New York (AFP) - The NBA and its players union are expected to extend Wednesday's early opt-out contract deadline as talks on a new collective bargaining agreement continue, ESPN reported on Monday.
Citing unnamed sources, the US-based sports network said talks are going well enough to push back a deadline already moved from December 15 to avoid issues opting out would create.
The current seven-year deal between the league and the National Basketball Players Association expires after the 2023-24 season.
If either side decided to opt out of the deal early on June 30 after the current campaign, trades and free agency and other league business would shut down with a lockout likely and the risk of missing regular-season games starting next October.
A major reason for optimism in negotiations has been the NBA's willingness to soften an original desire for a hard upper-level spending limit on team payrolls rather than a luxury tax system, according to ESPN.
Teams from smaller NBA markets had hoped to ease spending from clubs in larger markets such as Brooklyn, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State.Big-city clubs have been more willing to pay huge salaries and luxury tax penalties to help lure top talent.
Union leaders had been firm about fighting such a tight salary cap to the point where forcing the issue could produce a shutdown, ESPN said.
While 20 of the NBA's 30 clubs are below the luxury tax level, the other 10 are projected to spend a record $689 million in luxury tax penalties, according to the report.
