The NBA is projecting a loss of $300 million for the 10-11 season, which is lower than the $370 million the league lost two seasons ago and $340 in 09-10.

NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver added that about 22 of the league’s 30 franchises are expected to lose money this season.

“Business has improved, nothing to be proud of, but we’ve reduced losses,” Silver said at the news conference. “We don’t believe, within this current system, we have the ability to move dramatically much more.”

Dan Wasserman, a spokesman for the players’ union, said in a telephone interview that he was unable to immediately respond to the NBA’s comments because union Executive Director Billy Hunter was sick and unavailable.

The current CBA was agreed upon in 2005.

“We didn’t anticipate cost expenses to rise as quickly as they have in virtually every area of our business, and we didn’t anticipate that the world would change in essence,” Silver told reporters after the news conference. “There’s been a sea change in the global economy since we negotiated our last deal.”