NBA And Players' Union Reach Tentative CBA Agreement

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) reached a tentative deal on a new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday. The new CBA will be set for seven years with an opt-out after six years if it is approved by the league and players.

NBA players will still receive the same cut of Basketball Related Income (BRI), between 49 and 51 percent. The league’s new $24 billion television contract will help double BRI in coming years. As a result, player salaries will continue to skyrocket. The expected maximum salary for a 10-year veteran is $36 million a season, which means five-year, $210 million deals could be in play for the likes of LeBron and Kevin Durant.

Guys like Steph Curry and Blake Griffin, with seven to nine years’ experience, project to max out at $31 million a year.

There is also the creation of “two-way” contracts, which will raise pay for players who go back and forth between the D-league and their NBA team throughout the year.

The preseason will be shorter, with no more than six games per team, and the regular season will begin earlier, which spaces out 82 games and reduces back-to-backs.

Under the proposed CBA, the “one and done” rule remains for college or high school players entering the NBA Draft. The league wanted to push the age limit to 20 while the NBPA sought no limits, similar to the MLB.