Author: Monojit Mandal
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have formally signed a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that will remain in effect until the end of the 2029-30 season, which is a major event for basketball fans around the world. The agreement, which was reached in April, will come into force this weekend.
The creation of a season-long tournament involving all 30 NBA clubs, scheduled to begin in the 2023-24 season, is one of the most important developments brought about by the new CBA. This event will take place in the first two months of the regular season, and eight clubs will advance to the knockout phase after the group stage. Players on the final four teams will be paid, and all games except the title game will be included in the 82-game regular season schedule.
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The revised CBA also involves building a second salary cap that is about $10 million higher than the first. The first apron, worth $172.3 million in the 2023-24 season, will be replaced by the second, worth $182.8 million. The aim of this reform is to reduce the purchasing power of the league’s best-paid teams. Franchises that exceed the second apron will no longer qualify for the mid-level taxpayer exemption.
Several other notable changes have been made to the updated CBA. In particular, participation in a minimum of 65 games will now be required for a player to be eligible for individual awards such as MVP, All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year. In addition, marijuana has been removed from the NBA’s anti-drug testing program, indicating a change in the league’s stance on the drug. In addition, teams will now be able to sign up to three two-way players, instead of the previous restriction of two.
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With the signing of the new CBA, the NBA can now avoid a lockout or other work-related disruptions. The most recent lockout occurred in 2011, resulting in a 66-game season in 2011-12.
With this important achievement, the focus now turns to the upcoming free agency season, which kicks off this Friday at 6pm (Brasília time). Basketball fans are awaiting the decisions of several high-profile free agents, including James Harden (player option), Kyrie Irving, Fred VanVleet and Khris Middleton, among others.