NBA owners, players talking again

Here’s the early story from The Associated Press:

NEW YORK — Negotiators for NBA owners and players are meeting again (today), the first time they have done so on consecutive days during the lockout. The sides met for about 5 hours Wednesday, then returned (this) morning for further discussions. They said they could even continue talking Friday if Thursday’s session is productive.

Neither side is saying if progress is being made to end the work stoppage. But after a six-hour meeting last week, the frequency of their talks is being viewed as a positive after they held only two sessions in the first two months after owners locked the players out on July 1. Commissioner David Stern said after Wednesday’s meeting they have three weeks to reach a deal, with training camps set to open the first week of October.

UPDATE: Talks broke up after about 5 1/2 hours. Stern told reporters in New York, the sides plan to meet again Tuesday, but he wouldn’t say whether that’s an indication of progress. Adam Silver, Stern’s deputy, told reporters it was wrong to assume there have been no new proposals exchanged since June.