NEW YORK (AP) — Joined by superstars such as Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony, player representatives from NBA teams are meeting to discuss the league’s proposal for a new labor deal.
If the player reps endorse it, it would go to a vote of all players. If approved, the lockout would end, and a 72-game season would start Dec. 15.
But if the union leadership rejects the offer Monday, the league is prepared to offer a harsher backup proposal — one players wouldn’t accept, possibly triggering a lengthy legal battle and certainly jeopardizing the 2011-12 season.
Commissioner David Stern has urged players to take the deal on the table, saying it’s the best the NBA can offer and warned that decertification is not a winning strategy.
