IF.....he were really serious about wanting the players to not take the proposed deal because he wanted a better deal, he would have concealed that information. He is telling the players it's time to take the deal or the owners are going to cancel the season and the get concreted in on breaking the union down totally. The players are stupid if they can't see this coming down. Instead of getting 50% of BRI, the owners are going to crush them and make them take a much lower BRI until the owners recover lost profits. MJ is telling the players to take this deal.
One of my first thoughts with the MJ thing: leak it to the media, force the players' hand. Or lose a season. Tick tock, tick tock.... Definitely hardball tactics. The non-giant team owners are determined. Vito Corleone himself would be impressed. "Either your brains or your signature will be on this contract."