“Why cant players have freedom of movement?” asked Durant. “Teams trade players like cards, but you get mad when a player decides to go to another team. Double standard.” Durant pointed out that players often take less money in order to have the freedom to pick their destination. “I’m all for player movement,” said Durant before adding that he loves playing for the Thunder.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: There has to be a trade off. At least, Kevin Durant thinks so.

Regardless of what the owners say, the players have made considerable concessions on Basketball Related Income.

For instance, the players earned 57% of BRI in the last Collective Bargaining Agreement and stand to make about 50% whenever the two sides sign a new deal.

The hold-up is what players get in exchange for taking a smaller piece of the pie. They want freedom to move between teams, while the owners are reluctant to grant such freedom because they fear wealthy, have-franchises will overpay.

Bottom line: the owners scored a massive victory on BRI. They routed the players by 35 points and are laughing to the bank.

Perhaps owners should give on cap loopholes and trade exceptions. Or, perhaps players, like Durant, should live with a scaled down mid level exception and sign-and trade formula.

Somebody has to give. At this point, I, like most of ‘Joe Public’, don’t care who it is.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

”In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Johnson said Jeffrey Kessler’s assertions were “ridiculous” while praising Stern as a commissioner who has done plenty to further the success of black players in the league.”This league is more diverse than any other league and has more minoritiesin powerful positions than any other league,” Johnson told AP. “That’s all about David Stern and his vision and what he wanted todo. He make sure minorities had high-ranking positions from the league officeall the way down to coaches and front office people.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The NBA lockout has gotten personal. Target number one: NBA Commissioner David Stern.

It’s not surprising that owners and players have traded barbs, insults, and slights through the media. It is surprising how personal things have become.

For instance, NBA Players Union lawyer Jeffrey Kessler and broadcaster Bryant Gumbel both called Stern and the owners racist, comparing their negotiating tactics to that of a ‘plantation overseer’.

I’m not a visible minority. I don’t live in the United States. I’m the wrong person to comment on this.

However, it’s worth noting that Magic Johnson - an African American, Hall of Fame NBA superstar, and a former minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers - has come to Stern’s defense.

Johnson thinks you can criticize Stern as commissioner, but can’t criticize him as man, citing the NBA’s track record of hiring minorities.

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David Stern has enough support from ownership to "tweak" some of the system issues that remains points of contention with the union to get a labor deal agreed upon on Wednesday.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Well, it’s about time.

Reports are filtering in late Wednesday evening that Commissioner David Stern has been given leeway by owners to concede on system issues like the luxury tax and mid-level exception.

Of course, players and owners are currently engaged in a key negotiation. And there are consequences if today’s talks pass without a settlement.

The players will likely decertify their union, forcing months of lawsuits which would kill any chance at season.

Meanwhile, owners have promised to reduce their offer of a 49%- 51% share of Basketball Related Income to 47%, which would also kill any chance at a season.

So the stakes are high. The hope is that owners giving in on system issues will force the players to give in even further on Basketball Related Income.

The alternative isn’t pretty.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: If round the clock CBA negotiations are bothering Kevin Durant, he isn’t showing it.

The Oklahoma City Thunder forward has spent the lockout balling in charity games, promoting his brand, and visiting his former University, Texas, for a football game.

Watch the video below and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below. 

 Got thoughtsÉ Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Lost in the diabolical din of the recent Derek Fisher report on FoxSports.com was the assertion that Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant is willing to accept a 50-50 deal. Two sources with knowledge of his thinking, meanwhile, told SI.com that Bryant has indeed made it known that he's open to considering the down-the-middle split. Bryant, it is believed, has indicated to union leaders on numerous occasions that -- so long as the system issues were adequately resolved -- the season was not worth sacrificing if the negotiations came down to a couple percentage points on BRI (which, to be clear, are hardly chump change considering they're worth approximately $40 million annually per percentage point).

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: For the NBA’s best player, the system take priority over Basketball Related Income.

Unlike his peers, Kobe Bryant is more concerned with the owners’ trying to limit player movement through harsh taxes and closing loopholes than a few percentage points of revenue.

Interesting.

Bryant would, in fact, take a 50-50 split of BRI; however, the owners would need to give in other ares so players have leverage when they are free agents.

There’s the key word: give.

Right now, the owners want everything. The split of BRI. The system. It’s total victory or nothing. They aren’t giving the players anything unless it’s a deadline.

Bryant, despite being the game greatest player, has little power to change that.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Stern proclaimed officially Friday there is no longer a chance of squeezing in an 82-game schedule with a Dec. 1 starting date. However, multiple sources predict a 78-game slate will be staged if the sides compromise on the revenue split by next weekend. The final schedule has to be an even number, sources said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It wouldn’t be a full season, but it would be close.

If owners and players can quickly bridge the two percent difference on Basketball Related Income, the league would begin a 78 game season in early December.

Sure, it would be a month late and fans would lose four games. 78 games sounds appealing considering there was a strong chance of missing an entire season.

