Report: NBA reaches deal with referees

NEW YORK, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- The National Basketball Association and its veteran referees reached agreement on a two-year contract Tuesday, sources said.

Both The New York Times and TNT analyst David Aldridge reported the league agreed to accept the most recent proposal from the 57 game officials, who had been locked out by owners since the start of the exhibition season.

The reports indicated the union's executive board would meet Friday in New Jersey for final approval of the deal. Adoption of the contract would put the referees back on the job in time for the opening of the regular season Oct. 27.

The deal was reportedly struck at a meeting Tuesday that included NBA Commissioner David Stern and the attorney for the union, Lamell McMorris. It was the first face-to-face meeting of the two sides in more than a month.

Replacement officials from the NBA Development League have been used in exhibition games and their work has drawn several complaints from coaches.

Three coaches were fined last week for public comments they made about replacement referees.