NBA Lockout News: Lockout Over, 2012 Season Starts December 25

It’s finally over.  NBA Owners and players reached a “tentative” agreement early this morning to put an end to the 149-day NBA lockout and start the season on Christmas Day, December 25, 2011.

“We have reached a tentative understanding,” NBA commissioner David Stern confirmed during a press conference at 3:30 a.m. EST after a marathon 15-hour negotiating session in New York. “We’re optimistic that the NBA season will come to pass on Dec. 25, Christmas Day, with a triple-header.”

Stern expects owners to approve the deal via a simple majority.  Ex-union chief Billy Hunter is also hopeful that he’ll get a simple majority to ratify the new collective bargaining agreement once the NBA Players Association reforms.

“We thought it was in both of our best interests to try to reach a resolution and save the game,” Hunter said after the deal was reached.

According to Stern, the Christmas Day tip off will feature the as-previously-scheduled triple-header that includes the Boston Celtics game at the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Also on the card for Dec. 25 is the Miami Heat at the Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Stern says he felt it was critical to salvage the Christmas Day games for the league, and he has said repeatedly that the league needed 30 days to get up and running after reaching a deal. The 30-day mark for the Christmas Day games to be played was Friday.

While specific details of the agreement have not yet been released, rumor has it the players already had basically agreed to a 50-50 split, meaning they would face a $300 million annual pay cut.

All I feel right now is ‘finally,’” Dwyane Wade said after the deal was reached.

What do you think? Are you excited that the NBA season will finally be getting under way?

Related articles

• BREAKING: The NBA Lockout Is Over As Players And Owners Agree To A Settlement (businessinsider.com)
• NBA reach new deal to end lockout (news.bbc.co.uk)