The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) are reportedly hopeful of reaching a new collective bargaining agreement in the coming weeks.
According to reports, the two sides have been in talks for some time and are now close to reaching an agreement. The negotiations are said to be focused on the structure of the upcoming salary cap and the split of basketball-related income between players and owners.
The current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and NBPA, which was agreed upon in 2017, is set to expire on December 22. If a new agreement is not reached by that date, the NBA could face a lockout, which would mean players would not receive their salaries and teams would not be able to sign free agents.
The two sides are reportedly close to reaching an agreement on the salary cap for the 2021-2022 season, which would be set at $112 million. This would be a slight increase from the current cap of $109 million.
The two sides are also reportedly close to agreeing on the split of basketball-related income. The current split is 50-50, with the players receiving half of all revenue generated by the league. It is believed the two sides are close to agreeing on a 52-48 split, with the players receiving a slightly larger share of the revenue.
It is believed that the two sides are close to reaching an agreement and that a deal could be announced in the coming weeks. If a deal is not reached, the NBA could be facing a lockout, which would be a major blow to the league.
However, with both sides reportedly close to reaching an agreement, it looks like the NBA and NBPA are optimistic that a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached in the coming weeks.