Nba Reaches Accord League, Players Agree On Five-Year Labor Deal

The NBA and its players’ union finally finalized their labor deal Friday, but the tentative agreement won’t allow free agency, negotiations and trades until July 9.

During the eight-day moratorium, players will vote on whether to re-ratify and sign the deal. Emphatic approval is expected.

Afterward, business will resume with a collective bargaining agreement in place for five years.

“The owners were insistent on that eight-day period. They wanted to make sure there are no misunderstandings this time and we accepted it reluctantly,” said Jeffrey Kessler, lead attorney for the players association.

With the threat of a lockout looming for Sunday night, the agreement was finalized Friday, the fourth straight day of negotiations at a Manhattan hotel.

“We’re glad we’ve been able to conclude our negotiations,” deputy commissioner Russ Granik said. “And we look forward on July 9 to re-focusing our energies on continuing the worldwide growth of the sport over the next several years.”

Negotiators worked out about 16 disputed issues, and the last sticking point was the amount of money the league should pay for use of the union’s logo. Talks broke off Tuesday night when the union asked for $31 million, and the league ended up paying a couple of million less - money that will be used for union operating funds.

“We feel like we did real well, specially because we’ve achieved financial independance. The NBA got some things that they wanted, too,” Kessler said.

Most aspects agreed to last year, such as a rookie salary cap, remain in effect through the life of the contract. It also includes an eight-year group licensing deal with a substantially larger payout to the players. In the collective bargaining agreement that expired after the 1994 season, the players got only $500,000 a year for the use of their likenesses. The blunder cost the players tens of millions in profits made through booming merchandise sales.

The eight-day moratorium took many agents by surprise, including Leonard Armato, who thought he would begin fielding offers Monday for Shaquille O’Neal.

Also included in this summer’s free agent market, the biggest ever, are Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Gary Payton, Dikembe Mutombo, Tim Hardaway, Reggie Miller and Kenny Anderson.

O’Neal, Miller and Payton will be playing on the U.S. Olympic team, which opens camp Monday in Chicago, and all three will probably be forced to buy catastrophic injury insurance for the period between July 1 and the day they sign their new contracts.

Two rumored trades, Kobe Bryant to the Lakers and Andrew Lang to the Bucks, also can’t be finalized until July 9. General managers will face tampering changes from the league if they attempt to get a head start on making offers to free agents.

Players will receive a description of the new agreement Monday, along with a ratification ballot. Ballots are due back July 8.

Majority approval is needed for ratification. The agreement should be overwhelmingly approved.