The new CBA and how it affects the 76ers

As details of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that was agreed upon in principle leak, we take a look at how the changes affect the Sixers upcoming roster decisions.

NBA Lockout Over, Sixers to Begin Training Camp December 9

Now that the NBA Lockout is finally over it's time for the Philadelphia 76ers to start thinking training camp and free agency. The new owners will have to make some tough decisions right away.

NBA Lockout Over: Tentative Agreement Reached

NBA players and owners arrived at a tentative agreement to end the NBA lockout on early Saturday morning, David Stern and Billy Hunter announced in a joint press conference.

The deal will be put to a majority vote among 450 players and 29 owners before becoming finalized, and smaller issues still need to be ironed out. But all indications are that a 66-game NBA season will begin on Dec. 25, with training camps and free agency both opening on Dec. 9.

After filing a disclaimer of interest that effectively dissolved the union, the players association still needs to reform and hold a vote before the deal can be ratified. Ending a 149-day long stalemate caused by several negotiating hurdles, the players and owners reportedly agreed to a 50-50 split of Basketball Related Income (BRI) and the owners reportedly made "significant" movement toward the players' stance on system issues.

The NBA season is scheduled to begin on Christmas Day with three games: Boston Celtics at New York Knicks, Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks, and Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Lakers.

-- For more 76ers coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Liberty Ballers. Or you can visit our NBA page for league-wide coverage.

NBA Lockout Update: Players Reject Deal, Will File Disclaimer Of Interest

The NBA players association has decided to file a disclaimer of interest, effectively beginning the process of disbanding the union, and also intend to file an anti-trust lawsuit against the NBA.

"This is the best decision for the players," union president Derek Fisher said. "I want to reiterate that point, that a lot of individual players have a lot of things personally at stake in terms of their careers and where they stand. And right now they feel it's important -- we all feel it's important to all our players, not just the ones in this room, but our entire group -- that we not only try to get a deal done for today but for the body of NBA players that will come into this league over the next decade and beyond."

The union was offered a proposal this weekend that doubled as an ultimatum from David Stern and the NBA owners, but Fisher said player representatives voted unanimously in favor of voting down the offer. 

-- For more NBA coverage, visit our league page. For the latest on lockout negotiations, visit our lockout stream.

NBA Lockout Update: Deadline Passes, But Players And Owners Still Negotiating

Though NBA commissioner David Stern's 5 p.m. deadline for the players union to accept the terms of his latest collective bargaining proposal has passed, the two sides are still in meetings to hammer out a new deal and end the lockout, according to a report from the Associated Press.

On Monday, Stern had offered the players a deal in which they would receive between 49 and 51 percent of basketball-related income (BRI) and told them if the NBA Players Association did not accept by 5 p.m. Wednesday, the next proposal would leave them with only 47 percent of the BRI. Union officials have said that the deal Stern proposed would not allow them to have any more than 50.2 percent of BRI and on Tuesday, union president Derek Fisher publicly stated that he would not accept the deal.

As a result, meetings were scheduled Wednesday morning for the players and owners to negotiate in small groups. The meetings began at about 1 p.m. and have continued since.

NBA Lockout Update: Derek Fisher Says Union Will Reject David Stern's Ultimatum Proposal

After meeting with player representatives from 29 of the NBA's 30 teams, NBA Players Association president Derek Fisher said Tuesday that the union will not be accepting the latest proposal from the NBA's owners and commissioner David Stern. The deal in question included a 50/50 split of basketball-related income and came with an ultimatum from Stern that if the players did not accept the deal by Wednesday, the proposals offered them would be come increasingly worse.

Fisher said that though he would be rejecting the proposal offered him, he would consider a 50/50 split if the owners were willing to make accommodations for the players on other issues.

"We're open-minded on potential compromises on the number, but there are things in the system that are not up for negotiation for us to have a season," Fisher said.

Fisher is thought to be referring to the debate over a smaller mid-level exception for luxury tax teams and a ban on sign-and-trade deals for tax team, both of which the union feels would undermine players' negotiating powers.

NBA Lockout Update: David Stern Confirms Wednesday Deadline

NBA commissioner David Stern confirm this evening that the NBA Players Association has until Wednesday to accept the 50/50 split of basketball related income (BRI) the league offered earlier Monday or ultimately settle for a deal that was far worse.

"We think there's a great offer on table, and we told the players, 'It's getting late,'" Stern said on SportsCenter. "The only rational thing is to make that deal because given what is going on in our business and our industry, it will get worse from there. We told the players ... an offer of 47% will become operative with a hard cap in effect [if they don't accept.]"

