NBA Lockout could start today

David Stern

Yes, you heard me right. Although there are some that will say "So what?", this is somewhat of a significant deal. Never mind the fact it would mean 2 professional sports leagues dealing with lockouts at the same time.

The reason for the NBA Lockout is a little different:

The NBA owners and Commissioner David Stern want to clamp down the upward spiraling salaries they keep paying because they are losing money. However, the obvious question there is "Who started the upward spiral?" If an owner offers, say a Joe Johnson (good, not great player) a 6-year, $129 million dollar contract, the player would be insane not to say "Sure, I'll take that".

There are reports and quotes out there saying the league wants to break up the "Superstar" teams, such as the Heat. Uh...no. That, we believe has nothing to do with it. It's about rolling back salary costs.

We don't disagree that the league needs to control costs, the do. But again, who's to blame for it in the first place? And do you really think that even if they succeed in controlling salaries, they won't zoom right back up again in a few years when an owner gets impatient and tries to buy a title?

The league and its players union, headed by Billy Hunter, will meet again today to try and come up with terms at the very least of a collective bargaining agreement. Nobody really believes it will happen. If it doesn't a lockout could effectively start tonight at Midnight est., the time the current agreement expires.

And while we think the lockout will happen and drag on for a month or two, we also believe this won't drag out like the NFL's has. League owners know they have to play games and get butts in seats in order to make money. And unlike the NFL, who has a good 6 months between seasons, the NBA offseason only runs about 3 months.

We give you this story for a reason. Just as the NFL Lockout begins to wind down and we think we can stop talking...and learning legal speak, a new Lockout is about to begin.

TheBasketballJonses give us a look at what your NBA Lockout PR ads could look like. And yes, they are pretty funny.