NBA Settlement Means No Deals Until July 9

NEW YORK â€”  The NBA and its players’ union finally finalized their labor deal Friday, but the tentative agreement won’t allow free agency, negotiations and trades until July 9.

During the eight-day moratorium, players will vote on whether to re-ratify and sign the deal. Overwhelming approval is widely expected.

Afterward, business will resume with a collective bargaining agreement in place for the next five years.

With the threat of a lockout looming for Sunday night, the agreement was finalized Friday, the fourth consecutive day of negotiations at a Manhattan hotel.

“We’re glad we’ve been able to conclude our negotiations,� Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said. “And we look forward on July 9 to re-focusing our energies on continuing the worldwide growth of the sport over the next several years.�

Negotiators worked out about 16 disputed issues, and the last sticking point was the amount of money the league should pay for use of the union’s logo. Talks broke off Tuesday night when the union asked for $31 million, and the league ended up paying a couple of million less--money that will be used for union operating funds.

Most aspects agreed to last year, such as a rookie salary cap, remain in effect through the life of the contract. It also includes an eight-year group licensing deal with a substantially larger payout to the players.

The eight-day moratorium took many agents by surprise, including Leonard Armato, who thought he would begin fielding offers Monday for Shaquille O’Neal.

“In a sense, we’re disappointed that we won’t be able to begin the process July 1, but there’s no gain in taking a militant stance against it,� Armato said. “The horses are at the gate and ready to run, and now they have to wait eight days for the door to open. I just hope the horses don’t overheat.�

Also included in this summer’s free-agent market, the biggest ever, are Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Gary Payton, Dikembe Mutombo, Tim Hardaway, Reggie Miller and Kenny Anderson.

O’Neal, Miller and Payton will be playing on the U.S. Olympic team, which opens camp Monday in Chicago, and all three probably will be forced to buy catastrophic injury insurance for the period between July 1 and the day they sign their new contracts.