Michael Jordan, small-market owners plan to hold line

As the NBA and the players return to the negotiating table Saturday in Manhattan for their first collective-bargaining session in more than a week, a group of small-market owners -- led by NBA legend Michael Jordan -- potentially stands in the way of a deal.

Jordan -- who arguably is the game's greatest player, once made a league-record $30 million in one season and now owns the small-market Charlotte Bobcats -- and a group of other small-market owners are against the concept of even a 50-50 split of league revenue, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.

The sources both confirmed a report that appeared Friday on The New York Times website.

"He is seeing opportunity to make the Bobcats profitable," a source close to Jordan told Newsday, "and this is his only chance to do that."

According to Forbes magazine, 17 teams lost money during the 2009-10 NBA season. The Bobcats lost $20 million in operating income.

The source also indicated that Jordan's move might not strictly be to hold down players' salaries but to leverage him and other small-market owners against big-market owners who are pushing to get a deal done so the season can begin. For small-market teams to accept even a 51-49 split in favor of the players, they might demand more money from large-market teams through revenue sharing.

Another factor standing in the way of a deal is a faction of players who have vowed to push for decertification -- a poison pill that would destroy any chance for a season -- if the union agrees to negotiate below a 52-48 split in the players' favor.

Jordan creates an interesting conflict of interest on the players' side. His Jordan Brand has endorsement deals with stars such as Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul, a member of the NBPA executive committee.

The NBA confirmed that federal mediator George Cohen will preside over the talks Saturday.