INDEPENDENCE, Ohio _ There was a time not long ago when LeBron James hinted that the players would try to wrestle back some of the millions the union relinquished to ownership during the 2011 lockout. Yet the new labor deal agreed upon this week keeps the basketball-related income at roughly a 50/50 split.
So why the change in thinking?
"It's always give and take when you're having a negotiation," James said Friday. "Try to figure out a way that both sides can feel good about the situation."
That's in stark contrast to 2014, during the first few weeks after James returned to Cleveland and the league announced the new nine-year, $24 billion television deal. Players gave up about 7 percent of their BRI in the previous contract, dropping their share from 57 to around 50. James hinted two years ago the players would try to get some of that back in the next round of bargaining.
"The owners were telling us (in 2011) they were losing money," James said two years ago. "There's no way they can sit in front of us and tell us that right now. ... That will not fly with us this time."
If keeping labor peace was the primary objective _ and by all accounts it was _ then leaving the BRI split untouched was likely necessary in order to agree on a labor extension before either side had the opportunity to opt out next summer. Had the players dug their heels in on recouping some of that 7 percent, another ugly lockout could've ensued.
"The No. 1 thing, we wanted to continue to build the pie and grow the pie," James said Friday. "We did that."
