NBA commissioner David Stern is cautiously optimistic that he can eventually come to an agreement with the Players Association that will avoid a work stoppage.

The current collective bargaining agreement expires in June 2011, and Stern and union chief Billy Hunter will meet as early as May or June for "substantive" talks.

"Billy and I have agreed that we will sit down after my owners' meeting [in April], with fully fledged committees on both sides, and commence a very, very intense and open dialogue about our business and its model," Stern said this past week.