Boston Herald
NBA labor
talks
intensify
by Steve
Bulpett
11/21/98
Though they
still cannot
talk about
such things,
it might be
fair to say
the heart
rate of
Celtic
officials
inceased a
beat or two
last night.
While the
league and
the players
union still
remain a good
distance
apart on some
important
matters, the
prospect of
an NBA season
finally came
into view
following the
most
intensive day
of
negotiating
so far during
the NBA
lockout.
Word was
getting
around to the
league's
coaches and
general
managers last
night that
their
vacation may
soon be over.
But despite
the progress
that was
apparently
made toward a
new
collective
bargaining
agreement,
both sides
expressed a
great deal of
caution with
their
optimism.
The plan late
last night
was for each
side to meet
with its own
group to
offer updates
and accept
suggestions.
The union
will attempt
a conference
call today
with as many
of its
members as
possible,
while the
owners will
all be
briefed on
where the
negotiations
have reached.
League
sources said
they didn't
expect
another full
negotiating
session
before Monday
-- but added
they will be
ready to talk
if the call
comes sooner.
"I would say
there has
been some
movement from
both sides,"
commissioner
David Stern
reported
after
emerging from
the long day
of talks.
"I think it's
fair to say
that there's
an evident
spirit of an
attempt (to
solve the
issues) on
both sides."
In the first
full
negotiating
session since
Oct. 28, the
sides
gathered at a
midtown
Manhattan
hotel just
after 10 a.m.
There were
brief breaks
around 12:30
p.m., 5 p.m.
and 9 p.m.
Talks
concluded
around 10:45
p.m.
"We reached a
position
where neither
side was
prepared to
make any
further
movement, so
we thought it
was a good
time to
stop," said
union
director
Billy Hunter.
"When you've
been in a
hotel for 12
or 14 hours,
the air gets
stale and
your head
gets cloudy."
In fact, what
he and the
owners'
committee
needed to do
at that point
was to take a
step back
after a day
of
negotiations
that included
some
important
compromises.
The largest
overriding
issue -- the
percentage of
revenues that
should be
dedicated to
player
salaries --
finally saw
some
movement. The
owners began
the day
seeking to
set aside 50
percent,
while the
players were
at 60.
Sources
wouldn't
confirm any
of the late
offers, but
word is the
gap narrowed
a couple of
points from
each
direction.
Also key to
the framework
is the escrow
system that
would kick in
after two or
three years
if the
overall
amount paid
for salaries
does not
remain in the
agreed to
zone.
Owners had
been seeking
an unlimited
amount for
the escrow
account,
while the
union wanted
to cap it at
a 10 percent
holdback.
Yesterday the
players
offered a
modification
to their
escrow plan,
and real
progress
seemed to be
made when the
owners made a
counteroffer
that included
the union's
escrow ideas.
"I'm very
concerned,
but I am
hopeful
because I saw
some movement
today on both
sides," Stern
said last
night. "It's
quite a hill
that we have
to climb."
As for the
key issue of
salary
percentage,
Stern said of
the figures,
"They're
still not
matching."
In the most
positive sign
yet in the
contentious
impasse,
union
president
Patrick Ewing
was heard to
say to a
league
official at
the earlier
break, "Let's
get back in
there. I want
to play."
The sides
would have to
reach
agreement in
the next two
weeks to be
able to begin
a season on
the first of
January.
Sources agree
that such a
start would
be needed in
order to put
together a
regular
season that
some suggest
could now be
as long as 60
games with
rescheduling
to squeeze in
more
contests.
It is also
probable that
the regular
season would
run past its
scheduled
April end
into May. It
may be
interesting
to note that
while others
were more
optimistic
after the
October 28
session, NBA
types were
not nearly as
encouraging
afterward as
they were
last night.
"Our
negotiating
committee
came in with
their pajamas
and theirs
did, too,"
Stern said.
"I think that
indicated a
willingness
to stay here
and do what
needs to be
done."