Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 4, 1995 TAG: 9508040054
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
Talks between the NBA and its union broke off Thursday night with no agreement reached, putting the 1995-96 season in greater jeopardy.
After almost four hours of negotiations the two sides made no progress toward resolving the critical issue of the luxury tax, and no further talks were scheduled.
The union said its door remains open and if no new deal is reached by midnight Tuesday, it will agree to relinquish its authority as the players' bargaining agent.
``We gave the players a set of very meaningful proposals that addressed the issues, and we reached for our players,'' NBA commissioner David Stern said. ``We will remain locked out.''
Union president Buck Williams of the Portland Trail Blazers said the league's proposals were unacceptable.
On Thursday, Stern reiterated the league will continue its lockout if the union decertifies, saying the NBA will negotiate with the existing union or not negotiate at all.
``If there's no union, the owners won't play the '95 season,'' Stern said before the meeting. ``The owners will keep the players locked out.''
In Thursday's negotiations, the union was seeking loopholes for teams that go over the approximately $23 million salary cap. They would include a floating $1.5 million slot for free agents, a provision to allow teams to use half an injured player's salary to sign another player and a provision that would allow players who have played for the same team for two years to re-sign at double their salaries.
``If we don't get a deal done,'' Williams said, ``I definitely feel the next season is in jeopardy.''
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB