Adam Silver is one hell of a commissioner, and if he can avoid a lockout that would cripple the momentum the NBA has going right now, he’d be in line for one of those Roger Goodell salaries.
Silver said he doesn’t have a “high level of concern” about a lockout in 2017 when the league and the players’ union can opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement.
The looming and gloomy lockout has been discussed for the better part of two-years now, with forecasters predicting a smooth bargaining session, and others believing the NBA will totally shut down business for a few months.
I personally struggle to see how either side would choose to shut down business when you have the league’s new $24 billion TV deal with ESPN and Turner Broadcasting kicks in during the 2016-17 season.
Silver for his part believes “the current CBA is extremely fair.”
“I think we have a very fair deal right now,” Silver said Sunday during halftime of Game 5 of the Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena.
“I think the deal is designed to pay players a percentage of revenue so it self-adjusts as revenue goes up. And when the new television deal kicks in in 2016-17, the players are going to be averaging over $8 million a year.
“I think, again, it’s a fair deal. If there’s things they want to talk about, of course we’ll talk about them. But I’m not overly concerned. I think we’ve got a great thing going right now. I think both sides recognize that.”
I mean something has to give, and it’s just too much money being thrown for anything but cooler heads at the table.