CBA negotiations are temporarily on hold, but once the two sides resume talking, a deal could be reached quickly, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. Stark says that players and owners are "on the precipice" of a new labor deal, with discussions potentially resuming Thursday and moving quickly from there. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (Twitter link) believes a deal could be announced as soon as Friday.
Two of Stark's sources agree that a deal will be consummated soon, with one saying the two sides are "within striking distance" and the other saying they're "on the verge of an agreement." Specifics on a few issues still need to be worked out, but barring any unexpected setbacks, none of the issues should prevent a new agreement.
Stark also hears that free agent compensation won't be eliminated, but will be modified so that teams only surrender a top draft pick when signing "elite" free agents. Earlier today, we heard that Type B compensation is expected to be eliminated as early as this offseason, and that compensation for Type A free agents might be tweaked as well.
While most of the news concerning a new deal is positive, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that many teams aren't happy about changes that could limit amateur draft spending. One executive called the proposed changes "incredibly short-sighted," saying they'd hurt many clubs.
