The National Basketball Players Association negotiated a drop in their percentage of basketball related income from 57 percent to 49-51 percent.

“I can certainly appreciate why (the players) are not happy," said Michele Roberts. "That’s a lot of money. And it’s hard for me to be critical because I wasn’t in the room, so I cannot say that it was something that was avoidable. But it’s certainly not a happy turn of events, and I get why the players are not of the view that they came out winners.”

With the NBA signing a new television deal and becoming incredibly more profitable than they were in 2011, the NBPA is preparing to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement when that option becomes available in 2017.

“We are preparing to opt out. I mean it’s not my call., because unlike Billy I don’t think I run the union. This union is run by the executive committee, I serve at their pleasure, and I do what they command I do. I advise, and I will recommend. But at the end of the day, it’s not Michele Roberts saying to the executive committee: ‘Look, guys, get ready. We’re opting out.’ It doesn’t work  that way. So it’s not my call, but in the event the call is made, we will be ready. And we are preparing to opt out.”