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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.”
Meanwhile, a rift between players continues to threaten the NBPA, and most importantly, the chances of an NBA season.
There are some, like Bryant, who believe a deal is on the doorstep and now is the time to bring it home and get a new CBA completed. Reportedly Lakers guard Steve Blake shares Kobe’s posture and has spent the last couple days attempting to rally support for an NBPA vote on the latest proposal.
On the other side is a growing contingent of unhappy players (and their agents) who are pushing for union decertification, a process that could potentially produce a better deal down the road. If executed, much of the labor battle would happen in legal courts, rather than a Manhattan hotel.
In order to decertify, 30% of active players would need to sign a petition, then following a 45-day period, a majority vote amongst the entire union would be needed. Many legal experts have speculated that a decertification would be “nuclear” and would almost certainly spell the end of the ’11-12 NBA season.
The only thing we know for sure is that the NBPA is scheduled to have a league-wide meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) to weigh their options.
We ask you: Do you think the players should accept the owners latest proposal?
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