NBA Labor Stalemate Has Rose Looking Overseas
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Sep 29, 2011 3:30PM
NBA players continue to look into options to play overseas, whether to stay in shape or make up for their missing NBA paychecks. The Bulls' Derrick Rose is the latest to discuss playing overseas if there is a prolonged work stoppage.
During an appearance at the opening of a new park in his native Englewood, Rose discussed the possibility. "Yes, I am taking into consideration that I might move overseas," Rose said. "I don't know where. There are a lot of great places overseas. I haven't really had time to get the details of every place." Rose claims to have one concrete offer on the table, but we can't imagine very many teams not be interested in the NBA's reigning MVP.
With talks for a new labor agreement between NBA owners and players set to resume tomorrow, commissioner David Stern is already resorting to scare tactics, suggesting that if a deal isn't close by the end of the weekend, he'd consider cancelling the 2011-12 season entirely. Said Stern on Wednesday, "I'm focused on let's get the two committees in and see whether they can either have a season or not have a season, and that's what's at risk this weekend."
While most agree a deal needs to be in place to ensure a complete 82-game schedule is still possible, why would the season be an all-or-nothing proposition? Already, the league delayed the opening of training camps and cancelled a slate of 43 preseason games.
When the league last faced a lockout, in 1998, the players and owners didn't reach a deal until early January after which a 50 game season began in February. So why the threats to call off the season so early? Stern seems eager to see progress in the stalemate that has reached 90 days with no seeming end in sight.
The two sides remain fairly far apart in terms of their demands. League owners wanted to cut the percentage of league revenue going to players from 57 percent to 46 percent and institute a hard salary cap. They softened slightly this week, bumping that percentage upt o 48 and allowing for limited use of the "Larry Bird" cap exception, a reduced mid level exception and increased "luxury tax" fees for salary over the cap.