While the NBA owners and players union representatives didn't emerge from a nearly six-hour meeting Sunday evening in New York with an agreement, the two parties in the ongoing NBA lockout have agreed to reconvene Monday afternoon for another session.
Following the latest round of negotiations, NBA commissioner David Stern and union president Derek Fisher wouldn't elaborate on the talks, although union executive director Billy Hunter confirmed that plans for a scheduled regional meeting for players Monday in Los Angeles, the site of Sunday's Goodman League-Drew League exhibition rematch, have been put on hold.
Joining Fisher and Hunter on the side of the players' association was Washington Wizards swingman Maurice Evans, a member of the union's executive committee, while Stern had league deputy commissioner Adam Silver, Spurs owner Peter Holt and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor alongside him, according to reports.
Fisher, who moonlights as the Lakers point guard, sent a letter to his constituents, which was obtained by members of the media Sunday.
In it, the veteran urged fellow players to join himself and All-Star point guard Chris Paul, another member of the union's executive committee, in posting social-media messages that say, "LET US PLAY" on Twitter, a strategy used by the NFL's players' association during their work stoppage, as well as the accompanying hash-tag, "StandUnited."
According to reports, there were no discussions of basketball-related income during Sunday's session and Fisher wouldn't confirm whether Stern's imposed deadline for keeping a full, 82-game NBA regular-season schedule intact applies to Monday's talks, although it is believed that the framework of a deal must be apparent for the league to not cancel the first two weeks of games.
Prior to Sunday night's meeting, Stern had set Monday as a deadline, saying the league would be forced to cancel the first two weeks of the regular season if no deal can be reached. The 2011-12 NBA season is set to begin on Nov. 1.
NBA
Aggrey Sam is CSNChicago.com's Bulls Insider. Follow him @CSNBullsInsider on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Bulls information and his take on the team, the NBA and much more.