The last several months, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have been quietly working hard on a new collective bargaining agreement to avoid a work stoppage, which took place before a deal was struck in 2011.The negotiations have been building toward this week, when a crucial moment in the talks will arrive. Here is a quick explanation of what is taking place:Q: What is the Dec. 15 deadline?A: When the NBA and the players union ended the lockout in 2011, they agreed to a 10-year collective bargaining agreement through 2021. However, a provision allows either side to declare the intention -- by Dec. 15, 2016 -- to opt out of the last four years of the CBA. From the day they signed this contract, both sides knew theyd probably be talking about a new agreement now and not in 2021. That date arrives Thursday.The desire has been to have a new deal done so a replacement plan would be in place, to assure labor peace, at the moment the current one is terminated. If a new CBA isnt in place, either the league or the union -- or perhaps both -- will opt out, and the current CBA will end on June 30, 2017.Q: So if the sides dont agree by Thursday, will there be another lockout?A: Not necessarily. Thursday is a procedural deadline. The real deadline for getting a deal done is July 1 of next year. If the opt-out clause is invoked and there isnt a deal by then, thats when a lockout would begin. There is still lots of time. The true deadline is probably September, when actual training camp time would be lost.However, both sides are motivated to get a deal done, and doing so now, six-plus months early, would be a great sign and assure no disruption in the leagues momentum. If theres a roadblock now, it could end up fostering bad blood. These talks have been framed as a CBA extension, not a new CBA because many issues settled in the previous CBA are being left alone. If the sides have to start from scratch, theres a greater chance problems will arise.Q: Could this deadline be pushed back?A: Sure, the sides could mutually agree to extend it out a few days if they feel theyre in deal range. They have been talking intensively for months now and have settled a lot of matters. The biggest issue is always the split of the revenue pie -- that is what caused the loss of games in 2011 -- and the sides have agreed to leave the current split essentially in place.The players have been getting between 49-51 percent of basketball revenue the past six years, depending on a series of complex factors. As long as that agreement holds, its likely there will be no lost time.Q: So whats the holdup?A: The biggest sticking point is believed to be the licensing deal. This is about the money that comes in from brands that use NBA logos or likenesses of players: jersey sales, video games, the official beer of the NBA, etc. In the past, this agreement has been separate from the CBA, but it appears the sides want to make changes to the contract now.They have been talking for several weeks about this and dont yet have a resolution. But with so many larger matters, and since commissioner Adam Silver and union executive director Michele Roberts are focused on making sure their first CBA together doesnt involve a work stoppage, leaders on both sides believe they can get something done.Q: So why was Carmelo Anthony so pessimistic?A: Anthony is one of the union vice presidents, and he was clearly frustrated in his remarks to ESPN over the weekend. It is typical in complex negotiations for sides to get upset with each other when problems arent resolved quickly. Deadlines also create pressure. That is manifesting itself here.This is clearly a challenge because there was a belief that a deal would be in place by now. On balance, theres been a lot more agreement in major areas, such as revenue split, expansion of the D-League, changes to free agency, changes to extension rules and a joint effort to help retired players.Q: How will this affect this season?A: In several ways. Teams have been waiting to make moves until they see what the new rules are. The future salary cap might change, the size of max contracts might change, and rules about contract extensions might change. If those new rules are finalized and teams can digest them, it may lead to a flurry of trades and perhaps even a contract extension or two as teams position themselves.If theres no deal, it might freeze the transaction market somewhat because teams will be cautious about making deals when they dont know all the new rules.Q: So theres no way games would be lost this season?A: Right, even if theres no deal this week, the current agreement will carry past the NBA Finals and the 2017 draft. All of those events will happen as scheduled. Cheap Football Jerseys China . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Discount Football Jerseys .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.cheapfootballjerseysoutlet.com/ . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. Football Jerseys Outlet . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The New England Patriots arent tipping their hand on whether Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett or someone else will start at quarterback Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, so Rex Ryan took matters into his own hands Wednesday.As Patriots receiver Julian Edelman wrapped up a conference call with Buffalo reporters, Ryan -- who just entered the room for his news conference -- leaned over into the speakerphone and asked Edelman a question.Julian, this is, uh, Walt Patulski from The Buffalo News, Ryan said. Are you playing quarterback this week?Huh? Edelman responded.Are you playing quarterback this week? Ryan repeated.Im gonna do whatever the coaches ask me to do, Edelman said, so if they ask me to go out and get a glass a water to someone on the sideline, Im gonna do that with a smile on my face if it helps our team win. So you can ask Coach that one.All right, Julian, I will, buddy, Rex said, as he laughed and walked to the lectern.Patulski was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1972 draft who played four seasons, 1972 to 1975, for the Bills.The Patriots have not indicated who will start Sundays game at quarterback, which will be the final game that Tom Brady will miss because of his four-game Deflategate suspension.Garoppolo (shoulder) and Brissett (thumb) have both practiced this week, but Ryan said Monday he does not expect to know the Patriots starter until kickoff. The Bills coach is prepared for the possibility of Edelman, a college quarterback at Kent State, starting for New England.I know how difficult it is to defend against a running quarterback, Ryan said following Sundays win over the Arizona Cardinals. Thats what we have to be ready [for] in case Edelman quarterbacks, right? I have a funny feeling he isnt going to be Brady back there.Although Ryan is getting ready for any potential Patriots starter, he said Wednesday he thinks he knows who New England will start -- but wont let reporters in on his hunch.If Im wrong, Ryan said, itll be like, Oh, he wasnt right.dddddddddddd. What a shock!Ryan, who on Sunday mentioned longtime Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan as New Englands potential starter this week, reached deeper into Patriots history for another option Wednesday.My sources tell me that Babe Parilli is gonna be the quarterback, Ryan said, referring to the Boston Patriots quarterback of the 1960s, who is now 86. He is definitely ... he doesnt move the way he used to, and Id be very confident. So well see what happens there.Ryans surprise question to Edelman was the third made-for-TV moment the Bills coach has offered as anticipation builds for the Bills and Patriots first meeting of the season.Ryan declared after Sundays win over Arizona that even if Patriots coach Bill Belichick started at quarterback, the Bills are coming after him. Then, on Monday, Ryan began his news conference with an impression of Belichick, mumbling to reporters that they would need to wait until Wednesday to get the teams injury report.Ryan stood by his loose demeanor Wednesday.Obviously, [Belichicks] style works a hell of a lot better than my style, so Ill give him that, Ryan said. But I learned a time ago: You got to be yourself in this league. That wouldnt work. If I tried to be like Bill Belichick, that would never work for me. Just like -- not that he ever would -- hes gonna try to be like someone else, that would never work for him.I think its hilarious when hes on [stage] there [at his news conferences] because its who he is, but its great. He does it better than anybody else. Some guys that try to copy that style, theyre phonies.Belichick didnt bite when asked earlier Wednesday about Ryan.Im just focused on getting ready for the Bills, he said. Im not really that in tune to all of that. Im sure its important to you guys, but its not really anything I spend much time with. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '