NBA mediation talks end for the day, are set to resume Thursday

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Another day, another grueling negotiating session.

Wednesday’s mediation session between NBA owners and locked-out players was halted before 4 p.m. PDT, and talks are to resume Thursday.

Federal mediator George Cohen told reporters in New York that Wednesday’s session was stopped after nearly nine hours of talks to allow NBA owners and Commissioner David Stern to attend a previously scheduled NBA Board of Governors meeting, also in New York.

Cohen has instituted a gag order on the labor meetings as both sides work to bridge gaps over how to split basketball-related income (BRI). Last season, players received 57% of BRI, or about $2.17 billion in total salaries.

The sides had a 16-hour marathon session with Cohen that started Tuesday and ended early Wednesday morning EDT.

Owners and players are in disagreement over how to cap team salaries, with owners pitching a strict luxury tax that probably would reduce the amount of guaranteed money that players receive. The NBA Board of Governors meeting will consider a new revenue sharing plan intended to improve economic balance in the league; the NBA has said 22 of its 30 teams lost money last season.

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-- Lance Pugmire

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