HoopsHype.com Rumors

You took some flak from some players concerning your labor situation. Did that register on you and do you have any concern that could hinder the Bobcats recruiting free agents? Michael Jordan: I hope not, and I don’t think it will. My stance with the CBA was I want to provide a championship-quality team to Charlotte. I was going out on a limb to protect that and obviously the players felt differently. (Jordan was a vocal voice for the players during the 1998 lockout. He said the difference between then and now is not just that he’s become an owner, but that now most NBA teams lose money, where then most teams made money). I’m not anti-player. As a businessman, I want everybody to be happy. I do feel players should assume more risk, especially when (owners now) assume all the risk. There are no non-guaranteed contracts. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Lockout, Owners 

Garnett, who admitted he was "coming off emotional" and "being very, very, very up-front" with reporters, sounded off on NBA commissioner David Stern and a disjointed start to the new season. "I think what you see, we're a rushed league right now," Garnett said. "Everybody is paying attention to the Chris Paul situation. But I don't know why everyone's shocked, because Stern has been pretty adamant about when he wants to do things and how he does things. "Timing is everything. Chemistry is something that you don't just throw in the frying pan and mix it up with another something, then throw it on top of something, then fry it up and put it in a tortilla and put in a microwave, heat it up and give it to you and expect it to taste good. You know? For those of you who can cook, y'all know what I'm talking about. If y'all can't cook, this doesn't concern you." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, David Stern, Lockout, Kevin Garnett 

The NBA legal battle is officially over. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz in Minnesota dismissed the lawsuit Monday at the request of players and owners now that the two sides have approved a new collective bargaining agreement. Training camps and free agency opened last Friday. ESPN.com

Law, CBA, Lockout 

Kohl, appearing at the Bucks media day gathering at the Cousins Center training facility, spoke openly about the ramifications of the new CBA and the separate revenue-sharing plan agreed to by owners. "I think on balance it's good for small-market teams and gives us a real opportunity to be profitable from now on, which hasn't been true for quite a number of years," Kohl said. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, CBA, Lockout, Herb Kohl 

And he agreed with Stern's characterization that the debate among owners on a new revenue-sharing agreement was "arduous." Kohl said he was heavily involved in the debate, shuttling between Washington and New York. "To the credit of large-market owners, they understand if we are going to move forward as a 30-team league there has to be a willingness to share more local revenue. Right now, we've not really done that," he said. The Bucks were getting approximately $5 million a year under the old revenue-sharing plan. The new plan, which will begin in 2013-'14, increased the amount coming to small-market teams significantly. Kohl acknowledged the Bucks would be in line to receive approximately $15 million to $16 million a season. "On balance, considering the CBA and revenue sharing together, there were a lot of good things in it," Kohl said. "I wanted to be sure smaller-market teams were taken into consideration. It didn't come easily, because those who have don't want to give, and those who don't have perhaps want too much." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, CBA, Lockout, Herb Kohl 

Mike Prada: Ted Leonsis confirms he ratified the new CBA. So he wasn't one of the five who didn't. Twitter

Washington Wizards, CBA, Lockout, Ted Leonsis 

Five NBA owners voted against the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, commissioner David Stern said Thursday following the conclusion of the league’s Board of Governors meeting. The identities of those five teams were not disclosed, and Stern joked that the over/under on negative votes as set at 8 before the ballots were cast. SheridanHoops

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

Chris Sheridan: Stern: "Pleased and proud to announce" Board of Governors approved labor deal and revenue sharing plan. Fair, but not perfect deal, he says. Twitter

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

J. Michael Falgoust: Stern: “We have found a solution that should provide our league with better competitive balance.” #nba Twitter

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

Chris Sheridan: Stern says it's fair to say this will be his last deal. He won't be around in 10 years, and maybe not in 6 (when either side can opt out.). Twitter

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

Howard Beck: NBPA announces that more than 86 percent of players voted in favor of ratification, out of more than 200 who cast votes. Twitter

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

Howard Beck: By the way, that means less than half of players who were eligible actually voted. Twitter

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

NBA players and owners on Thursday approved a new collective bargaining agreement, formally ending the five-month lockout and paving the way for training camps and an already rampaging free-agency period to open, three people familiar with the results told CBSSports.com. The players voted via email from 6 p.m. ET Wednesday until 4 p.m. Thursday. The owners' Board of Governors, with representatives from all 30 teams, approved the deal at a meeting Thursday in Manhattan, where they also finalized details of their new revenue-sharing plan. CBSSports.com

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

Ken Berger: When league business opens tomorrow, salary cap will be $58.044M, tax line will be $70.307M, and team minimum payroll of $46.435M. Twitter

CBA, Salary Cap, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

Chris Palmer: Stern: "I don't believe in legacies. We had a deal we had to make." Twitter

CBA, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

JJ Redick: Voting on the CBA was electronic. Took me 12 seconds. I'd hate to see the turnout if we had to do it in person. Twitter

CBA, JJ Redick, David Stern, Lockout, NBPA 

NBA players on Thursday approved a new collective bargaining agreement in electronic voting, paving the way for owners to formally ratify the deal and open training camps and the free-agency period, two people familiar with the results told CBSSports.com. The players voted via email from 6 p.m. ET Wednesday until 4 p.m. Thursday. The owners' Board of Governors, with representatives from all 30 teams, was meeting in Manhattan Thursday to finalize details of their new revenue-sharing plan and also vote on the new deal. CBSSports.com

CBA, Lockout, NBPA 

Presuming approval by the owners, training camps will open as scheduled on Friday, with the free-agent and trading period officially to begin at 2 p.m. ET, sources said. CBSSports.com

CBA, Lockout, NBPA, Owners 

Electronic voting is underway in the NBA, with players granted a window that began Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET and runs through Thursday at 4 p.m. to ratify or reject the tentative labor agreement between the owners and NBA Players Association. NBPA executive director Billy Hunter urged union members to vote in favor of the new deal as part of a letter dispatched Wednesday to all players breaking down the terms of the labor pact in detail. ESPN.com

CBA, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

"The NBPA Executive Committee recommends that the players vote to ratify the proposed CBA," Hunter wrote in the letter, obtained by ESPN.com and other media outlets. "Although the players made significant financial concessions, including taking a reduced share of Basketball Related Income (BRI), collective salaries will nonetheless increase over the course of the CBA. The players retained important system issues and achieved gains on non-economic issues." ESPN.com

CBA, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA