It only took two weeks after the National Basketball Players Association dissolved itself for the NBA’s lockout to end; however, San Antonio Spurs forward Matt Bonner can’t say for certain if the union’s bold move pushed the owners to reach a season-saving deal with the players.
“I think only [NBA commissioner] David Stern and the owners can answer that. I’m sure they never would tell us,” Bonner told the Toronto Star recently. “Obviously it caused the deal to get done pretty soon thereafter. You could argue that helped the process.
“Or you could argue they had a timeline in mind anyway and were going to get a deal no matter what. Or you could argue they were going to push us to that point and squeeze us for every last drop and then cut a deal. I don’t know. They’ll never tell us.”
Despite what happened in basketball, Bonner has a word of warning for NHL players who may be considering decertification as a way to end the hockey lockout:
“It’s hard because it throws everything into chaos. It just adds a huge degree of uncertainty to the situation. It’s a tough decision for the players to make and it’s tough for the owners to deal with. That’s a possible strategy to get the owners to move, to budge.”
Bonner’s take is in line with what Canucks goalie Cory Schneider said on Monday.
“Decertification is not something you do half-heartedly,” Schneider said, as per The Province. “You can’t start to decertify in hopes that you’re going to get a deal done. If it doesn’t, you still have to push forward with it. Once the wheels are in motion, there’s no stopping. It’s a very serious decision and that’s why we’re a little reluctant to charge ahead without thinking.”