Stern also spoke out against the reported movement by some player representatives toward decertification, citing this summer's NFL lockout as precedent that such a move would not be allowed by the courts.

"I don't think it would affect it particularly much," Stern said. "The reality is that decertification route was tried by the NFL players and the court of appeals for 8th Circuit soundly rejected the attempt. I don't know what they're thinking."    

The one thing Stern did say that might offer fans hope of seeing professional basketball this season was that he is not yet ready to call off the remainder of the season just yet.

"I don't think it would affect it particularly much," Stern said. "The reality is that decertification route was tried by the NFL players and the court of appeals for 8th Circuit soundly rejected the attempt. I don't know what they're thinking."

NBA Lockout Update: Players Plotting To Flush Entire Season

50 players and a handful of agents are at least exploring the option of dissolving the players union to gain leverage in the NBA labor negotiations. If the league calls their bluff, this season is toast.

NBA Lockout 2011: Talks of Decertification By Players Union

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:

Angry with the concessions already made to the owners and fearful of worse ones coming with the completion of a new collective bargaining agreement, the players could push for a scenario that throws negotiations into chaos and could eventually lead to the loss of the 2011-12 season. 

50 NBA players participated in a conference call with an antitrust attorney on Thursday to discuss the possibility of decertification. In order to force a vote for decertification the Union would need 30 percent of its members to sign a petition. The 50 players who participated in the call represent approximately 12 percent.

"We're beyond frustrated with the concessions that have already been made," one source on the calls said. "If the union gives in on the [basketball-related income] split and the open system issues don't go to the players side, decertification may be the next step."

The two sides are scheduled to meet again on Saturday, November 5.

The public decertification threat could either be bargaining tactic by the Players Union going into Saturday's crucial negotiations, or a legitimate threat that puts the 2011-12 season in serious jeopardy. 

-- For more NBA coverage, visit our league page. For the latest on lockout negotiations, visit our lockout stream.

NBA Lockout Update: Players And Owners To Reconvene Saturday

After a breakdown in talks between the National Basketball Association Players Association and NBA owners last Friday forced the league to cancel all games through Nov. 30, the two sides will hope to prevent the cancellation of more when they reconvene Saturday, according to a report Thursday from ESPN.

The cancellation of games through the end of November also meant the league would be unable to play out a full, 82- game season in 2011-2012. According to the report, Saturday's meeting could be the last chance for the players and owners to come to some sort of an agreement before commissioner David Stern has to cancel another batch of games.

The two sides have been making progress on how they will structure the salary cap when the league resumes play, the luxury tax and the mid-level exception. But there remains a gap in the percentage of basketball-related income (BRI) each side feels it should be entitled to. The owners have offered the players somewhere around 50 percent of the BRI, but the players union has been deadset on getting 52 percent.

-- For more NBA coverage, visit our league page. For the latest on lockout negotiations, visit our lockout stream.

NBA Lockout Update: Labor Talks Break Down, Season Canceled Through Nov. 30

NBA Commissioner David Stern today (Oct. 28, 2011) announced the cancellation of all games through Nov. 30 following another breakdown in labor talks between the players and union.

ESPN has more:

Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split, while players last formally proposed they get 52.5 percent, leaving them about $100 million apart annually. Players were guaranteed 57 percent in the previous collective bargaining agreement. The players will not accept a 50-50 split, union executive director Billy Hunter and union president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers said. "Derek and I made it clear that we could not take the 50-50 deal to our membership. Not with all the concessions that we granted," Hunter said. "We said we got to have some dollars."

Friday's "roadblock" centered around Basketball Related Income (BRI), the same sticking point that's plagued negotiations since talks began.

The two sides don't appear to be any closer to an agreement despite a marathon of meetings that took place throughout the week. Right now it's official, the NBA won't be able to play a full season.

And unless something drastic happens, they won't be able to play any season at all.

For more on Friday's labor talks click here.

NBA Lockout Talks Break Down Over BRI Percentage Says Sources

The NBA lockout looked to have made a turn for the better with players and owners opening up talks. There was optimism that a deal could be reached soon and that the NBA season would begin sooner rather than later. However, it seems that players and owners are further away than originally suspected.

Howard Beck of the New York Times was the first to report that the talks broke down on Friday afternoon.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN was the first to confirm that it was in regards to the Basketball Related Income (BRI) and that neither side could come to an agreement over an acceptable percentage. 

However, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports is reporting that the BRI was not the sole reason for the sides not reaching an agreement.

SBNation Philly will keep you updated as more news is released regarding the NBA lockout. 

