Mediator joins talks with NBA Christmas games at stake

NEW YORK—NBA owners and players will return to talks on Tuesday, the 110th day of a lockout over money issues, as a federal mediator joins negotiations amid threats that games as far off as Christmas are at risk.

NBA billionaire owners, who want payroll cuts and a firm salary cap from multi-millionaire players, have already wiped out the entire pre-season lineup and the first two weeks of the NBA season, ensuring $500 million in losses.

Federal mediator George Cohen met with owners and players seperately on Monday at their New York offices and will gather with negotiating groups for each side at a hotel on Tuesday.

Sides have been unable to divide $4.3 billion in annual revenues, with owners saying only eight of 30 clubs are making money in seeking givebacks from players, who have offered to trim their share of revenue from 57 to 53 percent.

When NBA commissioner David Stern, whose side also wants 53 percent, asked about a 50-50 split, players balked, saying they had already given up $1.1 billion over six years in their offer.

That led to a wipe out of regular-season games for the first time since the 1998-99 season was cut to 50 games a club. Stern has said he is not certain he could entice owners to play a 50-game season this time around.

Stern said last week that his “gut” told him if there was no deal by Tuesday, the NBA would not be playing on Christmas, when reigning champion Dallas is set to face Miami in a 2011 finals rematch.

With NBA owners set to meet Wednesday and Thursday, the stage could be set for more canceled games, or quick action on a deal if negotiators can close the wide gulf between ownership and player demands.

“If there’s a breakthrough, it’s going to come on Tuesday,” Stern told the NBA’s cable TV network. “If not, I think that the season is really going to potentially escape from us because we aren’t making any progress.”

NBA players union president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers dismissed Stern’s talk of losing the season and Christmas cancelations, calling it an “arbitrary deadline” and a leverage tactic.