The question is if the two sides can, or will, compromise on the last stages of negotiations before further damage to the league and sport is done.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

I think we’re within reach (on system issues), within striking distance of getting a deal,” Hunter said. There are still big hurdles ahead, ones that could mean negotiations will need to go through the weekend or even into next week.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Owners and players don't have a new labour deal, but they're close.

Commissioner David Stern and Union Head Billy Hunter were caught joking together at a recent press conference. Such a sight would have been unthinkable a few days ago.

Work is still to be done. For instance, the two sides have yet to discuss the split of Basketball Related Income, deciding to focus on system issues the last few days.

For months, BRI was the elephant in the room. The split of revenue was a point of contention, so perhaps it's overly optimistic to think this sticking point can be resolved in one short day.

However, the two sides have momentum.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Pretty widely expected that NBA’s next announcement will be that start of season postponed “indefinitely,” or “until further notice.” Question is, will league and union meet/bargain before that announcement is made? Nothing planned for (Sunday), source says.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: This is about leverage.

If owners cancel an additional two weeks of the NBA season, they'd be aiming to hit players squarely in their bank account.

Players are paid on the 15th and 30th of each month, so they'd miss at least one pay cheque and their second cheque in November would be at risk.

Nothing creates urgency more than losing money. At least, that's what owners are hoping for.

However, the door isn't shut as the league is expected to postpone the start of the season indefinitely rather than a specific number of games.

O. Sandor

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below. 

While two weeks of the regular season have already been canceled and at least two more are expected to go soon, two sources close to the negotiations said the union believes that Stern assured his ESPN and TNT television partners that, by back-ending the missed games, he can still deliver an 82-game season even if starts in December. Accurate or not, the players’ perception of when their early paychecks will truly be gone for good will determine when they reach for the panic button.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Apparently, there’s still time.

Various publications are reporting that the NBA could still play an 82 game season if players and owners solve their differences and sign off on a new collective bargaining agreement.

It has to happen quickly, though, and this could be the problem.

Even after days of mediation, owners and players are holding firm to their positions on Basketball Related Income and system issues like the luxury tax.

There’s another complication: reports indicate that owners are split into small market Hawks and big market Doves. The Hawks - teams like Charlotte, Milwaukee, Phoenix - are holding firm for major concessions, while the Doves -teams like Chicago, Miami, and New York - are eager to settle.

Hopefully, the two sides meet next week and make progress. The alternative isn’t pretty.

--O.Sandor.

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Stern’s version of what’s been going on behind closed doors has, of course, been disputed. But his efforts were typical of a commissioner, who has always seemed eager to be viewed as some kind of modern plantation overseer treating NBA men as if they were his boys. It’s part of Stern’s M.O. Like his past self-serving edicts on dress code or the questioning of officials, his moves are intended to do little more than show how he’s the one keeping the hired hands in their place.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Perspective matters.

Bryant Gumbel is clearly losing perspective on the NBA lockout when he compares Commissioner David Stern to a plantation overseer.

To be fair, Stern is many things: cocky, arrogant, smarmy, confrontational, self-absorbed, militant, egotistical, and difficult.

And he’s been called even worse.

Some fans, especially in Seattle and Vancouver, would say he’s dishonest after their franchises were taken in a conspiracy that would impress filmmaker Oliver Stone.

But a ‘plantation overseer‘? Implying that multimillionaire NBA players are slaves to the owners and Stern?

Clearly, this is unfair even for a dubious character like Stern.

O.Sandor.

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NBA labor talks stretched into the wee hours Wednesday morning as players and owners met with a federal mediator, hoping to deliver the progress Commissioner David Stern says is needed to avoid canceling more games. Both sides met for more than 15 hours, their longest negotiating session since owners locked out players when the old collective bargaining agreement expired June 30.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: What conclusions can we draw from players and owners holding a 15 hour mediation session?

Well, not much.

One day won't settle a four month long lockout, especially when the two sides are so far apart with respect to Basketball Related Income and system issues. 

The best we can hope for is progress. Perhaps the players and/or owners step off the ideological lines they drew in the sand so many years ago.

If that happens then today will have been a success.

--O.Sandor. 

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: And so the media show begins.

David Stern has recently gone on an all out publicity blitz with players and owners stuck at an impasse in negotiations.

For instance, ‘The Commish’ chatted with famed Sports business reporter Darren Rovell about the nearly fourth month old lockout.

Click the clip below, watch the interview with Stern, and get at HoopsVibe news in the comment box below.

O.Sandor 

In a news conference later, union President Derek Fisher didn’t appear to be ruffled by what McGee said. “The person that spent the least amount of time in the room can’t make that statement,” Fisher said. “He’s in no position to make that statement on behalf of the group.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Remember the ribbing JaVale McGee took when his mum smooched with judges at the Slam Dunk Contest?

Or, the criticism he took for fighting Washington Wizards teammate Andray Blatche outside a DC nightclub?

Well, that’s nothing.

The Wizards forward is facing heat for comments he made that some NBA players were prepared to fold, take the owners’ current offer, and end the work stoppage.

