The NBA lockout shows no sign of abating with the league’s commissioner David Stern confirming on the weekend that all scheduled games through to November 30 would be cancelled.
Stern revealed that there wouldn’t be a full 2011-12 NBA season “under any circumstances” as the standoff continues after more negotiations broke down. This came just days after Stern said he held out hope of getting a deal done soon.
The definite loss of games for the season is a blow for the competition but Stern could use it as a bargaining tool.
“We’re going to have to recalculate how bad the damage is,” Stern said. “The next offer will reflect the extraordinary losses that are piling up now.”
Stern added on the breakdown of negotiations: “We held out that joint hope together, but in light of the breakdown of talks, there will not be a full NBA season under any circumstances. It’s not practical, possible or prudent to have a full season now.”
He continued: “These are not punitive announcements; these are calendar generated announcements.”
The issue is on the split of the league’s revenues, with owners wanting 50 per cent, while the players want 52.5 per cent.
Union executive director Billy Hunter is leading the negotiations for the players and he said: “We made a lot of concessions, but unfortunately at this time it’s not enough, and we’re not prepared or unable at this time to move any further.”
He added: “We’re here, we’ve always been here, but today just wasn’t the day to try and finish this out.”
Despite all this toing and froing, there have been reports the NBA deal is actually 95 per cent done.
According to the New York Times: “The NBA. and the players union have agreed on contract lengths and luxury-tax rates, trade rules and cap exceptions, and a host of oddly named provisions offering “amnesty” and “stretch payments” and less onerous “base-year” rules.”