Billy Hunter, NBA Owners to Continue Negotiations


The NBA lockout may be done for all intents and purposes, but talks between player and owner reps will resume, as they still have a number of issues to iron out. From ESPN: “The NBA and the reformed players union will resume negotiations on the remaining terms of their new labor agreement starting Friday at noon, according to a letter sent to union members Thursday night by NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter. In the letter, obtained by ESPN.com, Hunter tells players that the owners and NBPA ‘still must negotiate numerous non-economic matters, including the anti-drug agreement, commissioner and team discipline, and workplace rules, together with relatively smaller economic and other contract issues.’ The union’s hope, according to Hunter, is that the deal tentatively agreed to in the early hours of last Saturday morning will be fully negotiated and ready to present to the union membership at a general meeting next Wednesday in New York City. The meeting will be mandatory for team player representatives but open to all players. The deal, Hunter writes, would then be subject to ratification via electronic voting on Dec. 8 and would be completed by 5 p.m. that night, as per the terms set forth in the litigation settlement agreement reached between the owners and players earlier this week. The NBA Board of Governors, according to Hunter’s letter, is likewise schedule to hold a ratification meeting next Thursday. ‘If both the players and owners vote to ratify the agreement,’ Hunter wrote, ‘then training camps will open the following morning on Friday, December 9.'”