"We did not have a good day." That was NBA commissioner David Stern's initial statement when he emerged from Tuesday's bargaining session with the players union. Stern's grim pronouncement spread on Twitter even faster than rumors of a political sex scandal, and felt like a stomach punch to basketball fans hoping for an end to the lockout.
But the situation may not be as grim as the commish led us to believe. It seems the NBA and NBPA are actually very close to agreement on one of the two big issues that must be settled before the business of basketball can resume, but still miles apart on the other. According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, who has been following the talks as closely as anyone, the sides have reached a tentative agreement on high-level economics - on how the league and its players will split the NBA's $4 billion-plus in annual revenue.
But that's just half the battle.
The owners still want a hard salary cap... and that's the last thing the players want to give.
So what happens next? Opinions on that point vary wildly. Chris Sheridan believes both sides are posturing, and that there is still a good chance they'll reach a deal in time to save a complete season. But Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! thinks players' attitude towards Billy Hunter and NBPA leadership? is approaching an open revolt, and that several prominent player agents could force a vote on decertification very soon.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall when the union meets in Las Vegas this week.
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