Issues to labor over. (NBA).

It was just 4 1/2 years ago that NBA commissioner David Stern and players association chief Billy Hunter were on the receiving end of a dual public-relations bludgeoning. Essentially, the two figureheads were duking it out over how best to split more than $2 billion among 400 or so people, and the owners locked out the players because of the squabble. It's hard to get much sympathy from us working stiffs in that kind of battle.

Out of those dark days came the current collective bargaining agreement, and though the deal still has two years left (assuming the owners exercise their option), Stern and Hunter are not fools. They don't want another mess. So, to pre-empt problems, Stern and Hunter will hunker down in parts unknown sometime in the next few weeks and get started on their next collective bargaining agreement.

"We just want to begin opening the door to understanding each other, our concerns, and really focus on whether we can avoid the specter, in a year or two, of a lockout or a strike," Stern says.

Even with the luxury of plenty of time, Stern intends to do some real negotiating, and there's a possibility of a new deal getting done this year.

"We are going to try to put some pressure on ourselves because the issues are not going to change a lot," Stern says. "Nothing else makes a lot of sense. The lockout did not make sense. A strike would not make sense."

The talks will remain confidential, so exactly what issues are discussed will be unknown. But we have suggestions:

1. Create a real minor league. No doubt, the issue of setting a minimum age limit for players will be on the table, but fundamental to that issue is strengthening the NBA's developmental league, the NBDL. The junior league's current incarnation, with all the players low-level free agents, needs to be reworked. Teams should be able to send young players to the minors and recall them as needed. That could mean a farm team for every organization. There are many logistical obstacles--how to pay for such an arrangement is first on that list--but the idea needs to be explored.