NBA labor: Checketts' sources claim labor deal in place

SALT LAKE CITY — The NBA lockout might be over soon, according to RSL owner Dave Checketts.

The pro sports mogul, a former president of the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks, set the sports social media world abuzz this afternoon while telling Salt Lake City-based sports radio station ESPN700 that his connected sources confirmed that "they have a deal in place."

Checketts told co-hosts Bill Riley and Spence Checketts, his son, that "positive news will come" out of ongoing negotiating meetings between the NBA owners and the players' union, according to posts on their Twitter accounts.

Though Checketts admitted the situation continues to be fluid, per Riley's tweet, the current consultant for the Detroit Pistons and St. Louis Blues owner said the NBA and NBPA have agreed to a 50/50 basketball related income split over 10 years.

Multiple sources of reporters following the story from the New York hotel where the two sides are meeting rebuffed Checketts' claim.

From Ken Berger of CBSSports.com: "Person in the room assures me that no agreement has been reached. They're about to hit the five-hour mark here in New York."

From Zach Lowe of Sports Illustrated: "Source in the room on Checketts: "100 percent false."

From David Aldridge of NBA TV: "Just heard from 3 people who are, as we say, directly involved in talks ... "Not true ... long, long list of things to go." ... "He is wrong." "No." Fourth person in room: "Nothing has changed from last night."

Though it wasn't as optimistic as Checketts' claim, Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Kate Fagan offered some hope with her tweet.

"Source briefed on talks says this about having reached a deal: 'Not yet, we have to cross T's and dot I's. Right there though.'"

For what it's worth, Dave Checketts is trending on Twitter.

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