His union brethren responded rather viscously, saying McGee was in no position to make such comments.

This brings up an interesting aside: as this dispute drags on certain players, like McGee, will speak out of turn.

Will they face a backlash on-court from their peers when the work dispute is solved? And how will they be received by teammates in their own locker room?

Certainly McGee is being made an example of. The message is clear: keep quiet or face consequences.

--O.Sandor.

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Yet during an interview on WFAN on Wednesday, Billy Hunter indicated that an agreement between the owners and players had been nearing completion. "We thought we could live with the deal we were close to making," Hunter said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Two people can see the same thing very differently.

Commissioner David Stern said the players and owners were miles apart after the two met last weekend, while union head Billy Hunter apparently believed a deal was there to be made.

As usual, the truth lies in the middle. Somewhere.

Will the players and owners ever find the middle? After all, the two sides are unlikely to find an ideological common ground when it requires them to leave their line in the sand.

Right now, Stern and Hunter can’t even agree on the state of negotiations. So how can they possibly bridge the gap on hundreds of million of dollars, keep the groups they represent happy, and preserve their professional reputations by forging a ‘win’?

It doesn’t look good. A start would be to agree on how exactly to characterize negotiations.

O.Sandor.

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Stern wiped out the first two weeks of the season - exactly 100 games - after more than seven hours of negotiations failed to produce a new labor deal and preserve the Nov. 1 season openers.

The cancellations mark the NBA's first work stoppage since the 1998-99 season was reduced to 50 games.Stern said players and owners were "very far apart on virtually all issues. ... We just have a gulf that separates us.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: They've been playing with fire for too long. And now they could get burned.

NBA players and owners have had little success finding common ground on a new collective bargaining agreement, which would solve the league's three month old lockout.

So the inevitable finally happened.

Today, Commissioner David Stern kyboshed the first two weeks of the season, putting at risk last season's gains and the future health of the league.

Shame on the owners. Shame on the players.

Perhaps the owners' hardline stance during negotiations was unfair. Perhaps they were making up for years of overpaying the league's mediocre middle class.

Either way, both parties are at fault for the current predicament. Something or someone has to give.Or, the cancellations will continue.

-O.Sandor

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Fisher encouraged all players to attend an NBPA meeting in Los Angeles on Monday, and to utilize “our personal social networking channels to show the fans and you all, that we are united and want to get back to work under a fair deal.”

(Per Derek Fisher:) “On Monday, Chris (Paul) and I will tweet and post “LET US PLAY.” This was used by the NFL players and many will be joining us on Monday and retweeting the same message to show their support for our players. I will also be using the hash tag #StandUnited after all my messages until this lockout is over.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Desperate times, desperate measures.

When, not if, the NBA starts cancelling regular seasons games, Union President Derek Fisher wants the players he represents to protest via social media.

Fisher wants the players to show unity by collectively tweeting ‘Let Us Play’. Sadly, this will gain little sympathy with the public.

The players, of course, can play. They just have to make further concessions.

The players can begin training camp on Tuesday by moving off their 53-47 split of Basketball Related Income and accepting the owners’ proposal of an even 50-50 split of BRI.

Everything else would quickly fall into place. The two sides would then sign a new collective bargaining agreement and the players could play.

--O. Sandor.

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NBA players and owners still have no deal headed into the deadline day for starting the season on time.

Negotiators for the sides agreed to meet Sunday and then huddled for more than five hours before breaking for the night. They agreed to resume talks Monday afternoon, but union president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers acknowledged that the sides are "not necessarily closer" to a deal than they were when talks stalled last week.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It was worth a shot.

Owners and players met Sunday in New York in an effort to make progress on a new collective bargaining agreement, so regular season games would not get cancelled.

The bottom line is, well, the bottom line.

Basketball Related Income, how owners and players split all revenue earned, is the elephant in the room. 

The players are sticking firm to their offer of 53% of BRI. The owners want an even 50-50 split.

Once they reach common ground on BRI, the hard cap, guaranteed contracts, and exceptions and loopholes will fall into place.

The concern is whether they reach an agreement on BRI in time to save the start of the regular season.

The only thing we know is the two sides will talk again Monday.

--O.Sandor.

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In addition to (LeBron) James, (Dwyane) Wade and (Chris) Bosh, the Heat were represented at Saturday’s game by free-agent point guard Mario Chalmers, with former Heat player Dorell Wright also among those participating. Heat forward Udonis Haslem, still working his way back from last season’s foot injury, coached James’ team.

Center Eddy Curry, a Heat free-agent target, was a no-show, leaving unanswered questions about his conditioning. Wesley Matthews and Lou Williams also were removed from the rosters, with Harden and Tristan Thompson added.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: This wasn’t supposed to happen.

The media had been reporting on the new and improved Eddy Curry, who had lost one hundred pounds to specifically earn a contract with the star-studded Miami Heat when the lockout ends.

Curry’s body wasn’t the only thing that had supposedly changed. His supporters claimed he had matured and wouldn’t be a distraction.

