Laker Nation

Do you hear that? It’s the deafening silence of NBA basketball, a sound that will likely be heard throughout the dying ’11-12 NBA season. By not coming to an agreement on the details of a new CBA, both the players and the owners unintentionally came to an agreement on one thing: Launching the nuclear option, a worst-case-scenario for all parties involved, and the possible end to any hope of NBA basketball this season.

Wait for it, wait for it…Yep, it’s another riveting NBA lockout update, brought to you by… really, at this point, who cares. What we do care about is a deal getting completed (sooner rather than later) and the belated start of the ’11-12 NBA season.

With the NBA labor situation steadily climbing to its peak of uncertainty, Kobe Bryant is finally speaking out. This afternoon, he spoke with Yahoo! Sports. “We need for the two sides to get together again before Wednesday, because we’re too close to getting a deal done. We need to iron out the last system items and save this from spiraling into a nuclear winter.”

Yesterday’s NBA labor meeting followed a familiar script. When the smoke cleared, the result was eerily (and pathetically) the same: No Deal.

Yep, it’s about that time again. After a complete meltdown last week, the players and owners are scheduled for another cocktail mixer in a plush Manhattan hotel tomorrow afternoon. On the agenda? Well, that’s tough to say, considering neither side has shown even a trace of willingness to concede anything.

NBPA President Derek Fisher and Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock exchange blows in the latest set of drama from the NBA lockout.

Today marks the resurfacing of Shaq vs. Kobe feud, an almost decade-long quarrel that ripped apart one of the greatest duos in NBA history. In Shaq’s new autobiography, Shaq Uncut: My Story, the Diesel shares his take on the feud, how it all got started and, well, quite a bit more:

The BRI (basketball related income) split – which has long been the elephant in the room during recent discussions – took a seat on the negotiating table this afternoon and squashed any lingering sense of optimism built up over the last several days of meetings.

According to multiple sources, the NBA will be erasing another two weeks from their shortened schedule today, eliminating any games scheduled through November 28th.

Last week, Jerry West released his autobiography, West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. We have two (2) copies to give away to you, and two different ways you can win.

Not that you haven’t already heard (#NBARank has been trending on Twitter in Los Angeles), but according to ESPN, Kobe Bryant is currently the 7th best player in the NBA.

LakerNation.com editor-in-chief Jason Riley reviews Jerry West's upcoming autobiography "West by West: My Charmed and Tormented Life". In it, he describes a tormented and conflicted man whose many successes were often overshadowed by his own internal demons. Jerry West also shares his thoughts on Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry Buss and others.

According to reports this afternoon, that was on the agenda, but will not be happening. The players meeting request was met with a callous rejection by the owners, who also added that no further meetings would be agreed to until the players accepted a 50/50 split in BRI (Basketball Related Income).

On Wednesday morning, Kobe Bryant stopped by a UCSB classroom where he fielded some questions - specifically addressing Kwame Brown and Smush Parker - during an informal Q&A session with a group of students and their professor.