Players Union or NBA

[emeans]

I wanted to get you guys opinions about who is being greedy and who is being fair in the negotiation for a new CBA.

What do you think the sticking points are?

I personally think the NBA is being very fair with their proposal.

They are allowing more money and raises for the players..the only catch is they want to take a year off of maximum contracts to 5 years not 6 years.

They are willing to meet the Union at a 19 year age limit cap instead of 21.

The cap would be a little higher.

It is pretty much the same CBA as they are in right now.

I really hope there is not a lockout until Ogden gets our of High School. We may have Bogut and Ogden before the NBA season starts.

Your thoughts and views.

[Lascar78]

The players' assocication is clearly out of line here. In the past they've both been wrong, but the league is being plenty fair enough as you said. And the players' association verbally agreed to the contract length reduction and then went back on their word.

Reportedly, virtually no players care about this, they just want to keep playing. I really think that this is the agents being asssholes, speaking on the players' behalf and trying to squeeze every last cent out of the league

[chillzatl]

I definitely side with the league on this. simply because I recognize what these changes will do to bring a little more parity and financial durability to the teams. In the end it doesn't really do anything to hurt the players. They will still get their money. Maybe not for as many years. It just forces teams to arrange it a little differently. It also helps smaller market teams be more competitive in the Facy market and gives them a little more to work with when resigning their own players.

The only people that lose in this deal are the 18 year old kids who will be forced to wait a few more years before turning pro. I don't see this as a bad thing though. Because it will weed out the kids who don't have the work ethic or skill to make it and it will improve the skills of the kids who do. Plus, for those that don't go to college, they can still get paid and earn more money than most 18-20 year olds, while improving their games.

And the agents, because 1. they aren't going to get as large of a cut since the players contracts are naturally a little smaller and 2. They don't have nearly as much leaverage to bully teams who are interested in their clients.

[Plainview1981]

I agree with Chillz.. i hate these agents because

they are big pile of shyt that ruins sports.

[Wretch]

This is a good article.

Stein says he couldn't find a single player who felt like their working conditions weere SO bad that they needed to stop working and look for a better deal. Some guys don't even understand the issues.

Players are already getting a better share of the basketball revenues than the owners, with this new proposal slightly increasing that - so, ultimately, no money is being taken away from them.

Owners have conceded on the length of guaranteed contracts and conceded on the minimum age requirement...

What's the problem?

To me, it doesn't sound like the league or the players have a problem. It sounds like there's someone in the middle that prevents both sides from seeing eye to eye.