San Antonio – Just 10 days before a potential lockout, the NBA and its players union announced Tuesday they had agreed on a six-year collective bargaining agreement.
Major components of the deal including raising the salary cap, institution of an age limit and increasing the number of random drug tests and severity of penalties.
“This agreement, we believe, creates a strong partnership with our players,” commissioner David Stern said, “and our prospects for critical growth and what we believe is enormous growth on a global basis.”
Said union president Billy Hunter: “We struck a deal that’s going to be extremely good for our players. We’ll be extremely well taken care of over the next six years or so, and it will also help enhance the overall stability and growth of our league.”
The agreement needs to be ratified by the league’s Board of Governors and by members of the players union next week at their annual meeting in Las Vegas. The current CBA expires June 30.
The salary cap will be raised from 48 percent of revenues to 51 percent, increasing the amount each team can spend on player salaries, and players will be guaranteed 57 percent of overall revenues. Rosters will be expanded with teams required to keep 14 players rather than 12.
Among the most discussed issues was a new age limit; the sides compromised on 19 years, a rule that will send more top high school players to college.
American players will have to wait one year after their high school class graduates before they can become draft-eligible. International players will have to turn 19 by the end of the calendar year in which they become draft-eligible.
Also, the maximum player contracts will be reduced from seven to six years, and maximum annual increases in salaries will be reduced from 12 percent to 10 percent for teams re-signing their own players and from 10 percent and 8 percent for teams signing free agents.
Players will be subject to four random drug tests from Oct. 1 through June 30 with harsher penalties for steroid users. Suspensions were raised from five to 10 games for a first offense, 25 games for a second offense, one year for a third offense and a lifetime ban for a fourth.
Players with less than two years in the league will be eligible to be assigned to the minor league NBDL, where the minimum age will be reduced from 20 to 18.
While the agreement is being finalized, the moratorium on free-agent signings will be extended from July 14 to July 22. Rookie signings, summer league play and contract negotiations can continue.
The NBA was involved in a lockout during the 1998-99 season, and both sides said it was critical to not repeat that mistake.
Players union president Michael Curry said he always thought a deal would be reached.
“What went on the last couple weeks was a little posturing,” Curry said. “You’re talking about a deal that’s going to be $12 billion to $15 billion; both sides try to do whatever they could to gain a little extra leverage. But I’ve always felt that we were going to get a deal done.”
Nuggets guard Greg Buckner said, “I didn’t think we’d miss games, but I thought we’d be out a couple of months.”
After weeks of rhetoric about the lack of progress, the NBA and players union met Friday in New York City for a lengthy negotiating session that set the framework for the new deal. The deal was agreed to in principle Tuesday morning.
“Anything they get done is great for our sport,” Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown said.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5448 or mspears@denverpost.com.
