What are the things the NBA and NBAPA want to change in the new CBA?
Though they often clash on a number of issues, it appears both the league and players association are closer to finalizing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
There are several key issues which have been discussed ahead of the finalization of a new CBA, but the encouraging thing to note is that both parties seem to agree on the direction in which they are heading together.
NBA & NBAPA set to agree on new CBA
According to recent reports, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have in fact been engaged in positive talks regarding a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and by all accounts will reach an agreement in the very near future. To that end both sides recently extended their mutual opt-out deadline for the current CBA until March 31st. If you didn’t know, discussions have been ongoing for the past few months and both sides have remained committed to seeing a new deal agreed upon. It is understood that the key issues on the table include luxury tax tiers, lowering the age eligibility for the draft and the ever-controversial load management. “It’s close - we need to dot the I’s and cross the T’s,” a players representative was quoted as saying.
What about the NBA’s luxury taxes?
Where the luxury tax system is concerned, what we do know is that both the NBA and its players intend to increase the lower tier in an effort to better represent the increase in salaries across the league. To be clear, the present system presents a scenario wherein teams that fall between $0-$4,999,999 over the cap are taxed at a rate of $1.50 for every dollar over the cap. By contrast, teams that are $5,000,000-$9,999,999 over the cap are taxed at $1.75 for every dollar that they fall over the cap. In principle, both sides are working toward a situation which would increase the first bracket i.e., reducing the hit that teams take, while simultaneously bumping up the penalty on teams that lie in the upper tier.
And the NBA Draft age limit?
You may or may not recall, but back in 2005, then-commissioner David Stern implemented a rule that required players to be 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft. The direct result of Stern’s move, created the now infamous ‘one-and-done’ scenario which has since led to many college prospects seeking out a career overseas as opposed to taking their chances in the NBA after a single season in college. Needless to say, the system has come in for a great deal of critique. To that end, commissioner Adam Silver has been advocating for the age limit to be returned to 18, which would in turn allow high school players to enter the NBA’s Draft.
“I think there’s an opportunity [to change it],” Silver said back in July of2022. “It’s [based on] larger conversations than just whether we go from 19 to 18, but I’m on record: When I balance all of these various considerations, I think that would be the right thing to do and I am hopeful that that’s a change we make in this next collective bargaining cycle, which will happen in the next couple years.” It’s worth mentioning, that while both the league and association are in favor of Silver’s proposed move; the players want protection against a scenario where older players could be forced out of the league by the influx of younger players who are on less expensive contracts. With the current CBA running until the 2023-24 season and both sides seemingly committed to securing a new deal before then, we can expect word on an agreement in the near future.