Saturday’s friendly at Florida International University was key. Curry had a chance to suit up with or against potential teammates, while developing a relationship with the Heat’s rabid fans.

That opportunity is gone.

Fans aren’t talking about Curry’s skill or fitness. Instead they’re wondering why a player who wants to join the Heat couldn't bother to turn up.

If he wasn't healthy, why not attend and earn some goodwill?

It’s not a great first impression. The more things supposedly change with Curry, the more they seem to stay the same.

O.Sandor.

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Q: Have you ever thought about signing Kobe (Bryant)?:

A (Coach Sergio Scariolo): The Olympia has received many calls by the representative of Bryant, because the player was interested in playing in Milan. We, however, from the beginning we had decided not to sign players under lockout, and only one for which we wanted to make an exception was Danilo Gallinari due to human and personal connotations that attach to this team. From the beginning we thought it was the only signing NBA going to do.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Fact or fiction?

It’s hard to know what’s true or false with reports that Kobe Bryant will head overseas for a jaunt in Italy during the NBA work stoppage.

For weeks, Virtus Bologna has been saying they’re close to signing the Los Angeles Lakers superstar to a contract while players and owners bicker over a new collective bargaining agreement. 

Those negotiations have stalled. Executives with Milan are saying they turned down Kobe Bryant’s overtures as they decided not to sign locked out NBA players.

Reports of Bryant heading abroad spring up when players and owners hit a snag in negotiations. It could be a coincidence. Or, it could be a ploy to pressure Jerry Buss, the Lakers owner.

Hopefully, Bryant plays soon in his trademark purple-and-gold. Sadly, a stint in Italy seems more likely.

--O.Sandor.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The South Florida Classic was exciting, but everyone wanted to know when the NBA games would happen.

Yesterday Dwyane Wade led Team Wade to a 141-140 win over LeBron James’ Team James in a charity match at Florida International University.

A game with several All-Stars is worth watching, however, fans and media were focused on the three month old NBA lockout.

Click the video below, watch Carmelo Anthony discuss his love for the Heat’s Big Three, and Wade, and consider his thoughts on the NBA’s labour impasse.

-O.Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

But the daily discussions I've had with agents and players on this matter tell a different tale. While the sample size is equally insufficient, there are plenty of signs that a large portion of players just want to play and would be willing to do so with either a 50-50 split or something very close to it. And this is where the job of Hunter and his cadre gets so complicated.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Here’s where things get interesting.

Recently, the union refused Commissioner David Stern’s offer of a 50-50 split of Basketball Related Income. However, CNNSI reports that many players will accept a 50 percent share of BRI because they want a season.

Such fracturing is exactly what Stern and the owners are hoping for. The sooner the players feel the pressure, the sooner the players break, and the sooner the owners get the deal they want.

At least, that’s the theory. There’s a flip side.

The players that led the charge against accepting the owners` proposal last Tuesday are some of the game’s greatest stars.

They have power. They have leverage. They have resources. And they’ll use it.

This contingent could stall and delay progress on a new collective bargaining agreement, which means NBA basketball could be a long way away.

--O.Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Virtus Roma owner: "We have been talking with Andrea Bargnani. In my opinion, if he decides to play in Italy, he will sign just with us (Bargnani was born and grew up in Roma).

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: European clubs are loving the lockout.

The best squads in Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey are free to flirt with the best NBA players who are without jobs.

This means free publicity.

For weeks, executives with Virtus Bologna have been ‘negotiating’ with Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant.

These executives have no issue discussing negotiations with the press, while Bryant’s representative, Rob Pelinka, has had little to say.

Now the head suit with Virtus Roma is telling anyone who will listen that in his opinion they’ll land Andrea Bargani.

Perhaps they will. Perhaps they won’t.

The media (myself included) is reporting his opinion, though. So Virtus Romas, like every other European club, might as well get the free publicity while they can.

O.Sandor.

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Your agents represent you, there's a loyalty there and I can appreciate that. I'll never question it, the work they do for you, or the decisions you and they make together. The letter however includes misinformation and unsupported theories. (Derek Fisher letter)

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The plot thickens.

Eventually the agents would weigh-in on the players, their clients, changing the NBA’s financial system and making major concessions to owners.

For instance, the Ari Gold’s of the NBA don’t want their clients reducing their take of Basketball Related Income from 57-46%.

And they aren’t thrilled with players accepting a hard cap or signing off on a restriction to the number of Larry Bird Loopholes or Mid Level Exceptions a team can offer per year.

So this weekend the six biggest agencies combined forces, writing a letter to players to warn of catastrophic consequences if they agree to the owners’ proposals.

In their letter, the agents instead suggest the players opt for decertification, believing the owners haven’t negotiated in good faith.

This prompted the union’s second-in-command Derek Fisher to send his own letter to the players claiming that the agents are spreading ‘misinformation’.
 
Of course, their timing is impeccable. Tuesday is a key day in negotiations. If owners and players find common ground perhaps there’s a chance the regular season starts on time.

Clearly, the agent’s letter and calls for decertification complicates any chance of a settlement.

