NBA talks break down as owners walk

NBA talks broke up yet again Thursday night, and this time the blowup came after there was a developing sense that a deal to end this four-month lockout was in the offing.

But after three consecutive exhausting days of collective bargaining presided over by a federal mediator, the owners walked away from the negotiating table. They left even though mediator George Cohen tried to get them to stay.

With commissioner David Stern at home with the flu, deputy commissioner Adam Silver said: "We can't seem to quite bridge the gap. It was quite disappointing for us.''

Though the league made no announcements, it is likely that more regular-season games will be canceled Friday.

The NBA already had canceled the first two weeks of the regular season, which was scheduled to begin Nov. 1. What remains to be seen is how many games the league will cancel at this point, especially with no further talks scheduled with the union.

Silver -- who, with or without Stern, has been the league's lead negotiator -- addressed the media to explain why the league decided to abruptly end talks. He blamed the union for being unwilling to accept a formally proposed 50-50 split of league revenue.

Then union president Derek Fisher told reporters, "You were lied to.''

The union leadership, which includes executive director Billy Hunter, blasted the owners, several by name, and union lawyer Jeffrey Kessler said the negotiations were "hijacked'' by hard-line owners.

Kessler said Wednesday the union "thought we were moving toward a deal.'' He said the attitude the owners brought to yesterday's session "was not the mood where the owners were [Wednesday]. We were making progress, as you heard.''

But this time the trouble wasn't caused as much by the disagreement on the two main issues -- the revenue split and the salary-cap system. No, the real fireworks involved an alleged attitude the owners brought into Thursday's meeting in Manhattan after what Silver called a "robust'' Board of Governors meeting in the morning, which involved heated discussions about improving the revenue-sharing plan.

"Something happened in that Board of Governors meeting,'' Kessler said.

Without Stern in the room -- though he was said to be in constant communication with the owners' side via conference call -- Silver was joined by Spurs owner Peter Holt, chairman of the labor relations committee. But there was a surprise guest, Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen.

Said Kessler: "We were told Paul Allen was here to express the views of the other Board of Governors and that view was, 'It's our way or the highway.' ''

Hunter said the union had prepared to present a formal proposal but was halted before it could begin. Holt then allegedly said the owners did not want to discuss other aspects of collective bargaining unless the union agreed on a 50-50 split.

According to a person in the room, Chris Paul, a member of the union's executive committee, then asked, "Is that an ultimatum?''

Holt then allegedly replied, "Take it or leave it.''

"We stood there somewhat shocked,'' Hunter said. "We were prepared to negotiate through the night.''

Hunter told the owners the union preferred to table talks about the revenue split until after discussing other parts of an agreement, but the owners were not interested.

Hunter has said all along he believes these talks have been "predetermined'' and that the owners' main goal is to "break the union'' until the players, desperate from losing paychecks, surrender.

"I hope they don't pass out in holding their breath,'' Hunter said.

Holt said the Spurs, despite four titles in the last 12 years, began to show losses the last two seasons. He was asked if losing an entire season, as NHL owners did in 2004-05 to get a hard cap, was worth it to NBA owners to achieve their goals.

"There are certain things we feel we must have,'' Holt said. "So that's how I'll answer the question.''