Back in negotiations together -- albeit in a new and different format -- the NBA and players have picked up their talks at the same point they left off when the union ended bargaining and issued a disclaimer of interest a little over a week ago.  The starting point is the same 50-50 deal framework the parties last discussed, when the players were dissatisfied with certain system issues.

Billy Hunter has now hired Jim Quinn to help close an agreement on behalf of the players. Quinn has worked with David Stern in the past and may have replaced Jeffrey Kessler, who has clashed with Stern throughout this labor dispute.

If a deal is consummated after the weekend and the season starts on Christmas Day, the schedule will be 66 games.  

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that there is diminished interest among the owners for a schedule of less than 60 games.  

Reportedly the NBA would like Derek Fisher, the former union president, to join the negotiations that are set to continue on Friday.