Consider this your daily reminder on how the 2011-2012 NBA season may not start on time.
As October inches closer and what should be the start of the new NBA season, it would seem the lockout is putting a damper on Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Miami’s Dwayne Wade hopes that a new CBA will be hammered out in time. Neither thinks the season will not start on time.
However, Aldridge was quite succinct saying he is willing to sit out an entire season to get what is fair for both sides.
“No,” Aldridge said, when asked if there was reason for optimism. “Both sides are pretty (far) off right now. So it’s going to be a while.”
“If that’s what it takes to get a fair deal done, then yes,” Aldridge said.
Powerful words coming from the Blazers’ player representative in the NBA Player’s Union and not very reassuring for fans.
And as if more is needed, Wade recently echoed Aldridge’s feeling saying he too doesn’t think the upcoming season will start on time.
‘‘I don’t believe that lockout really starts until the preseason is canceled and players start missing paychecks in October,’’ Wade said. ‘‘My gut feeling is that there will be a season. It may not start on time. But there will be a season.”
Sorry for the kick in the gut for the die-hard NBA fans but this is reality. The reality is both sides are still oceans apart and with August rapidly coming to a close, this leaves about two months for both sides to come to an agreement. And from the looks of things, it doesn’t sound likely that’s going to happen.
But what Wade said is key. When the players start missing paychecks is probably when movement will occur. The all mighty dollar will rein everyone in when both sides start feeling their pocket book lighten up. When owners see months go by with their arenas empty (potentially losing a billion dollars), when players don’t see deposits into their accounts, or more scary for both sides, when fans start to turn their back on the league is when you’ll start to see movement.
So fans continue to wait while the posturing continues for those involved in this mess.
