With all the positive outlook coming from the owners and such, do you think a deal will be reached within the next few days?
I am thinking no. But it is nice to hear something positive for once. That alone gives me a little hope.
Hopefully we find out something this weekend. I wonder what the process would be if the lockout is over? Will training camp start right away, or will there be a few days for free agency, rookie signings, etc.?
I think the positive vibe from Stern is a negotiating ploy to put pressure on the union to acquiesce to avoid looking like the bad guy. It's not a strong play or anything, but smiles are cheap. I'm not exactly on the edge of my seat or anything. I really don't believe or care about what they have to say until the deal is actually done. You know Europeans leaders, bankers and the IMF managed to negotiate a deal on a multi-trillion dollar debt crisis faster than the league has been able to negotiate the end of the lockout?
They need to do maybe a week of FA moratorium so people can negotiate without signing. Then another couple of weeks of free agency. Then a short pre-season. If they did do it this week, I think they'd probably start in time for Christmas.
Christmas? If they make a deal by Monday, the NBA will start around the beginning of December. Christmas isn't close to being in question. Free agency slow anything down because it will run concurrent with training camps and a shortened pre-season.
My thoughts exactly. The NBA has to build up momentum going into Christmas, which is their showcase day. Like you, I think the season will start December 1st. November will be utilized for training camp/quick FA trades/signings.
You're probably right. The 1999 season started about a month after they agreed in principle on the CBA -- Jan 6 handshake to a Feb 5 jump ball. Of course, one fall-out from that seems to be that the players felt they were rushed in the decision-making to vote to ratifty the deal Hunter struck. So, maybe this time around the union takes more time to vote for it.
Yea,I have been lookign it up. It has been mostly Billy Hunter saying we are within striking distance depending on how owners want to compromise. Basically it is him spreading to the pressure to the public saying look we are willing to play, now it is the owners who canceleld the deal.
