ATLANTA _ The biggest perceived threat to the Cavaliers' reign in the Eastern Conference might be the league itself. To that end, few teams need labor peace right now more than the Cavs.
Either the league or the players association can opt out of the current labor deal before Dec. 15, but both sides continue to express optimism a new deal could soon be in place. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said during his recent trip to China that a new deal could be struck "relatively soon." His comments came on the heels of a report by Yahoo Sports indicating a new deal could be announced within weeks.
LeBron James, now the vice president of the players association, did little this week to dissuade that confidence.
"The most important thing is that our game is as big as it's ever been," James said. "And we want to continue that, and a stoppage of play will not continue that."
James was entering his second year with the Miami Heat in 2011 when labor unrest led to a work stoppage. The Heat ultimately won James' first championship, but not before 16 games were shaved off the regular season because of the length of the lockout.
James has been encouraged this time by how early the two sides started negotiations.
"The last time we had a lockout, we started the conversation too late, and there was no way we could get a deal done," James said. "We're very optimistic on both sides, from the players association to the owners, to Adam Silver, that we can get something done."
The league is entering the first season of a new television deal worth $24 billion over the next nine years. As a result, salaries across the league are soaring. The game has never been as profitable for the players as it is now, but there is also the matter of revenue division.
James said two years ago, shortly after the new TV deal was announced, that the owners won't be able to claim that they're losing money this time around. Players made massive concessions during the last collective-bargaining agreement, reducing their share of basketball-related income from 57 percent down to 51.5. They could ask this time to recoup a portion of revenue that they relinquished five years ago.
"The owners were telling us they were losing money," James said in 2014, referring to the 2011 negotiations. "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."
On top of the new television deal, the Los Angeles Clippers were sold to Steve Ballmer for $2 billion. The Atlanta Hawks commanded $850 million and even the Milwaukee Bucks fetched $550 million. It seems everyone in the league is making money right now, except for perhaps Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who wrote a check for $54 million in luxury taxes to win last season's championship. The Cavs will be a tax paying team again this season.
"Our game is as big as it's ever been," James said. "That's the most important thing. We want to continue to build the brand and make the game as big as it can [get]."