NBA Lockout Update: Cooler Heads Could Save The Season

If the big issues can be settled this week, we may have a full slate of 82 games to watch this season. As a Sixers fan, that's great news on a couple of different levels.

NBA Lockout Update: Union Says They're 'Within Striking Distance,' Stern Says 'No Guarantees'

One side sounds a little too optimistic. And perhaps one side doesn't sound optimistic enough.

That's the story coming out of Thursday's negotiations between the NBA players and owners, who spent another seven and a half-hours trying to find a way to end the 2011 Lockout.

From Union Executive Director Billy Hunter (via ESPN):

"I think we're within reach and within striking distance of getting a deal. It's just a question of how receptive the NBA is and whether or not they want to do a deal."

To which NBA Commissioner David Stern replied:

"There are no guarantees that we'll get it done, but we're going to give it one heck of a shot tomorrow.  think that Billy and the union's negotiators feel the same way. I know that ours do ... we anticipate there will be some important and additional progress -- or not."

Stern's cautious approach likely stems from the fact that neither side has begun discussing the split of basketball-related income, the sticking point that has continued to doom negotiations from the beginning.

Players remain steadfast in their desire to earn a 52-48 split, and Hunter has not given any indication that his side would waver on that number.

With two weeks of the regular season already canceled, something's got to give -- and soon -- or the only thing these two will be splitting is cab fare.

Stay tuned.

NBA Lockout 2011: League Will Reportedly Cancel At Least Two More Weeks

If the NBA plans on playing any basketball in the 2011 season, it’s unlikely to happen before December.

That’s because a report from the NY Daily News today brings word that league officials on Tuesday (Oct. 25, 2011) will announce the cancellation of an additional two weeks of play.

The NBA will be cancelling at least two more weeks of its season, according to a person familiar with the league’s plans … With talks broken off between the owners and players, and the two sides far apart on major "system" issues, the cancellations are expected to total at least 102 more games, through Nov. 28.

No further talks have been scheduled at this time, despite the public outcry from unhappy NBA fans left stranded at courtside.

Today’s news comes on the heels of last week’s see-saw of negotiating. What started as "minor progress" quickly deteriorated into a "major setback."

Brian Ward recently declared the NBA season was "slipping away." Based on this most recent update, it’s hard not to agree.

Stay tuned.

NBA Lockout Update: The Season Is Slipping Away

Neither side wants to be the first to blink on the two big issues because neither side wants to lose on both. Now we're all left staring at more lost games, and possibly a lost season.

NBA Lockout 2011: Negotiations Dealt "Major Setback" Thursday Evening

Just when it looked like things were heading in the right direction, negotiations between the NBA's owners and its players took a "major setback" Thursday night, according to a tweet from Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski.

A source told him that labor talks have ended for the evening and that there are no new meetings scheduled for in the future. According to the report, discussion over how to split the league's Basketball Related Income (BRI) broke down after it was thought earlier that the two sides were moving toward a 50-50 split.

This ends three long days of negotiations, presided over by federal mediator George Cohen, that had a number of fans hopeful progress might be made toward ending the lockout. The league has already canceled the first two weeks of its regular season, and commissioner David Stern said last week that if a deal wasn't struck this week, the NBA would probably not return until after Christmas.

Check back here soon for reactions from owners and players as the story develops.

NBA Lockout 2011: Stern Not In Person At Thursday Meeting, But Minor Progress Being Made

NBA commissioner David Stern is participating in Thursday's meeting with NBA Players Association representatives and league owners over the phone due to a bout of the flu, but Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting  that the players and owners have made progress on several small issues over the past two days of negotiations.

In the over 24 hours the two sides spent with federal mediator George Cohen on Tuesday and Wednesday, Wojnarowski says there is very nearly an agreement on a midlevel exception starting at $5 million with annual raises over three years. In addition, owners are proposing performance-based incentives for players in their rookie contracts, which currently can not be negotiated until after the third year of the four-year contract. This would allow players who are worth more than their original contract to make up some of the difference by being paid for making an All-Star team, winning Rookie of the Year and reaching other achievements. 

Meanwhile, Ken Berger of CBS Sports reported an amnesty clause is being considered, which would allow each team to cut one player per year and have 75 percent of that player's contract removed from the team's salary cap. The teams would still be required to pay the player his entire contract over a period of time Wojnarowski said the two sides are still discussing. The amnesty clause is expected to be agreed upon fairly soon and the two sides are also getting closer to an agreement on the league's revenue split, with something close to a 50-50 split looking like the meeting point.

Despite the recent progress, it is important to remember there is still quite a bit of work left to do, especially on the proposed luxury tax that would discourage high-salary teams for overspending, a move the players are naturally opposed to. We'll have more updates right here at SB Nation as the story develops.

