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The NBA Lockout continues.
According to ESPN, players rejected the league's latest offer Monday (November 14) and have begun the process to disband the union.
The decision to do so will likely jeopardize the 2011-12 NBA season, said the sports network. However, NBA commissioner David Stern, in an interview on ESPN's "SportsCenter," declined to say the season would be canceled.
"We're prepared to file this antitrust action against the NBA," union executive director Billy Hunter said. "That's the best situation where players can get their due process."
Hunter said players were not prepared to accept Stern's ultimatum, saying they thought it was "extremely unfair." However, Stern said the offer was no ultimatum, but "a revised proposal which met many of their concerns."
"When you negotiate for 2½ years and finally get to where the parties are ... that's not an ultimatum. That's a proposal that's ready to be voted up or down," Stern said on "SportsCenter."
"The chances of the season slipping away from us and the players losing what they have worked very hard to achieve ... it's really a tragedy," Stern continued.
Union president Derek Fisher, backed by a dozens of players (including Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony), said the decision was unanimous ... and that it made with all players in mind, not just one
"This is the best decision for the players," Fisher said. "I want to reiterate that point, that a lot of individual players have a lot of things personally at stake in terms of their careers and where they stand. And right now they feel it's important -- we all feel it's important to all our players, not just the ones in this room, but our entire group -- that we not only try to get a deal done for today but for the body of NBA players that will come into this league over the next decade and beyond."
The proposal on the table Monday was for a 50-50 division of basketball-related income and proposed a 72-game season beginning December 15.
Players are still unhappy with what they believe are too many restrictions for big-spending teams that would limit their free agent options.
Owners wanted to keep more of the league's nearly $4 billion in basketball revenues, after guaranteeing 57% to the players under the old deal. They said a new system was needed so that smaller market clubs could compete, while the current system always favor the teams who could spend the most.
The last time there was missed NBA games, due to a lockout, was when the 1998-99 season was reduced to 50 games. Monday marked the 137th day of the lockout; the NFL lockout lasted 136 days.
According to ESPN, players rejected the league's latest offer Monday (November 14) and have begun the process to disband the union.
The decision to do so will likely jeopardize the 2011-12 NBA season, said the sports network. However, NBA commissioner David Stern, in an interview on ESPN's "SportsCenter," declined to say the season would be canceled.
"We're prepared to file this antitrust action against the NBA," union executive director Billy Hunter said. "That's the best situation where players can get their due process."
Hunter said players were not prepared to accept Stern's ultimatum, saying they thought it was "extremely unfair." However, Stern said the offer was no ultimatum, but "a revised proposal which met many of their concerns."
"When you negotiate for 2½ years and finally get to where the parties are ... that's not an ultimatum. That's a proposal that's ready to be voted up or down," Stern said on "SportsCenter."
"The chances of the season slipping away from us and the players losing what they have worked very hard to achieve ... it's really a tragedy," Stern continued.
Union president Derek Fisher, backed by a dozens of players (including Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony), said the decision was unanimous ... and that it made with all players in mind, not just one
"This is the best decision for the players," Fisher said. "I want to reiterate that point, that a lot of individual players have a lot of things personally at stake in terms of their careers and where they stand. And right now they feel it's important -- we all feel it's important to all our players, not just the ones in this room, but our entire group -- that we not only try to get a deal done for today but for the body of NBA players that will come into this league over the next decade and beyond."
The proposal on the table Monday was for a 50-50 division of basketball-related income and proposed a 72-game season beginning December 15.
Players are still unhappy with what they believe are too many restrictions for big-spending teams that would limit their free agent options.
Owners wanted to keep more of the league's nearly $4 billion in basketball revenues, after guaranteeing 57% to the players under the old deal. They said a new system was needed so that smaller market clubs could compete, while the current system always favor the teams who could spend the most.
The last time there was missed NBA games, due to a lockout, was when the 1998-99 season was reduced to 50 games. Monday marked the 137th day of the lockout; the NFL lockout lasted 136 days.
