CLEVELAND- Cleveland Cavaliers Head coach Kenny Atkinson wears a short rotation of hats and zippers during his pregame press conferences. His well-worn Cleveland WNBA hat that’s starting to fade around the edges is one of them. Fittingly, he had this one during Monday’s pre-game availability, the day The Cavs celebrate International Women’s Day.
“It’s so cool that Cleveland has a (WNBA) team,” Atkinson said before her team’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
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This team will arrive in a few seasons, but first the WNBA will have to deal with its current labor dispute. The league and the players have exchanged collective agreement proposals before the March 10 deadline imposed by the league. One of the main sticking points is how much players should receive from league revenue.
Atkinson clarified that he’s not a union negotiator, but it’s safe to say he’s on the players’ side.
“Go get your money,” Atkinson said. “Go ahead. That’s what it’s all about.”
Right now, they don’t understand that.
The players’ union proposed a deal under which the players would retain 26% of gross turnover before expenses. The league estimates that it would unrealistic. Under the previous agreement, WNBA players retained less than 10% of turnover. For comparison, in 2022, NBA players would have retained half of basketball-related revenue and 39% of all revenue.
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What’s not up for debate is the fact that the WNBA is more popular than ever. Derailing that momentum would be detrimental to the long-term health of the league.
Atkinson admitted he didn’t watch the league much three to five years ago. Now he watches to be entertained and also to learn. He is impressed with the offensive sets the teams run and their level of execution.
“There’s an attention to detail, especially offensively with the sets they run,” Atkinson said. “(I’m) trying to find a good ATO (after a timeout) or a set I haven’t seen. … You can really salvage a lot of good stuff.”
Hopefully the WNBA and its players association will come to an agreement soon so that no games are missed. And more importantly, we hope it’s one that rewards the players who led to the league’s explosion in popularity.
“I want players to push for what they think is right and deserved,” Atkinson said.
