This is the day, folks. This is the day where we find out for sure whether the NBA lockout will be long and painful. The two sides met on Monday to "set the table" for Tuesday's final bargaining session at noon. That's immediately preceded by the two sides meeting with their constituents for a final session before the big one at noon. It's widely believed that games will begin to get canceled if significant progress isn't made today.
And, from the sounds of it, significant progress will not be made. The powerful agents who have been fed up with NBPA head Billy Hunter for giving back so much throughout these negotiations have taken matters into their own hands, writing an open letter to their players strongly encouraging them not to accept a deal that takes the Basketball-Related Income below 52 percent (which is what the NBPA has already been bargained down to). Well, it doesn't say that exactly, but most agents have told media outlets that's the number (though not all). Here's the actual letter, and here's a summary and what it all means.
In response, Derek Fisher wrote the following letter to the players, which was obtained by the AP. Now, all hell could break loose, and prominent columnists are already predicting doom and gloom. If that happens, all indications are the agents will do what they can to force out Billy "Giveback" Hunter (their nickname) and push for decertification.
So, good luck to all, I guess.