David Stern is trying to put a positive spin on discussions with the players? union.  

There may be some truth to this but it also may be initial posturing by the owners in the new labor talks.  If things go badly, Stern started off seeming like the one who approached the discussions positively and with the intention to compromise.  If and when they do fall apart, the public-relations battle could tip in the owners? favor as the blame goes to the players instead.

So it is a real change in tone or just a lot of spin?  

"In the language of diplomacy, (talks) have been frank, cordial, open," Stern said.

But there may be a large gap to bridge.  

"We are not close. We are far apart, very far apart," said Billy Hunter, executive director of the NBA Players Association. "It's like I told David six years ago, you can't get what you want without some blood."

Hunter and many NBA observers believe the system is still not where it needs to be and must be fixed.  

"David thought the system is working, but it needed to be tweaked," Hunter said. "My interpretation is they would like to have a hard cap.  My top priorities are to get rid of the escrow and the luxury tax, making the system more flexible so there is greater movement ... so players have an opportunity, not a guarantee but an opportunity, to get their market value."

"Teams are holding down their spending," Hunter continued. "The league's perspective is the system is working because salaries have been flat. There has been little or no growth in players' salaries over the last few years. It is like a hard cap."

There will also be some skirmishing over the establishment of a formal ?minor league? system through the National Basketball Development League.  The owners want this but the union is opposed.