The other side is always stupid, and justice always lies on your side. That's how much the NBA generates on an annual basis. But just days before Stern was set to cancel the season, the two sides finally found enough common ground to make labor peace. The league agreed to retain the Larry Bird exception, but the players agreed to a cap even on those salaries. There is now a much greater incentive for players to stay with the same team.
Nothing can get out of hand.
Or so it would seem. The consensus at the time was that the NBA owners and management had done very well for themselves. A very distant second. Reverse that, and you've lost the game before the referee's even blown the whistle. But I still love the game.