NBA breaks off talks with Players Association

Tommy · 05-19-05, 02:54 PM

New York, NY (Sports Network) - National Basketball Association Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik announced on Wednesday that due to the Players Association’s recent reversal of position on several key issues, there are no further negotiations scheduled at this time

"Since the All-Star break the NBA and the Players Association have been in arduous negotiations to reach a new collective bargaining agreement," Granik said. "At the conclusion of a bargaining session on Sunday, April 17 we thought we were very close to a deal, with only a few items remaining to be compromised."

"On April 19, a day after the Players Association met with a group of player agents, we were informed that the Players Association could no longer agree to a previously-committed five-year rule on length of contracts. Then, last week, after promising a written proposal to form the basis of a new agreement, the union instead advised us orally that it needed to backtrack on several other essential terms that had already been resolved."

Granik has suggested that union director Billy Hunter has been convinced by player agents to back off some of the concessions he had agreed to in earlier negotiation sessions.

The current CBA expires on June 30 - two days after the NBA Draft - meaning a lockout could come as early as July 1.

"Since we are at a loss as to how we can possibly reach a new deal that is in any way consistent with the principal terms that we have been discussing for many months, there are no further meetings scheduled at this time," Granik added.

The league and union went through a seven-month lockout in 1998-99 before agreeing to a seven-year agreement.

05/19 12:12:32 ET

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05-19-05, 02:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tommy Now go get your shinebox Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sportscapper Island Posts: 15,068	NBA breaks off talks with Players Association New York, NY (Sports Network) - National Basketball Association Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik announced on Wednesday that due to the Players Association’s recent reversal of position on several key issues, there are no further negotiations scheduled at this time "Since the All-Star break the NBA and the Players Association have been in arduous negotiations to reach a new collective bargaining agreement," Granik said. "At the conclusion of a bargaining session on Sunday, April 17 we thought we were very close to a deal, with only a few items remaining to be compromised." "On April 19, a day after the Players Association met with a group of player agents, we were informed that the Players Association could no longer agree to a previously-committed five-year rule on length of contracts. Then, last week, after promising a written proposal to form the basis of a new agreement, the union instead advised us orally that it needed to backtrack on several other essential terms that had already been resolved." Granik has suggested that union director Billy Hunter has been convinced by player agents to back off some of the concessions he had agreed to in earlier negotiation sessions. The current CBA expires on June 30 - two days after the NBA Draft - meaning a lockout could come as early as July 1. "Since we are at a loss as to how we can possibly reach a new deal that is in any way consistent with the principal terms that we have been discussing for many months, there are no further meetings scheduled at this time," Granik added. The league and union went through a seven-month lockout in 1998-99 before agreeing to a seven-year agreement. 05/19 12:12:32 ET powered by www.sportsnetwork.com.
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