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Report: NBA, players nearing labor deal

By The Sports Xchange
National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver listens as U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum at the Plaza Hotel, September 21, 2016 in New York City. The forum is focused on trade and investment opportunities on the African continent for African heads of government and American business leaders. Pool photo by Drew Angerer/UPI
National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver listens as U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum at the Plaza Hotel, September 21, 2016 in New York City. The forum is focused on trade and investment opportunities on the African continent for African heads of government and American business leaders. Pool photo by Drew Angerer/UPI | License Photo

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are making progress toward a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and a deal could be finalized within a couple of weeks, according to a report from Yahoo Sports' The Vertical.

The sides have until Dec. 15 to opt out halfway through the current 10-year deal.

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The reports states that expected changes in the new CBA include a significantly higher rookie contract scale, two-way contracts between the NBA and NBA Development League, and minor changes to the maximum contract scale.

The NBA and NBPA were unable to reach a labor deal in 2011 until December, costing teams 16 regular-season games, and failure to reach a deal prior to the opt-out deadline could have the same consequences.

That is unlikely to happen, given the reported cooperation between NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts. Both are believed to be motivated to get a deal done, considering the influx of money into the league from its current television rights deals.

Silver makes his annual address after a board of governors session later in October, and there is expected to be an official update on the negotiations then.

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