NBA Lockout: Progress Made, But System Issues Still Remain

The NBA lockout talks are still ongoing, despite reports on Thursday afternoon indicating a deal had been made, or was about to be made. But instead of emerging to announce an end to the lockout, those involved in the talk slipped away for the break before getting back to the negotiating table in New York on Thursday evening. And while progress has been made, according to reports, hurdles in the form of system issues still remain.

CBS Sports’ Ken Berger reports progress was made on the mid-level exception. But issues remained with the luxury tax threshold, as well.

Also Thursday, a new hurdle emerged in the discussion over when teams would face the new restrictions owners are proposing for teams above the luxury tax threshold. Two of the people briefed on the talks said owners were pushing for teams under the tax at the time of the transaction to be restricted from using the full mid-level -- four-year deals starting at $5 million -- if the signing put the team over the tax. In that case, the team would be restricted to use of the mini mid-level. Union negotiators want the new restrictions to be based on where a team’s payroll sits in relation to the tax prior to the use of the exception -- not where it stands afterward.

In addition to the system issue, the two sides are still at odds over revenue sharing, which remains a point of contention in the negotiating. But the NBA and NBPA are still talking some nine hours after they began on Thursday.