And just like that the biggest domino yet in the NBA labor strife has fallen. Today was supposed to be the most important day of labor negotiations. Instead it turned out to be the most impotent as neither side made any significant concessions.
Four flawed hours of talks resulted in the expected cancelation of the preseason in addition to the possibility of wiping the first two weeks of the regular season off the calendar.
Derek Fisher sums up the ever widening gap between both sides when discussing today’s session.
"“Today was not the day to get this done. We were not able to get close enough to close the gap.”"
Neither the players nor the owners are willing to make much movement on their revenue split.
According to reports the player dropped their total to 53% down from 57%. The owners, ever the charitable type, countered with offering the players a 47% share which is a healthy bump up from 46%.
So this is where we stand.
No new talks have been scheduled. No real progress was made.
What comes next could be the entire season disappearing like LeBron in the 4th quarter.
David Stern has once again imposed a drop-dead deadline. With the 2011 preseason as much a figment of our imagination as LeBron’s 7-rings, now the regular season is in the crosshairs. If no progress is made by next Monday then the first two weeks of the regular season will be canceled.
"“By Monday, we will have no choice but to cancel the first two weeks of the season.”"
Stern’s words aren’t so much a threat as they are a promise. Problem is only one side of this equation would truly be threatened. Long ago the owners seemed all too comfortable with playing the cancelation card. The players never seemed to be too concerned with the gravity of the situation.
Thus neither side moved with any urgency. And still nothing is being accomplished.
Now we are at that point in time where every effort should be made to salvage a season. Too bad that’s not happening. Right about now I’d say the window to save the season is closing, rapidly. Preserving the future of the NBA becomes the growing concern.