Back to basketball; NBA players and owners reach tentative deal
Posted November 26, 2011 8:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – It’s a holiday gift come early for basketball fans, after word that NBA players and owners had come to a tentative deal, ending a bitter lockout which left the sides divided and fans disappointed.
The ten-year deal comes after a 15-hour marathon bargaining session held Friday in New York, culminating in a decision around 3 a.m. Saturday morning.
If ratified, the deal means the NBA will likely hold a 66-game season beginning with a triple-header on Christmas Day.
Before being ratified, NBA Commissioner David Stern says there are still several steps to be taken.
“We’re optimistic that it will hold and we’ll have ourselves an NBA season,” Stern said.
Derek Fisher, Los Angeles Lakers guard and Players Association President, says he’s just happy to have a deal done.
“It’s so great to be a part of this particular moment, in terms of giving our fans what they’ve wanted and what they wanted to see,” Fisher said.
The New York Times is reporting the deal is a 50-50 split of revenues, which NBA analyst Ric Bucher says is a big win for the owners.
“No question this is a slam-dunk for the owners, from the very beginning the players were giving up pieces,” Bucher said.
It’s reported that, if the deal is ratified, training camps and free agency will both open on Dec. 9, giving teams two weeks to prepare for the start of the regular season.
Before the deal can be ratified the sides will have to drop pending lawsuits and a majority of the teams and players will have to vote for the deal, which the New York Times is reporting will see lower salaries and shorter contracts for players.
The players will also likely have to reconstitute their union, which they dissolved on Nov. 14.
It’s expected that, despite some unhappiness from both sides, the deal will garner a majority of votes.
While all the details and financial specifics will likely come forward soon, NBA players, owners, and certainly fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
