The NBA released the following statement today.

NBA STATEMENT REGARDING THE SALARY CAP NEW YORK, March 11, 2015 - The following statement was issued today by NBA Executive Vice President, Communications Mike Bass: "The National Basketball Players Association has informed the NBA that it will not agree to ‘smoothing' in the increases in the Salary Cap that will result from the new national media agreements beginning in the 2016-17 season.



"Smoothing would have avoided a substantial Salary Cap spike in 2016-17. Under the league's smoothing approach, the salary shortfall resulting from more gradual Cap increases would have been paid directly to the Players Association for distribution to all players, and thus the total compensation paid to players in any given season would not have been impacted."

This is likely just the opening salvo by union president Michelle Roberts and is an ominous sign of an upcoming fight between the league and the Player's Union over how the revenue from the upcoming TV contract will be divided.

This could have a major impact on the movement to bring an NBA franchise to Seattle, as many believe that the NBA won't even consider expansion until the next collective bargaining agreement is hammered out.