The NBA and players association is making it a priority to come to terms on a new collective-bargaining agreement before March 31, when either side can opt out.
Both NBA commissioner Adam Silver and union director Tamika Tremaglio agreed that they hope to agree on all the key points.
“I would just say it’s an absolute priority for us as well to get a deal done as soon as possible,” Silver said at All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, via Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “It’s my hope that the deal will be done by (March 31).”
Tremaglio agreed.
“We are very motivated to get this done,” she said. “Our players are very competitive, and we want to see [this to] completion as well. So, it is absolutely a priority for us.”
The opt-out date has been pushed back twice already this season — with the first date being set for mid-December. The next was scheduled for Feb. 8, before the sides agreed they wanted more time.
Per Bontemps, the league and union have some “momentum” in their current bargaining session, but there several hurdles remain. Interestingly, the players may not all be in favor of allowing prospects to enter the league straight out of high school.
Another sticking point seems to be the idea of in-season tournament.
“I would say that we’re in a great space,” Pelicans guard and union president CJ McCollum said, via Bontemps. “We continue to move forward, and I’m happy with the progress that we continue to make, although there is room for more improvement in areas in which we’ll continue to grow. I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction.”
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