LeBron James will likely attend a meeting during All-Star weekend where the NBA's collective bargaining agreement will be discussed.

"I think it's definitely something that's going to be a huge focus of All-Star weekend," James said before his Miami Heat played the New York Knicks. "Even though the game is huge, I think the labor agreement will be one of the biggest meetings that we have that weekend, so hopefully we can get some things across."

James also attended another meeting last summer in New York.

"I've been there, pretty much I've had an active role, went to a few meetings," James said, adding he stays aware of the issues by speaking with teammate James Jones, a player representative.

The Knicks have surpassed the Lakers as the NBA's most valuable franchise, according to findings from Forbes.

New York is valued at $655 million, while the Lakers are close behind at $643 million.

The Bulls, Celtics and Rockets comprise the remainder of the top-five.

In the wake of LeBron James leaving in free agency, the Cavaliers had a single-year decrease of 26%.

Full Rankings
1. Knicks
2. Lakers
3. Bulls
4. Celtics
5. Rockets
6. Mavericks
7. Heat
8. Suns
9. Spurs
10. Raptors
11. Magic
12. Warriors
13. Pistons
14. Blazers
15. Cavaliers
16. Jazz
17. 76ers
18. Thunder
19. Wizards
20. Nuggets
21. Nets
22. Clippers
23. Hawks
24. Kings
25. Bobcats
26. Hornets
27. Pacers
28. Grizzlies
29. Timberwolves
30. Bucks

NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver doesn't see a lockout as inevitable even though no formal meetings have been scheduled between the owners and players' union.

He believes the two sides have plenty of time to work out a new deal before the current collective bargaining agreement expires on June 30.

"It's not inevitable," Silver said. "While we have no other formal meetings scheduled now, there is an ongoing dialogue with the union and we've been completely forthcoming with our financials. And I'd like to believe they understand the position in which we find ourselves and that no rock will go unturned in trying to get a new deal done."

The players rejected the league's last formal proposal over All-Star weekend last February, then presented a counterproposal last summer.

David Stern has said the union's proposal was too similar to the current CBA. Silver said the league has offered no new proposal because, "Our position hasn't changed."

"We will continue to talk and we will work around the clock if necessary to avoid losing games," Silver said. "That is one thing there is absolute agreement on, between the ownership and the union, that makes absolutely no sense given the economic situation this country finds itself in and given the economics of this league -- to lose games."

The immediate future of the NBA may be decided in just six weeks when a crucial bargaining session takes place during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

There has been little progress since players submitted their counterproposal to owners at the end of June.

If owners feel a lockout is the only way to get players to cave, there will be one.

"After a year, the players will come back with $2.1 billion less in their pockets," a participant in past negotiations told Ken Berger of CBS Sports. "Who has more leverage now?"

"Owners and league negotiators believe they can compel the players to give enough ground without a work stoppage because it should be obvious to the players that the union [and thus many of the players] will run out of money after the first pay period of the 2011-12 season," Berger wrote.

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James would lose a combined $30 million if the entire 2011-12 season was wiped out, according to Berger.

The source added that a lockout will likely be all or nothing.

"Once you go through the initial pain to shut it down," the person said, "they're out for the year."