Adam Silver claims that the NBA will opt out of CBA if Friday’s deadline is not met. NBPA describes decision as ‘disappointing.
The NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday to reporters that the league plans to opt out from the current collective bargaining arrangement on Friday if a deadline has not been met. A decision that the NBPA called “disappointing”.
Silver made these comments following a meeting of league owners. The NBA, NBPA and NBPA were in the midst negotiating a new CBA. This would go into effect when the current expires. The deadline for either side to withdraw from the current CBA was Friday night at midnight. This deadline was previously set by both sides.
They have extended deadlines previously set by each side to continue negotiations and avoid the possibility of a CBA expiring. They did so in December The deadline was extended to March 31 in February and again in February. Silver indicated Wednesday that the league will not extend the deadline again if no new CBA is reached by Friday.
“If we don’t have a deal by this Friday night and nothing else were to happen, yes, it would be our intention to opt out of the current deal,” Silver told reporters when asked about the league’s plans.
NBPA: The NBA opt-out would have to be ‘disappointing.
Tamika Tremaglio (executive director of NBPA) issued a statement, including Yahoo Sports, to respond to Silver’s assertion that the union “doesn’t intend to leave.” If a new CBA has not been reached by June 30, the NBA’s decision to opt-out would put the league at risk of lockout.
“The deadline of March 31st is an important benchmark. We will do everything possible to reach an accord with the league. It will be disappointing if we fail to reach a deal with the league, considering the amount of work that both sides have done and the fairness of our requests. It will continue as normal for our fans. Games will continue without interruption. Tremaglio states that the NBPA “does not intend to opt-out.”
Silver stressed that the league’s decision not to opt out would not portend the collapse in negotiations but described Friday’s failure to meet Friday deadline as a possible “lost opportunity.”
“It doesn’t therefore mean, though, that the deal will sunset at the end of June, because we’ll still have April, May and June to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement,” Silver said. “I still think it would be a lost opportunity in this window because I think the pressure — by the way, both sides have the right to opt out.”
He also did not rule out the possibility that the deadline could be extended “a few more” days.
Silver stated that he could visualize if Friday night was midnight and that a productive discussion took place and someone said, “We could use a couple more days,” and that they would agree to extend their agreement for a few additional days. “But that’s more of a hypothetical. It’s not a discussion we’ve had with them.”
The current CBA was first agreed upon in 2017. It also included the mutual June 30-opt-out option upon ratification.
Since 2011, NBA hasn’t experienced lockout
In 2020, the NBA saw its last work stoppage. a wildcat strike initiated by Milwaukee Bucks NBA bubble players. This brief suspension was caused by a social justice protest against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha (Wisconsin).
In 2011, the NBA’s last labor dispute-related work stoppage occurred. On July 1, 2011, the NBA had its last labor dispute. The lockout that was initiated by the team owners lasted until the league and union agreed to an end. reached terms on revenue sharing and salary cap conditions on Nov. 26. The league was forced to cancel 16 games during the season, as teams had a 66-game regular schedule.
A proposal for a hard salary cap was reportedly made to a wedge
Both sides have not yet entered into public negotiations, but a proposed hard salary cap that sources described to the Associated Press as an “upper spending limit” appears to be at issue. According to the Associated Press, the proposal would remove the luxury tax which allows teams spend more than the soft salary cap. This would result in a financial penalty.
Take, for example, Golden State Warriors The NBA championship win was possible because the team spent almost $350 million on salary and luxury taxes last season. The salary cap last season was $112.4 million. According to AP, the Warriors have spent $360 million this season. This is nearly four times the amount of the San Antonio Spurs Three times as many Memphis Grizzlies.
According to the report, the league proposal would replace luxury tax with a salary cap. According to AP the NBPA isn’t interested in this plan.
Other issues are also being considered, including the elimination of the “one-and done” rule that prevents high school athletes from joining the NBA and the installation of game minimums to allow players to be eligible for season-ending awards.
Silver said that negotiations had a positive tenor and expressed hope for a deal by Friday.