--O.Sandor.

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Monday's smaller scale labor meeting adjourned shortly before 4:00 PM EST after a session that lasted 4.5 hours. David Stern and Adam Silver said that Monday's meeting was to "set the table for (Tuesday's) meeting."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: To quote the MJ bio flick: ‘This Is It’.

NBA players and owners are meeting on Tuesday to discuss a solution to the now three month lockout which has brought the business of basketball to a halt.

Apparently, the players are bringing in the big guns. Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce, and Amar’e Stoudemire are expected to attend.

While the owners are talking tough, with Commissioner Stern saying the players need to make further concessions with respect to Basketball Related Income and system issues like the hard cap.

Bottom line: it should be interesting.

--O. Sandor.

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Emiliano Carchia: Legabasket president Valentino Renzi is optimistic about the Kobe Bryant's deal. He said that Virtus Bologna will be allowed to play the 1st two games of the season at home despite the rule forbids that. Virtus Bologna won't talk about the deal as asked by Kobe's agent.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Deal or no deal?

Virtus Bologna has been telling anyone and everyone they have signed Kobe Bryant to a shared-risk contract where every team in the Italian league will pay part of his salary.

Bryant, however, has been mostly silent.

Yes, he told the European media of his affinity for Italy, the country he spent much of his childhood in. And yes, he hinted strongly at playing in Italy if the lockout continues.

It’s easy to conclude that Virtus Bologna executives are talking too much for the Bryant camp, soaking up the publicity that comes with being connected to a world class player.

Bryant to Italy could still happen. But it will be inspite of executives at Virtus Bologna and not because of them. 

--O. Sandor

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“Very constructive,” said Davis of the portion of Saturday’s meeting he witnessed. “I think both sides are willing and they’re able, and we both understand that as long as we continue–this is a big issue and I think both sides are voicing their opinion and what they’re passionate about. Everybody’s being a lot more receptive today to moving forward. Ever since we’ve been here, we’ve been all trying to figure out the best process.”

Link (Slamonline.com)

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Well, Baron Davis is keeping it positive.

While some are painting a picture of doom and gloom, the Cleveland Cavaliers point guard believes good things are coming from the recent negotiations.

Davis even downplayed the tension between the two sides on Friday that saw Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade and Commissioner David Stern get into a confrontation.

So some good news. And Davis, the optimist, believes good things will happen if the two sides continue talking.

Perhaps.

Eventually the players and/or owners have to move on Basketball Related Income. Then, and only then, will everything else like system issues and guaranteed contracts get solved.

Only then will there be reason optimism.

O. Sandor

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The NBA and NBPA broke for the weekend on Saturday after an eight hour bargaining session that followed a four-hour meeting on Friday. No agreement is in place, but the sides have moved "closer" to a compromise on system issues, commissioner David Stern said."We're not near anything," Stern said. "But wherever that is, we're closer than we were before."

Dwyane Wade "stood up for himself," a person with knowledge of the meeting said when he confronted David Stern, who was behaving with a tone and gestures the players took exception to. According to two people familiar with the incident, Wade warned Stern not to point his finger and made reference to not being a child. After the confrontation, union chief Billy Hunter and Stern met privately, seeking a way to calm nerves and preserve the rest of the negotiations.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: In the players’ corner, we have Dwyane Wade. In the owners’ corner, we have ‘David’ Stern.

Unfortunately, the New York hotel hosting NBA labour negotiations didn’t have a UFC style octagon, boxing ring, or sketchy Blood Sport style basement for Wade and Stern to duke it out. 

The biggest news from Friday’s negotiations between players and owners was a tiff between the Miami Heat’s superstar and the commissioner.

Apparently, Wade became incensed when Stern pointed his finger at him, essentially telling the veteran commissioner he was an adult and deserved to be treated as such.

Fair enough. Then he returned the favour.

Wade reminded Stern he had children and repeatedly addressed him as ‘David’ instead of calling him Commissioner Stern.

Cooler heads did prevail and Stern twice tried to apologize to Wade.

Oh, the drama. Hopefully, these professionals turned their attention to the hard cap and the split of Basketball Related Income.

There is, after all, a season to be saved.

--Oly Sandor.

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"Let's go," one of the players said, according to a source. "There's no reason to go back in there." The players decided to return to the bargaining room with a much smaller group. Among those joining Derek Fisher for the second session were LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Baron Davis and committee member Chris Paul. None of the players joining Fisher sat down during this portion of the talks, a person with knowledge of the meetings said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They both have their ideological line in the sand. And they both are sticking to it.

The owners, for instance, feel the current league financial structure is far too favourable for the players and are sticking to their demands of 54 percent of all Basketball Related Income.

In the last collective bargaining agreement, the owners only got 43 percent of the BRI, so they’re asking the players to take an 11% hit, which translates to a pay cut of billions of dollars per year.

Meanwhile, some players are still looking though rose coloured glasses, thinking it’s the 1990s when NBA franchises printed money and were highly profitable.

They’ve refused any sort of hard cap, but, to be fair, have agreed to a reduced share of the BRI.

