[Soulrebel15Participant]

By HOWARD BECK

Published: November 7, 2011

The ultimatum issued by the N.B.A. to its players over the weekend not only threatens them with a worse labor deal, but also a massive pay cut if they do not make a deal by Wednesday afternoon.

A letter sent by David Stern, the commissioner of the N.B.A., to the players union Sunday contrasts the proposal on the table — highlighted by a 50-50 split of revenues — with a “reset” proposal that would cut the players’ share to 47 percent, roll back current contracts, impose a hard salary cap and reduce contract lengths.

The salary rollback, which was part of the N.B.A.’s first controversial proposal in 2010, had not been included in any league proposal for many months, and it was not publicly mentioned by Stern when he announced the ultimatum Saturday night.

But the rollback was included in the letter Stern sent to Billy Hunter, the union’s executive director. A copy of the letter was obtained by The New York Times.

The union has until 5 p.m. Wednesday to accept the N.B.A.’s last proposal or have it replaced by the reset proposal, Stern wrote.

“Rather than simply proceeding, as we could have, to offer a less favorable proposal at this time, the N.B.A. is providing an additional period of time for the players association to consider our 50/50 proposal,” Stern wrote. “We are hopeful that the prospect of a less favorable outcome for the players will prompt the players association to realize that the best deal that can be reached is the one the N.B.A. is prepared to make right now.”

Stern closes, “Billy, I sincerely hope that we can reach an agreement over the next few days.”

The N.B.A.’s current proposal to the players includes a soft salary cap, a 50 percent share of revenues for players and these features:

¶ Salary-cap and luxury-tax levels in Years 1 and 2 of the new agreement will be no less than they were in 2010-11. By Year 3, they will be adjusted downward to conform to the new system.

¶ Sign-and-trade deals and the biannual exception will be available only to nontaxpaying teams.

¶ Extend-and-trade deals, such as the one signed by Carmelo Anthony last season, will be prohibited.

¶ The midlevel exception will be set at $5 million for nontaxpaying teams, with a maximum length between three and four years (alternating annually). The value of the exception will grow by 3 percent annually, starting in Year 3.

¶ The midlevel exception will be set at $2.5 million for taxpaying teams, with a maximum length of two years, and cannot be used in consecutive years. Its value will also grow at 3 percent annually.

¶ A 10 percent escrow tax will be withheld from player salaries, to ensure that player earnings do not exceed 50 percent of league revenues. An additional withholding will be applied in Year 1 “to account for business uncertainty” stemming from the lockout.

¶ Maximum contract lengths will be five years for “Bird” free agents and four years for others.

¶ Annual contract increases will be 5.5 percent for “Bird” players and 3.5 percent for others.

¶ Players will be paid a prorated share of their 2011-12 salaries, based on the number of games played once the season starts.

¶ Team and player contract options will be prohibited in new contracts, other than rookie deals. But a player can opt out of the final year of a contract if he agrees to zero salary protection (i.e., if it is nonguaranteed).

The “reset” proposal features a flex-cap system that contains an absolute salary ceiling — to be set $5 million above the average team salary. In addition, the N.B.A. would roll back existing contracts “in proportion to system changes in order to ensure sufficient market for free agents.”

The other major differences in the “reset” proposal are:

¶ The midlevel exception would be set at $3 million in Year 1, with a maximum length of three years, and would grow at 3 percent annually.

¶ Maximum salaries would be reduced.

¶ Sign-and-trade rules would remain consistent with the 2005 labor deal.

¶ Contracts would be limited to four years for “Bird” free agents and three years for others, but each team could give a five-year deal to one designated player.

¶ Raises would be limited to 4.5 percent for “Bird” players and 3.5 percent for others.

¶ Changes requested by the union on restricted free agency rules and salary-cap holds would not be included.

Both proposals include an “amnesty” provision that will allow every team to waive one player and have 100 percent of his salary removed from the cap.

 

 

 

[omphalosParticipant]

See, I’m reading that first proposal and I like it. NBA players should just take it, it seems to fix a number of issues.

[tuck243Participant]

SMFH… This ain’t a slice of the cake its the whole damn thing…

[aamir543Participant]

I didn’t see anything that would scare me away if I was a player. It’s like MDymes said the other day, these guys are just greedy, and forgot where they came from.

[Toronto16Participant]

 Change the BRI to 52-48 for the players and let’s play ball.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Greedy bastards.

[The Scare Crow ReturnsParticipant]

the players need to take that and smile…A lot of teams would be better off if this deal goes through…a team like the Sixers for example could cut Elton Brand and clear his 18 million dollar salary, yes we may bomb this season with Thad Young,Speights and Vucevic playing most of the minutes at Pf and C, but we could land a top 5 to 10 pick get a great Pf to pair with Holiday, Turner, Iggy and Thad, and with Elton’s salary gone go after top tier FA Center’s in 2012/2013 Free Agency…I would love to see how the NBA landscape will look post lock out, hopefully there will be more competive Teams throughout the NBA… 

[Johnny Chill]

I hope the Players do give into the Owners. F#ck those greedy bastards.

What the fuck! the players make the NBA not the owners. Fans go watch the players not the owners.

This shit is ridiculous.

Because of this lockout, I dont get to defend my fantasy basketball championship from last season.

I hate watching college basketball, except for my favorite team. Once football is over, it is going to suck.

[NYK2010Participant]

The mid level exception rule is a joke, now teams over the tax can’t sign anyone if they are over the tax even.

Maximum contract lengths will be five years for “Bird” free agents and four years for others.

Pretty soon 3 years will be max for a contract.

Changes requested by the union on restricted free agency rules and salary-cap holds would not be included.

No wonder the players haven’t agreed to anything yet, this is the only decent offer the NBA has come with.

Sign-and-trade deals and the biannual exception will be available only to nontaxpaying teams.

Extend-and-trade deals, such as the one signed by Carmelo Anthony last season, will be prohibited.

So a team can’t even do a sign n trade they’ll have to risk sending players away and have no guarantee that they’ll stay after free agency.

Annual contract increases will be 5.5 percent for “Bird” players and 3.5 percent for others, I don’t like 3.5% incease.  That and the MLE are too much in the owners favor.

Still if the players pass this up the fans will definitely turn on them

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