With the major league baseball season already canceled because of a strike and hockey players locked out, talk of an NBA lockout is getting louder.
So it's no wonder the NBA's unsettled labor situation dominates the agenda of today's owners meeting, overshadowing proposed rules and ownership changes the Board of Governors is considering.The league, which has never had a work stoppage, has tried to squelch the lockout talk, saying it hopes things won't come to that.
But today's New York Daily News reported NBA owners were expected to conduct a secret vote at today's meeting which could authorize a lockout of players prior to Nov. 15, when players would receive their first paychecks.
The regular season is scheduled to start Nov. 4.
With the NBA and its players far apart on several major issues, can pro basketball do any better than baseball and hockey in the labor department?
"I feel optimistic," NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said. "I still think the track record between the union and management has been good. I don't have any reason to think that won't continue."
Just as in baseball and hockey, however, what the owners want and what the players want in a new agreement are two very different sets of things.
The players want to eliminate the salary cap, restrictions on free agency and the college draft and get a larger share of revenues.
The owners want to close loopholes in the current salary cap, such as contract clauses that allow players to become restricted free agents after one year and balloon payments at the end of contracts. The league also would like to see restrictions on rookie salaries, and it insists on continuing the draft.
The players association has challenged the legality of the cap, draft and right of first refusal for free agency, alleging antitrust violations. The players lost a court decision in July but appealed and are awaiting a ruling before returning to the bargaining table.
However, that ruling isn't expected until the middle of the month, leaving about two weeks before the start of the season to hammer out a deal.
If matters aren't resolved by then, the league could press for players to take a no-strike pledge, ensuring the season could proceed without threat of interruption.
While no resolution of the labor matter will come out of the Board of Governors meeting, several rule changes will.
To beef up scoring and unclog the lane, the 3-point line would be moved to a uniform 22-foot arc. Currently, the arc extends from 22 feet in the corners to 23 feet, 9 inches at the top of the key.
In another rule proposal, players fouled on a 3-pointer would get three free throws.