According to multiple sources, the NBA and the organization formally known as the NBA Players Association, have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, insuring that there will be NBA basketball on Christmas day. Great work by Ken Berger of CBS Sports for breaking the story first, followed by the New York Times’ Howard Beck.
Sorry Italian basketball fans, Tyreke Evans will not be visiting Rome anytime soon. According to the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones, Tyreke Evans had until Wednesday to ink his month-to-month deal with Virtus Roma of the Italian league. It would have come with an NBA opt-out clause either way, but with the word that a lockout settlement has been reached, Evans will probably never suit up for a single game overseas this season.
Specifics of the deal will begin filtering out between now and tomorrow morning. Look for updates and the beginning of our free agent and training camp coverage early next week.
*** Update: What we have learned so far is that the league has a planned 66 game schedule, beginning Christmas day, with training camps and free agency opening up on December 9th if everything goes smoothly. The new deal still need some work before it is sent to be ratified by both the owners and players. According to union head Billy Hunter, “We’ve reached a tentative litigation settlement. We’ll turn it over to the lawyers and work out all the details.”
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