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NBA owners, players to resume talks on Saturday

The NBA and the players union will return to the bargaining table Saturday. That meeting will be the first after more than a week layoff.

Billy Hunter held firm that the union would not accept less than 52 percent of the split of basketball revenue. (AP file photo)
Billy Hunter held firm that the union would not accept less than 52 percent of the split of basketball revenue. (AP file photo)Read more

The NBA and the players union will return to the bargaining table Saturday.

That meeting will be the first after more than a week layoff.

Last Friday, after three days and more than 30 hours of negotiating, union chief Billy Hunter held firm that the union would not accept less than 52 percent of the split of basketball revenue. Hunter's resolve on that split ended a productive string of sessions. Many believed those meetings would be the final push in the two sides' agreeing upon the league's next collective bargaining agreement. Instead, it ended as many before had: with each side pointing the finger at the other.

NBA commissioner David Stern then immediately canceled games through Nov. 30 and said playing a full, 82-game schedule was no longer feasible.

The players held a meeting with union officials Thursday in New York. A few union members spoke afterward, confirming Saturday's bargaining session.

Hunter said that federal mediator George Cohen, who was involved in a string of meetings two weeks ago, might be a part of Saturday's meeting. Hunter said the union was still awaiting the NBA's approval to reintroduce Cohen to the bargaining process.