Negotiations continue Saturday morning.

--Oly Sandor.

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Before a stunning confrontation between Dwyane Wade(notes) and NBA commissioner David Stern in Friday’s labor meeting, Wade, LeBron James(notes) and Chris Paul(notes) told their Players Association peers that they’re willing to sit out the season rather than make further concessions to the owners, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Wade, James and Paul were at the forefront of a strong players presence at a Park Avenue hotel for Friday’s contentious bargaining session. In a private union meeting prior to the bargaining session with owners, James kept reiterating to the group of elite players that they shouldn’t give back a greater share of the league’s basketball-related income (BRI) than what they’d already conceded in previous negotiations.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Will the Average Joe concede or take a stand and sit with the superstars?

It’s great for LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade to announce publicly they’ll boycott the season to get better terms in a collective bargaining agreement.

These guys, the crème de la crème of the NBA, have more money than they know what to do with. They could retire today and be set for life.

So missing a year’s salary isn’t the end of the world, however, many of the league’s rank and file won’t share their hardline approach.

The back-up guard or reserve post is likely extended and needs work. Right now, they may be feeling financial pressures and things will worsen once they miss that first November pay cheque.

--Oly Sandor

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: John Wall, the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, had an up-and-down rookie season with the Washington Wizards.

For what it’s worth, Wall has impressed during the Pro-Am series. Click the video, watch the highlights of Wall, and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

O.Sandor

NBA players and owners are hoping to meet in a small group on Wednesday and/or Thursday of this week in New York City, according to sources.

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"They've been deeply involved in the meetings we've had. I know Kobe is intimately involved in interfacing with colleagues and sharing in a pool of revenue to help the others get through this. Kobe has volunteered to do that in the event others need, he and others are prepared to loan money if necessary."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The Bank of Kobe Bryant could be coming.

Union head Billy Hunter told the press superstar Kobe Bryant is willing to lend his union brothers money during the work stoppage.

This is a nice gesture by Bryant, but shows the need for NBA players to learn how to manage their money.

Take Eddy Curry. The puffy post turned one good season on a bad Knicks team into an exorbitant 5-year, $55 million contract.

In the last three years, Curry suited up for 33 games. While injured, he accumulated debt, overhead, and high-interest loans like a European ‘P.I.G.S.’ nation.

Now Curry, who will receive a massive pay-cut as a free agent when the season does begin, must honour those financial obligations.

I have a feeling Curry’s situation is not unique. Many, if not most, NBA players are stretched, so the owners only have to outwait the players.

Hunter should be more careful about releasing information to the public, even if it involves The Bank of Kobe Bryant.

--Oly Sandor.

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The Los Angeles Lakers superstar told The Associated Press on the sidelines of a youth basketball clinic in Singapore that he didn't know if there will be a 2011-12 season and hasn't ruled out playing abroad. "I could," Bryant said Saturday. "I'm playing abroad right now."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Will he stay state-side or go abroad?

This was the dilemma facing Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who could earn millions of dollars per month playing outside the NBA.

However, the rumours, speculation, and gossip teetered off once the Chinese leagues restricted the escape clauses and talks heated up between the players and owners on a new collective bargaining agreement.

  Currently, the two sides are nowhere near a deal, which means Bryant is again considering his options abroad.

Perhaps he’ll tour Asia. Perhaps he’ll link up with a top squad in Europe. Currently, the owner of a prominent Italian club side is exploring ways to sign Bryant and pay the insurance on his NBA pact.

Or perhaps it’s a massive bluff. Bryant could be trying to pressure the owners, who hold all the cards and leverage in this lockout, by talking about suiting up in another league.

If so, it’s a Hail Mary. It may be the union’s best shot of getting some owners to move off their hard-line stance.

--Oly Sandor.

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“You sign me to a deal, you think I’m going to say, ‘No, I deserve $50 [million] instead of $80 [million]?’ I’m like, ‘Hell, yeah.’ I’m not going to turn it down. You can’t blame the players. If anything, we don’t negotiate the deal. We’ve got agents that negotiate the deals with the team. Y’all need to go talk to the teams and the agents.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Two words for Rashard Lewis. Save it.

The stretch four-man for the Washington Wizards may have a point about the owners' spending habits, however, the ‘Average Joe’ has little time, interest, or sympathy in millionaire players and billionaire owners point the figure and blame each other.

What they want is a season. And now.

Lewis needs to step outside his bubble, consider the American economy, and reflect on what a fan must think hearing him complain.

After all, Lewis is an overrated and overpaid. He’s a decent scorer raking in superstar money and could be the poster boy for the NBA's current state of fiscal mismanagement.

The league’s middle class makes too much. The list of decent-to-average players earning tens of millions of dollars is a problem.

So the owners have decided they’ll get cost certainty with a hard cap and better split of Basketball Related Income, which, by the way, still guarantees Lewis a luxurious life.

--Oly Sandor.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Finally, we have some sort of basketball.

The Impact Basketball League featuring various NBA players kicked off in Las Vegas last week. There were highlights. And we have them for you.

So watch the video and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below because it might be the only basketball we see for some time.

--Oly Sandor.

Just when you thought the NBPA decertification talk had died down...two sources say prominent agent Leon Rose has joined that crowd. (Sam Amick, CNNSI)

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: LeBron James, no matter how much he tries to keep a low profile, always makes national headlines.

Take the lockout. In an attempt to gain leverage over owners in the ongoing labour strife, James’ agent Leon Rose is encouraging his client and other high profile players he represents to vote to decertify their union.

This is not James. This is his agent. But it doesn't matter.

Decertification would kick off a series of complicated lawsuits that would make it impossible for the season to start on time or be played at all.

This would be like dropping a nuclear bomb on all the gains the NBA made last season. 

To be fair, James may have good reason for supporting this option: he and fellow stars are frustrated with the owners’ negotiating tactics and the concessions union head Billy Hunter is making.

The tension mounts as fans want a solution and an NBA season. James could take a hit if the union decertifies.

--Oly Sandor.

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Just finished a long day of negotiations. Unfortunately we are No Where Near a deal! It's def disappointing!

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They learned hope is not a strategy. They learned this the hard way.

Heading into Tuesday’s meeting with owners, the players were optimistic they would begin the process of negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement.

There was no reason for optimism, though. Both sides weren’t budging off the lines they drew in the sand several months ago.

The owners still wanted a hard cap. The players still would not agree to this.

The owners still wanted a 50-50 split of Basketball Related Income. The players still would not agree to this.

The owners still wanted to change the league’s financial landscape. The players still would not agree to this.

Now union leaders like Roger Mason and Derek Fisher are changing their message, warning the players that training camp won’t start on time and that the season could be cancelled.

This is what they’ll tell their fellow players when they meet today to discuss the lockout. Buckle up, the labour impasse is just beginning and getting nasty.

--Oly Sandor.

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Following another long meeting on Thursday, the owners and players have agreed to bring full committees to the negotiating table on Tuesday. David Stern said there is nothing formal to present to larger committees. Time was right to see if there will "be a deal or shouldn't be a deal."The two sides met on both Wednesday and Thursday this week."We think it's getting to be an important time and it was a good idea to have larger committees," said Stern.

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What is the status of Nate Robinson, who wanted to resume his career as a football player? Aaron Goodwin: The NFL is an alternative but he did not say he wanted to play in the NFL. He just wants to play basketball for now. He is interested in coming to Europe during the lockout. Which teams are interested in getting him? Aaron Goodwin: We talked with many teams but we have never been close to a deal. I can't name the teams but we have been in contact with teams playing in Greece, Russia, Turkey and China. There will also be a clause in his NBA contract. I won't let any of my clients come abroad without a return clause in the NBA.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The NFL is out. Is Europe or China in?

Apparently Nate Robinson will not pursue an NFL career during the lockout, and is instead looking to sign with an overseas club in China or Europe.

China would be best as teams would see Robinson as a short-term marketing gimmick, and would be far more tolerant of his bravado both on and off court.

European coaches would struggle to integrate the flashy combo guard into their rigid sets, methodical schemes, and two-a-day practices.

After all, Europe is about the collective, and, fair or not, Robinson is often accused of being about one individual: himself.

--Oly Sandor.

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The site will be the Impact Basketball gymnasium, about two miles from the Strip. The unofficial commissioner will be Joe Abunassar, a longtime trainer of N.B.A. players. More than 40 players, locked out of N.B.A. facilities because of a labor standoff, have committed to play. Chauncey Billups, John Wall, Zach Randolph and Stephen Jackson will be among the headliners.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: You want basketball. You got it. Well, sort of.

Reports indicate up to forty NBA players will suit up for the Impact Basketball League which is set to begin in Las Vegas in mid September.

The big names include Chauncey Billups, Stephen Jackson, Zach Randolph, and John Wall, who will use the Vegas run to prepare for training camp and the upcoming NBA season.

And there’s the catch.

Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee we’ll have a season in 2012. So this, ‘the lockout league’ as some have dubbed it, may be the best we can hope for.

--Oly Sandor.

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Impact Basketball is reportedly planning to organize a league in Las Vegas comprised entirely of pro basketball players.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s a short term solution.

Reports indicate Impact Basketball is organizing a league for NBA players displaced by the lockout, and games are slated to begin in Las Vegas for mid September.

Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce, and John Wall are a few of the 70 NBA players who could make their way to Sin City for a run.

This seems well intentioned, however, no start up league will change or move owners off their position of a hard-cap and 50-50 split of Basketball Related Income.

And while Impact Basketball may satisfy fans and players desire for hoops, it hopefully won't distract all involved from drafting a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

--Oly Sandor.

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“One thing that might give some comfort to Orlando fans is that one of the thoughts in the new collective bargaining agreement is to give an advantage to teams who are trying to keep their incumbent players,” Dyer says. “That would allow the Magic, for instance, to offer Dwight more money than any other team and (entice him) to stay home.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They have hope.

