Based on many of the comments players are providing as the 2011 NBA Lockout gets underway, it could be a long time until we see the Denver Nuggets and the rest of the league step on the court again. Kenyon Martin, a free agent whenever the lockout ends, recently spoke with Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post, saying:
"[Losing a season is] always a possibility. . . . When you're dealing with those kind of numbers, there are egos involved. The owners and players will (ultimately) come up with numbers that we're comfortable with, but right now, the numbers are too far apart."
Just as in the NFL, both sides are arguing over which side several hundred million dollars should go to during the next collective bargaining agreement period. This echoes statements by Antawn Jamison, who believes the players are more united than during the 1998-99 lockout, and by Kevin Garnett, who is prepared to lose his nearly $19 million salary for the upcoming season.
With the lockout ongoing, free agency, which was to begin on July 1, has been pushed back indefinitely. Players cannot have any contact with coaches or anyone else inside the organization.
Will the Colorado Avalanche be the main attraction inside the Pepsi Center this winter?