and might change the thinking. You have to imagine though that not having a grandfather clause for existing contracts would eventually be pulled back.

My other thoughts immediately after reading this was, it sets up a potential split within the players. The top end players will obviously be bitterly opposed to these changes but numbers-wise they only represent a small fraction of all the players. Would the rest of the guys be willing to endure a long labor stoppage to protect those top-end guys?

I didn’t even read that….I was just excited to see Mike Lisboa’s by-line. Now I’ll read it.

If there’s no incentive to go sign the biggest contract out there before the new CBA, why not opt in for the final year and play somewhere that loves you (mostly).

I was more interested in the fact that guaranteed contracts might be reduced, long term deals to big names are fine, it’s the inability to get out of bad deals that harms many NBA franchises…see Gilbert Areanas or Tracy McGrady – if guys could be waived…why not.

This is all posturing though…it’s the first salvo in a long battle…the NBA won’t get everything it wants so it’s going to include some things they know they can’t get so they seem magnanimous when they remove it from their requests.

I expect the biggies to be the hard cap, shorter and smaller max sizes…and a reduction in the percentage.

The Unions first response

Ludicrous

This isn’t going to go well…Stern taking an MLB approach, I wouldnt’ be surprised to see two major sports leagues (NFL and NBA) closed down around the same time

If this provision is even in the initial proposal…I’d expect a cage match between Stern and Hunter before this gets settled…GEEZ…! The resistance to that would be of biblical proportions….