All season long, Carmelo Anthony seemed optimistic about the NBA Player’s Association and team owners reaching a new collective bargaining agreement before the Dec. 15 deadline. But the Knicks’ All-Star forward backtracked on his rhetoric on Saturday, now claiming he’s “skeptical of something getting done” before Thursday’s opt-out date.
Carmelo Anthony ‘skeptical’ about getting a new CBA done before Thursday’s deadline
NBPA and owners caught over CBA details.
Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
”Do I think something could happen by the 15th? Yeah I think something could happen. But I think this kind of put a dent in conversations,” said Anthony, also an NBPA vice president. “We had something so close. We were supposed to have a deal done weeks ago, and for this to happen at the 25th hour is tough.”
Anthony declined to go into specific details, but there has been a “snag” in reaching a new deal. If not resolved, the NBA could see a lockout similar to the work stoppage that shortened the 2011-12 season to 66 games.
There have been four NBA lockouts in the game’s history, including the six-month work stoppage in the 1998-99 season that cut the season to 50 games. The talks up until recently have gone smoothly. So NBPA First Vice President LeBron James says he hopes both sides come to an agreement before the deadline.
“We got to stay optimistic,” James said after his Cavaliers’ Saturday win over Charlotte. “But obviously Melo is saying he has some concerns with it. We still got a few days, we still got a few days. Obviously our game right now is the best it’s ever been from where it is right here domestically to all the way around the world so hopefully both sides come to an agreement.”
Chris Paul, the union’s president, told reporters from the Clippers’ Saturday win that the two sides are working tirelessly to reach a deal in time.
The NBPA areas of emphasis in the new CBA include shortening the preseason, expanding the definition of Basketball Related Income, increased Development League salaries, and tweaking the league’s drug testing policies.
The snag is legitimate, tweeted NBA.com’s David Aldridge, Anthony insisted that “as players, we want to get a deal done.”
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