NBA Chat With Alex Kennedy 11/11/11

1. David

   When do you think the Nba Season will start and How many games?

   • Alex Kennedy

     At this point, I have no idea when the season will start. The NBA’s latest offer would start a 72-game season on December 15. However, the union believes David Stern just put that information out to put pressure on the NBPA and make them the bad guys for rejecting the latest offer. This has been one big game of hot potato. Neither side wants to be the bad guy, so they’re passing the decision to end the lockout back and forth. The NBA makes an ultimatum, which puts the decision in the union’s hands. Then, the union calls the NBA’s bluff, putting this back on the owners. Now, with this latest “revised proposal” (which is basically the same deal) and a threat of a 53-47 deal in favor of the owners to follow, the owners basically tossed the hot potato back to the players and sprinted in the opposite direction. I wish I knew when the season would start, but it’s hard to tell at this point.

2. charliechu

   In you opinion do the players accept the latest offer? Can the offer really get any better than what it currently is?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I’ve talked to a number of sources close to the NBPA today and they’ve all said the same thing: “We can’t take that deal.” They say it’s almost identical to the NBA’s last offer, if not worse because they changed the definition of “taxpayer” so the exceptions and other tweaks that had been negotiated would be impossible to obtain. The union wasn’t happy after yesterday’s meeting and they’re still very frustrated today. If you go back and watch Thursday’s press conference, Mo Evans and Chris Paul didn’t stand behind Derek Fisher because they were too upset. The players have a very difficult decision to make because while this deal isn’t what they were hoping for, David Stern insists it’ll only get worse going forward. I have a hard time believing that they’ll accept this offer with everything I’ve heard, but I’m not sure where we go from here if they reject it. Decertification may be the next step, which could mean the entire season is lost.

3. Jaime

   Is this Monday (or Tuesday) really the make or break day for the NBA season? Because as you know, we’ve been led to believe these doomsday moments before, yet there were five more that followed.

   • Alex Kennedy

     Who knows? There have been so many arbitrary deadlines that it’s impossible to tell where things go from here. Last Wednesday was supposed to be doomsday, but instead the two sides returned to the bargaining table. There are some members of the executive committee who don’t believe the NBA’s offer will actually get worse. They think that all of this information about hardline owners pushing to drop the deal to 53-47 and a hard cap is just a threat to scare the players into taking this deal. It’s so hard to predict what will happen next.

4. richard

   when are the 30 reps going to simply poll their teammates to know where a vote would really end up?

   • Alex Kennedy

     Team representatives have been in contact with their teammates. I honestly believe that if the NBPA allowed every player to vote on this deal, the rank-and-file would accept it. However, I don’t think that’s the right decision. Players want to get back on the court and end this process, but they haven’t been following the talks and don’t understand what they’re agreeing to. I get texts and calls every day from players who don’t understand all of the issues being discussed. Even entering last meeting, the majority of team reps wanted to accept the NBA’s offer, but backed down after Billy Hunter wrote down all of the reasons this is a bad deal on a dry erase board. Players trust their team reps because they’ve been following the talks and understand what’s on the line. The only way we’ll see the rank-and-file get to vote on this deal is if the majority of team reps want to accept when they meet on Monday.

5. Andrew

   Hey Alex. First time here. Is having an edge in BRI (for the players) make all the difference? I mean, they get paid millions through their contract, endorsements, and what have you. The owners are to blame, but the players are, too, for this unnecessary labor talks. The players should be fortunate that they do/will have jobs and still get paid very well. What are your thoughts on it?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I’ve been told that this isn’t even about basketball-related income anymore. That’s why the NBPA is willing to take a 50-50 split of BRI. This is about the new system that would restrict player movement. Players want the freedom to choose where they play, and the revised system would make it difficult for them to do that. The BRI has been a huge storyline, but that’s not the main issue anymore. The union realized they weren’t going to win that fight. Now, because the players gave in on BRI, they want the NBA to back off on some of their system demands, but it hasn’t happened. As I said, the owners don’t want a win, they want a blowout.

6. cole

   Whose more greedy, the owners for trying to screw over their employees, or the players for thinking 5 million dollars a year to play basketball is comparable to plantation workers?

   • Alex Kennedy

     Take one look at the amount of concessions that the players have made over the last two years and the answer is obvious. The owners’ latest proposal is almost identical to what they were offering when the two sides met in 2010 during Dallas’ All-Star Weekend. Meanwhile, the players have dropped from 57 percent of BRI to 50 percent, and they’re willing to take on a number of system restrictions. At this point, the players realize that they’ve lost, they just want the little things – like taxpayers’ sign-and-trade and a mid-level exception – to go their way. The plantation workers comment was stupid and the union wasn’t happy with Kessler after he said that. With that said, the reason the lockout hasn’t been resolved is because the owners have already won, but now they’re trying to run up the score.

7. cole

   Does jamal crawford go to portland?

   • Alex Kennedy

     It’s possible. He’s spent a lot of time with Brandon Roy this summer and he does want to play for a winner. I think he’s keeping his options open though. He wants to see which teams have money to spend when the lockout comes to an end and find the best fit for him. I’ll be doing an interview with Jamal in the next few weeks and I’ll try to pick his brain.

8. Josh

   So with the newest information coming out that the NBAPA wont accept this deal we can basically say goodbye to the season right? Next step is decertification and a long drawn out process in court….

   • Alex Kennedy

     That may be the next step. Agents have compiled over 200 player signatures for the union decertification petition. That paperwork could be filed soon, which would mean 45 days until the actual vote to dissolve the union takes place. Some players have said that they’re willing to lose the season in order to stand up against the owners. We’ll see if that’s really the case.

9. charliechu

   There was a rumor floating around the other day about Kyrie Irving playing in Europe if the lockout continues. Bad move right? even if the season gets cancelled he is not under any nba contract yet and if an injury were to occur he would be in trouble. was this said more out of frustation or could you see him going overseas?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I wouldn’t sign abroad if I was Kyrie Irving. He hasn’t signed an NBA contract yet so if he gets injured while playing overseas, he could put his future in jeopardy. I understand he hasn’t made any money yet so he’s struggling like all rookies, but I don’t think signing in Europe is the answer. Start booking some autograph sessions and sign up for charity games that are willing to pay players. The last thing he needs to do is go overseas and reinjure his toe.

10. josue

    Hello Alex? Forgetting the lockout for a second, what do you think of Joans Valanciunas the raports latest pick? In terms of upside and fit, what do you think of him? As well, wouldn’t Harrisson Barnes look good next to bayless, derozan, valanciunas and bargnani?

    Thanks

    • Alex Kennedy

      I like the pick a lot. He has a lot of potential and I think he would have went higher if it weren’t for all of the drama surrounding his buyout. The Raptors got a steal and I think he’ll be a very good player in the NBA. He was great in all of the international tournaments this summer. He’s excellent in the pick-and-roll and should have no problem fitting in with the Raptors.

      I think Harrison Barnes, Quincy Miller or Michael Gilchrist would look great in that lineup. Those three are all young small forwards with a ton of potential, and that’s exactly what Toronto needs to complete their core.

11. Josh

    This is a sad day for basketball fans and workers. When this is all said and done the owners will still be billionaires and the players will still be millionaires. Meanwhile, the workers who make 30k lose their jobs and the fans lose out on simple entertainment that makes players and owners wealthy in the first place.

    • Alex Kennedy

      You’re right. It’s a sad day and everyone loses. I’m curious to see if the NBA receives the same amount of support when the lockout ends. Has the casual fan moved on? Is the season ticket holder fed up? We’ll see.