The speculation has been that Dwight Howard will opt-out of his contract next summer and walk on the Orlando Magic, sending the South Florida franchise back to the stone age.

Some expect Howard to join the Los Angeles Lakers, even though the purple-and-gold has post Andrew Bynum. Others expect Howard to partner with a top table-setter like the New Jersey Nets’ Deron Williams.

Either way, Howard was thought to be gone. And Magic GM Otis Smith was getting ready to reserve his seat at the NBA’s annual draft lottery in the spring of 2013.

Until now.

Apparently, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will help teams retain their own stars by increasing the amount they can pay, and essentially outbid opponents for, their own free agents

Other clauses will make it difficult for stars to join forces. Salaries will be reduced; there could be a hard cap without a luxury tax or exemptions; there may even be revenue sharing. (Call it ‘The Miami Clause’.)

Expect the post lockout NBA to resemble the NFL. There will be greater parity. There will be greater balance. There will be less have-not franchises.

All of which should help Orlando keep Howard. This, it seems, is the best they can hope for. 

--Oly Sandor.

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Just hours after Shanxi Zhongyu announced their deal with Kobe, the Chinese basketball league decided not to allow players who have deals with NBA teams to play in CBA. The league lists 108 players who have no deals with NBA; only them can register in CBA.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Dwyane Wade won't be playing for a Chinese club come fall.

Today, the Chinese Basketball League banned NBA players from signing with Chinese clubs if they have an NBA contract.

NBA free agents can still sign in China; however, getting an opt-out clause to return to America when the lockout ends may be difficult.

In other words: if you sign in China, you stay in China.

This is fair. The government created the Chinese Basketball League to develop talent for the national team, and not to provide leverage for locked-out, millionaire superstars from America.

And now Billy Hunter and the Players Union have a problem. The game's biggest stars have maintained they'll head to China if the owners prolong the lockout with their hardball negotiating tactics.

Such a threat is now meaningless. The money, lifestyle, and branding opportunities aren't as good in Europe. Greece, Portugal, and Spain are also in poor financial shape, so few roster spots will be available.

Hopefully, this development forces the players back to the bargaining table.

--Oly Sandor.

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It's official.. Pride 2 the side.. just filled out a application at Home Depot.. Lockout aint a game..

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: There's nothing wrong with working at the Home Depot, however, there's something wrong with Delonte West having to work at the big box reno' shop because of the lockout.

West is an active NBA player, and has earned $15 million plying his trade as a combo guard for the Boston Celtics, Seattle Super Sonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder), and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Yet, West is (supposedly) broke because owners have shut the door on the players. So he's applying for a gig at The Dep'.

If true, this is unexcusable. West should have set money aside for the labour strife, which everyone could see on the horizon. 

Somebody should be looking after West's interests. Like his agent. Or the Players' Union. Remember, West has his issues.

Speaking of the union, West's situation isn't good for negotiations. If other players are living cheque-to-cheque, they may have to settle sooner than they'd like.

There's nothing wrong with working at Home Depot -unless you're West and the Players' Union, and are in the middle of a lockout!

--Oly Sandor.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Dennis Rodman is many things. One of those is honest.

Rodman, as you surely know, was recently inducted into the James Naismith Hall of Fame, and his speech was as honest as they come.

Watch The Worm’s emotional and genuine speech. Then get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below with thoughts. 

 --Oly Sandor.

According to Obrad Fimic of Alti Sport who was negotiating with Besiktas on behalf of Kobe Bryant and his agent Rob Pelinka, the proposal of the Turkish team for the Lakers star is still too low. Kobe and his entourage decided not to accept it and give up on the negotiations with Besiktas, team who already signed Deron Williams.

Agent Aaron Goodwin told ESPN.com on Tuesday night that he has met with officials from Turkish club Besiktas and has likewise begun exploring opportunities for Durant in Spain and Russia.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Slide over George Costanza. This is ‘The Summer of Kevin’.

Clearly, Kevin Durant is making the most of his time away from his day-gig with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A typical summer would see Durant train under the eye of OKC officials. This, however, has not been a typical summer because NBA players are locked-out.

The scoring champ’ has been free to live a Costanza inspired life of pick-up runs and you tube clips (all that’s missing is taking a bite of a hunk of cheese.)

The good press has made Durant the star of the lockout, which contributed to Besiktas floating him an offer to suit up for the Turkish club.

Here’s the question: how does Clay Bennett - the shrewd businessman and owner of the Thunder - feel about Durant heading abroad and generating revenue for another owner?

Bennett is one of the hardline owners who will sit the entire season to attain a hard cap and 50-50 split of Basketball Related Income.

Durant assuming wear-and-tear and risking injury in a second-rate league in Europe may frustrate Bennett enough to change his perspective. 

It’s one thing if his prize asset, Durant, is state-side. It’s another if he’s generating millions of dollars for another league.

Hopefully, Durant joining a foreign club pushes Bennett off his stance. Then ‘The Summer of Kevin’ would have been a success.

--Oly Sandor.

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