like a gigant step to compromise rather than ‘small’ progress.

by latrell spreewel on Oct 27, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

… players seemed to have accepted the amnesty clause, AND (right?) the "stretch provision" thing.

That pisses me off, we have to sit here with a shitty team for years. Drowning in bad contracts and when we finally get them off the freakin books they go and make a rule where teams won’t have to wait anymore. Please tell me the owners still have to, at least, pay the players they move out.

What’s this ‘stretch provision’ thing about?

"A champion is someone who gets up when he can't."
- Jack Dempsey

by infinityzero.systemerror on Oct 27, 2011 6:55 PM EDT reply actions

From what I've read

A guy get’s amnesty’ed the current agreement is he gets all the cash, and 75% of the money is wiped off the cap. One time deal.

The “stretch provision” would apparently be available every season where you can waive a guy and his cap hit gets stretched out over X amount of years, reducing the cap hit. No one seems to know how many years.

Sup Jello Shot?

by IndyPacers on Oct 27, 2011 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Fucking hate it right now. Long term, I’m sure it will be ok, but hate it now cause of how we suffered.

And it's now my sig
by Bronn on May 17, 2011 4:56 PM EDT

by Sparhawk on Oct 27, 2011 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions

One time deal meaning, once every year or just once period during the entire length of CBA?

by latrell spreewel on Oct 27, 2011 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions

never mind, I got what you're saying

by latrell spreewel on Oct 27, 2011 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

on the bright side it will put us further under the cap when we axe Posey, but i fully agree it f***ing sucks. i realize this will only happen once, but it lets idiots like washington and orlando off the hook for their stupid arenas and lewis deals, respectively, and doesn’t make them bear the costs of their stupid actions. the stretch clause also seems to create a perverse incentive. why couldn’t we have had that when we got rid of tinsley?

from what i’ve read, this will make washington a major player in free agency. that just seems totally wrong to me. teams that have been frugal, like the pacers and thunder, should totally fight this unless they’re somehow making this up with more revenue sharing.

by pendulum55 on Oct 27, 2011 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions

For all we know

The teams that have been patiently waiting ARE against it, just not much maybe 3 or 4 teams can do. It just takes a simply majority to pass a vote. The goal of the amnesty clause is basically so franchises can comply with the new CBA a helluva lot faster. We’ll see what the new luxury tax is like, but if it’s as harsh as some reports said you almost HAVE to have an amnesty clause.

If the end result is the alleged extra $15mm per team in revenue sharing, yeah it sucks, but that’s a BOON for the franchise I’ll gladly accept.

Sup Jello Shot?

by IndyPacers on Oct 27, 2011 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions

That 15 million will essentially erase the debt the team has.

But I can’t help but wonder why they are suddenly so close to a deal after having that blow-up a few days ago. Is the prospect of losing the money and fans suddenly so important?

"A champion is someone who gets up when he can't."
- Jack Dempsey

by infinityzero.systemerror on Oct 28, 2011 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions

question about the amnesty

can we save this amnesty option for a contract down the road or we have to use it right now? if it is a one time thing that has no time restriction than that be pretty cool, since possey’s contract isn’t all that bad since he’s gone after this season anyways, so it might actually be beneficial to save it for latter down the road.

by latrell spreewel on Oct 28, 2011 2:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Don't legitimately know

But everything I’ve read it seems like it’s a this offseason only thing. Like I said before, the point of it is for teams like Orlando and LA and Dallas and whoever else has a gigantic payroll to make immediate progress towards complying with the new CBA and the assumed harsher luxury tax rules. I hate the heavy spending franchises too, but if they’re going to share a ton of revenue it’s only fair that you give them some sort of out from paying millions of extra taxes.

Sup Jello Shot?

by IndyPacers on Oct 28, 2011 2:58 AM EDT up reply actions