NBA labor leaders meet to try to avoid cancellation of regular-season games

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

An 11th-hour effort to avoid the cancellation of NBA regular-season games is underway as league and union officials are meeting Sunday.

Union President Derek Fisher, union Executive Director Billy Fisher and NBA Commisioner David Stern are attending the session at an undisclosed location believed to be in New York, a basketball official said Sunday afternoon.

Stern said last week he’ll cancel the first two weeks of the season Monday if the sides can’t agree on a new labor deal.

The owners have locked out the players since July 1, and the regular season is scheduled to tip off Nov. 1.

Last week the NBA cancelled the remainder of the preseason.

The sides are in disagreement over how to split basketball-related income (BRI), with the players most recently declining to accept less than 53% while the owners are seeking a seven-percent players’ cut from last season to 50%.

--Lance Pugmire