Adam Silver won't set deadline in WNBA labor negotiations - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — As the WNBA and the Players' Association continue to negotiate for a new collective bargaining agreement, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he is not prepared to set a drop-dead date for when a new agreement would have to be put in place to ensure the WNBA season would start on the scheduled May 8 opening night.

However, he urges everyone involved to operate with a new heightened sense of urgency.

«What I would love to do is put pressure on everyone,» Silver said at his annual press conference at NBA All-Star weekend. «Often things tend to get done at the 11th hour. We're getting awfully close to the 11th hour when it comes to bargaining.»

For the first time since December, conversations between the WNBA and union are being described as heading in the right direction, though they are still slow moving.

«I'm encouraged that there has been more back and forth over the past few weeks,» Silver said.

Silver clarified that he has not been at the negotiating table, but has been involved behind the scenes.

«I want to play whatever role would be most productive in getting a deal done,» Silver said. «I think we need to now move toward the next level of sense of urgency and not lose momentum in terms of the amazing amount of progress we've seen in women's basketball.»

On Feb. 6, the league sent a new proposal responding to what the union sent back in December. The league's latest proposal reportedly included concessions on housing and facility standards but did not include a significant change in revenue sharing.

The league has proposed that players receive, on average, over 70% of net revenue, defined as revenue after deducting expenses. Its latest proposal included a $5.65 million salary cap in 2026 (up from roughly