The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in the summer of 2017, putting fear in the hearts of fans across the globe that the league could be in for another work stoppage. If Michele Roberts, the new head of the NBAPA, has her way, the labor dispute will never get that far.
Michele Roberts says NBA, union hope to reach labor agreement by year’s end
The NBAPA’s new boss is already talking with Adam Silver in hopes of avoiding a lockout.
Pete Marovich/Getty Images
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Roberts said she has already begun negotiating with Commissioner Adam Silver, and that the union and league hope to announce a new deal “within the end of the season,” according to a new interview with Italian outlet Sportando. Roberts says she’ll meet with Silver again in September and that both sides “want to do everything possible to prevent the NBA to stop.”
With $24 billion entering the league thanks to a new TV deal, there has already been some tough talk on both sides ahead of negotiations. This is par for the course entering a labor dispute, but it’s encouraging that Silver and Roberts have an open dialogue and aim to avoid a work stoppage.
The NBA lost 16 games to a work stoppage in the 2011-12 regular season, when a labor dispute prevented the season from beginning until Christmas. Both Silver and Roberts are negotiating deals in their current roles for the first time.
See More:
