More details of labor deal NBA players are voting on

For the players, the polls have opened. NBA owners will vote on the new NBA Collective Bargaining Ageement on Thursday. Both sides are expected to pass this — not unanimously but clearly — and by Friday we can talk trades and training camp.

But first, one last look at what the two sides are voting on.

We remember the major deal points — essentially a 50/50 split of league revenues (basketball related income, or BRI, officially), plus a modified soft-cap salary system.

But there were some minor deal points as well still to be hammered out. For example, a discussion of the draft age limit. That will remain at age 19 for now and the two sides will form a committee to study the issue and possibly recommend changes, but later when there is time to do so.

Chris Sheridan has a good rundown of other changes over at Sheridanhoops.com.

One change is D-League assigments. Now, players can be sent down during their first three years in the league (it had been two) and they still get their full NBA salary. Older players also now can be sent down if there is mutual agreement (picture a one-game rehab stint for injured players).

Here are other things Sheridan lists from union director Billy Hunter’s memo to the players.

• An expected increase in annual collective salaries and benefits from the current $2.17 billion to more than $3 billion by the end of the 10-year agreement.
• Neutral review of commissioner David Stern’s financial discipline for players’ on-court conduct.
• A new benefits pool funded by BRI that permits players to receive post-career health and welfare benefits.
• A new optional annuity under which players, beginning in 2012-13, will have the option to directly defer portions of their salary to an annuity plan with favorable interest rates to be paid to the player upon retirement.
• Players can agree to wear a microphone for one nationally televised game per month, one locally televised game per month, and up to two playoff games per round, and no player can be subject to discipline for content captured as a result of wearing a microphone.