Stern: Owners moved off the hard cap. Previously agreed guaranteed contracts would be authorized, no rollbacks. Players could opt out 7 yrs
Stern expected to say rest of preseason cancelled and first two weeks of regular season cancelled without a deal by Monday, source says.
Stern: league offered players an opt-out After yr seven of 10-year proposal. Players offered 50-50 BRI split, but rejected it.
David Stern: "By Monday, we'll have no choice but to cancel the first two weeks of the regular season."
Stern refused to say whether 50-50 offer was one-day only. Says league will lose $200 million as a result of no preseason
The Celtics getting pissed is totally understandable. Losing a season while in the twilight of their respective careers essentially kills their chances at competing for a title again.
Stern says any new offer will be adjusted for the eight games (or so) players were obligated to play in preseason.
What's really fucked up is NBA Entertainment was following Kobe around for some special they're doing on him. So the league has lockout the players, the teams can't mention them by name but the Entertainment division of the NBA can still film them, lol.
Silver said he, Stern, Holt and Hunter/Fisher tried to strike this deal in small group of 50-50 based on old BRI formula.
Kevin Garnett was extremely emotional in players pre-meeting, sources say. He was rallying peers to hold firm on BRI split.