NBA players 'overwhelming response' to the league's proposals for the 2020-21 season 'has been negative' but opposition is no sign of wider opposition to Collective Bargaining Agreement, says players union chief Michele Roberts
Thursday 29 October 2020 08:40, UK
National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) executive director Michele Roberts says that players are currently mostly against the league's 72-game proposal for the 2020-21 season, which includes a December 22 tip-off.
With a Friday deadline for owners or players to choose to reject the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, Roberts told The Athletic on Wednesday that the proposal is being reviewed extensively.
She was adamant that no players' decision would be reached this week.
"We have requested and are receiving data from the parties involved and will work on a counterproposal as expeditiously as possible," Roberts said. "I have absolutely no reason to believe that we will have a decision by Friday. I cannot and will not view Friday as a drop-dead date."
Members of the NBA Board of Governors are mulling the feasibility of a short free agency period following the November 18 draft with training camps starting on December 1.
The proposal, in part, is a response to the league's reported $1.5 billion financial shortfall caused by the coronavirus pandemic, including loss of in-stadium revenue, the costs of staging the NBA restart near Orlando and diminished additional revenue streams.
Roberts cited the personal sacrifices made by players during this pandemic-laced campaign, which composed of 22 teams restarting and finishing a shortened regular season before a normal postseason format, with the Los Angeles Lakers being crowned champions earlier this month.
While Roberts did not portray any opposition to the league's initial proposal as a sign of serious labour strife - she shared that players and owners are not far apart on issues like the salary cap and tax concerns - she talked firmly about the players' desire to proceed with caution.
"Our players deserve the right to have some runway so that they can plan for a start that soon," Roberts said. "The overwhelming response from the players that I have received to this proposal has been negative."
