NEW YORK (AP) — NBA Commissioner David Stern accepted some congratulations, headed for another short night of sleep, then planned to brief his owners on a deal that could change the way they do business.
Players, looking beat and beaten, face a tougher healing process in approving an agreement that significantly limits their earnings.
After a 149-day lockout, owners and players reached a tentative new labor deal early Saturday, one they expect will be ratified in time to start the season with a Dec. 25 tripleheader.
It comes at a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars for both sides, on top of the fans and jobs that were lost during the stalemate. And it leaves the NBA with its second shortened season, with the hope of getting in 66 games instead of a full 82-game schedule.
