The bottom line is that we are likely only 20 months away from the start of the next great labor crisis in the NBA. It is a crisis that would imperil the 2017-18 NBA season and potentially bring about a lengthy lockout and antitrust litigation.
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A related concern is that Paul and James have the economic wherewithal to withstand a long lockout. Paul is reportedly worth around $75 million and James is worth in the ballpark of $270 to $300 million. They could go without pay for decades, let alone years, and likely be fine. The same is not true for many NBA players, who could struggle during a lengthy lockout. If Paul and James express a willingness to play the long game on a labor crisis, they may lose the support of some of the NBPA’s membership.
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ames is barred by the CBA from becoming an owner-player (I explained this on SI.com when Jordan reportedly contemplated playing for the Bobcats back in 2011). But as a retired NBA player, James would be able to bid for a team. And if he became an owner, James would likely adopt a very different set of views about NBA economic issues and the distribution of BRI between owners and players. This has certainly been true of Jordan, who was a passionate advocate for players’ interests while a player, but is now regarded as a fighter for owners. Jordan seems unaffected by advocating competing NBA positions at different points in his life.
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