Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 at 9:00 am  |  52 responses

Billy Hunter: ‘In all Probability There’s Going to be a Lockout’

by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Just two months ago, both the Players’ Association and the owners characterized their meetings as cordial and productive. Today, however, things are considerably less jovial and optimistic.

Billy Hunter sounds like a man who’s ready to throw in the towel. The Union chief says that a lockout is all but guaranteed.

The NY Times has the quotes:

“I’d be 99 percent sure as of today that there will be a lockout,” Billy Hunter, the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, said in an interview at his Harlem office. “I’ve said, ‘Save your money because in all probability there’s going to be a lockout.’ ”

It was the most dire prediction that Hunter has issued since the league and the union began discussing a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the deal that expires in July. Negotiations have been almost nonexistent. Each side has effectively rejected the only proposal made by the other. No meetings are scheduled, although the two sides have discussed meeting in late December.

Hunter, in full-court press mode, added that NBA team owners are being unreasonable in their demands. So, there’s that.

This is all just part of the negotiating gamesmanship between the two sides, of course, but should things reach a critical point and a lockout does indeed take place next summer, Hunter said the union has set aside a $175 million war chest to assist players in need.

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  • simon

    Ridiculous. $175m war chest like thsse overpaid over rated live in an unreal world mo fos need to worry about not being paid for a year! use that money for nawlins maybe……?

  • http://joecooler2u.wordpress.com Joe Huber

    It’s funny how David Stern can change stories at the drop of a hat. He would go on and on about how successful the league is until the CBA comes up and then the story is how no teams make a profit. No doubt just as he controls the refs (wonder how much he gets under the table from bookers in Vegas) he will manipulate things to make it look like the teams aren’t making money. I’m sure for the losing teams that is the case, but half the league makes it to the playoffs. There is so much revenue. I’m sure all they are counting is fan attendance and not merchandising, TV revenue, DVD releases etc.

    I do agree players salaries need to come down to earth and some kind of system needs to be put in place that pays players based on performance and end guaranteed contracts. A player needs to be a superstar to get the guaranteed money in my eyes or else be injured (and then they should only get a portion of the money to avoid a situation like Grant Hill from his Miami days). There is more revenue than ever based on video games, magazines, TV, fan attendance and other merchandising that I highly doubt Stern is being completely honest. Really both sides need to move toward the middle and compromise. I don’t know if the NBA can survive another lockout. You’re talking about Kobe/KG/Ray Allen and some other players last or prime years being cut short for stupidity on both sides of the fence!

    $20 million contracts means you should be a top 20 player. Maybe have players, teams and fans vote and whoever comes out top 20 gets that and nobody else. How many Elton Brands and Iguodalas will make near $20 mill and not even in their best years are they worth close to that?? Both sides need a reality check. In this economy if they lockout there are too many other options and some fans won’t come back. Want to lose more fans?

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