At a Monday press conference, Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops engaged in a kind of impromptu debate with David Boies, the lead litigator representing the players, about whether Boies should contact an NBA lawyer to discuss a settlement agreement.

Sheridan takes readers through the entire exchange.

At first, Boies expresses that the NBA is not ready to engage and that calling over would be a waste of time. 

Sheridan conveys that the December 5 date, by which Boies said the NBA must respond to the players' antitrust complaint, is not the kind of rapid turnaround about which so many fans are eager to hear.

Remarkably, Sheridan seems to begin changing Boies' mind, slowly convincing the attorney that it is at least worth a shot to try to restart a dialogue between the two sides.

"I don't have that sense, but … (13 second pause) … I suppose it couldn't hurt for me to call him [NBA lawyer Jeffrey Mishkin]," Boies finally said. "You know, I suppose it couldn't hurt for me to call him. Ask me that Wednesday."

By this time, Sheridan had followed Boies into the lobby, where the latter acknowledged that he was strongly considering an attempt to fast-track the process by making a phone call before close of business on Wednesday.