NBA labor relations

The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout of four in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It lasted from July 1, 1998, to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 regular season to be shortened to 50 games per team and that season's All-Star Game to be canceled. NBA owners reopened the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in March 1998, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed the owners' plans and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After the two sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners began the lockout.

A two-way contract is a professional sports contract which stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of where the athlete is assigned to play.

Larry Coon is a computer scientist and Information Technology Director with University of California, Irvine, but is known throughout the NBA as an expert of the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement. The New York Times writes that Coon is cited more frequently than basketball inventor James Naismith.

The National Basketball Players Association (the NBPA) is a labor union that represents basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was founded in 1954, making it the oldest trade union of the four major North American professional sports leagues. However, the NBPA did not get recognition by the NBA team owners until ten years later. Its offices are located in the historic Park and Tilford Building in New York City. It was briefly a trade association after dissolving as a union during the 2011 NBA lockout.

The 2011 NBA lockout was the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Team owners began the work stoppage upon expiration of the 2005 collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The 161-day lockout began on July 1, 2011 and ended on December 8, 2011. It delayed the start of the 2011–12 regular season from November 1 to December 25, and it reduced the regular season from 82 to 66 games. The previous lockout in 1998–99 had shortened the season to 50 games. During the lockout, teams could not trade, sign or contact players. Also, players could not access NBA team facilities, trainers, or staffs.

The National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA) is the labor union that represents National Basketball Association (NBA), G League, and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) referees. It was founded in 1977.