NBA Lockout 2011: Players And Owners Finish 2nd Day Of Discussions With Federal Mediator

After a marathon 16-hour negotiating session Tuesday, the NBA owners and players reconvened with federal mediator George Cohen around 10 a.m. Wednesday and talked until just shy of 7 p.m. in a Manhattan hotel. Bargaining had been expected to come to a halt Wednesday and Thursday because the owners had board meetings to attend, according to a report from ESPN.com. Talks will continue Thursday at 2 p.m.

According to a tweet from Yahoo!'s ace NBA reporter, Adrian Wojnarowski, a source involved in the talks said the two sides have made little actual progress toward ending the NBA lockout. NBA commissioner David Stern reportedly left the hotel with Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck in order to attend the NBA Board of Governors Planning Committee meeting, which is working to create a new revenue-system for the league once a deal is struck. Deputy commissioner Adam Silver and Spurs owner Peter Holt stayed after to talk with representatives from the NBA Players Association.

VIDEO: David Stern Brings Chainsaw to NBA Negotiations, Shows Off 42-inch Vertical

NBA Lockout Update: Commissioner David Stern Says Lockout Could Last Past Christmas

In an interview with Mike Francesa on New York’s WFAN, NBA commissioner David Stern said Thursday that if the NBA Lockout isn’t fixed during Tuesday’s meeting with federal mediator George Cohen in Washington, D.C., fans could be without basketball for quite some time.

When asked if the league would be playing ball on Christmas Day, Stern’s response was far from encouraging. “It’s time to make a deal. If we don’t make it Tuesday, my gut … is that we won’t be playing on Christmas Day,” he said.

The news comes after the league announced this past Monday that it would cancel the first two weeks of the season at the beginning of November, costing the Philadelphia 76ers their first seven games of the regular season.

After what was a banner season for the league in 2010-2011, the NBA is teetering dangerously close to missing more and more of the 2011-2012 campaign.

NBA Lockout Update: Let's Point Some Fingers

Thousands of jobs are on the line as the owners and players can't take their egos out of the equation and decide how to split almost $2 billion in profits.

NBA Lockout Update: Philadelphia 76ers Schedule Loses The Following Games After Two Week Cancellation

The first two weeks of the 2011-2012 NBA Season have been cancelled after the league failed to reach an agreement with the Player’s Association on Monday night (Oct. 10, 2011).

As a result, the following games on the Philadelphia 76ers schedule have been cancelled:

Nov. 2: Philadelphia 76ers at Toronto Raptors
Nov. 4: Minnesota Timberwolves at Philadelphia 76ers
Nov. 6: Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic
Nov. 9: Philadelphia 76ers at Houston Rockets
Nov. 11: Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers
Nov. 13: Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Clippers
Nov. 14: Philadelphia 76ers at Portland Trail Blazers

Unfortunately the work stoppage may continue after the two-week period expires as no new developments have been reported and the two sides are currently far apart on most (if not all) of the major sticking points.

The NBA and the Player’s Association are expected to meet at some point next week, which leaves them little time to save the remainder of the season if by some miracle the wrinkles are ironed out in time to play ball.

NBA Lockout Update: NBA, Union Meeting In Last Ditch Attempt To Save Season

The NBA and the Players Association are expected to meet tonight in a last ditch effort to prevent games from being lost. NBA commissioner David Stern had previously stated that if an agreement was not reached by Monday that the first two weeks of the regular season would be lost.

Stern, along with deputy commissioner Adam Silver, union president Derek Fisher and executive director Billy Hunter will all attend the meeting.

Earlier this week the NBA offered a 50-50 split of basketball related incoming. The players had previously gotten 57% in the previous agreement, and have proposed lowering that to 53%. Neither side has publicly stated they would bend any more. 3% of the basketball related income would represent about $120 million for the 2011-2012 season.

Many high profile players were down in Miami for an exhibition game Saturday night in which they were briefed on the status of the meetings. The players union plans on having a meeting out in Los Angeles Monday.

The last time the NBA missed games due to lockout was during the 1998-1999 season, which was shortened to 50 games after a deal was reached on January 6th. Games begin nearly a month later on February 5th.

NBA Lockout Update: The First Domino Is About To Fall

According to multiple reports, later today we'll see the first tangible loss of the NBA lockout. Training camps won't be opening on time and some preseason games will also be lost.

First two weeks of NBA preseason canceled

After little progress was made earlier today, the NBA is expected to announce cancellation of the first two weeks of training camp and preseason tomorrow in a conference call with league owners.