Like Michele Roberts with the NBPA, Adam Silver is optimistic about being able to agree upon a new collective bargaining agreement without engaging in a lockout.

"Well, we’re back at the table already," said Silver. "While we and the union have agreed that we’re not going to talk publicly about the substance of our discussions, neither side has made it a secret that we’re talking and that the goal is, of course, to avoid any type of work stoppage whatsoever. I feel fairly confident that, based on the tone of these discussions thus far, based on the sense of trust and the amount of respect among the parties, that we should be able to avoid any kind of public labor issue and that the things we need to get done will get done behind closed doors."

The NBA had a lockout between July and December in 2011 where several games of the regular season were missed.