NEW YORK -- This season hasnt started and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver already has good news about next season.It appears theres no chance it will be affected by a work stoppage.Silver said Friday the league and players have made tremendous progress toward an extension of the collective bargaining agreement, saying he hoped a deal would be completed soon.We are not done, done as we say as bargainers in terms of ultimately having a completed collective bargaining agreement, but were on our way towards getting an extension done of this collective bargaining agreement, Silver said. Im very pleased to report that.Silver said the process was far different than the contentious negotiations of 2011, which led to a lockout and a 2011-12 season that was shortened to 66 games.This time, the sides have been meeting for a few months and seem eager to make a deal long before Dec. 15, when either side can notify the other of its intention to opt out of the 10-year pact, which expires in June 2021.If either side chooses to opt out, the deal would end on June 30, 2017.The sides met Wednesday, the day before owners began their two-day preseason meetings. They received an encouraging report on the status of the talks.Weve made tremendous progress and Im pleased to report that, Silver said.An agreement wasnt reached in 2011 until Thanksgiving weekend, and 16 games from each teams schedule had been shaved before the season opened on Christmas. The players guarantee of basketball-related income was reduced from 57 percent to about 50 percent.The sides arent fighting over money this time, not after the national TV deals worth more than $2.6 billion annually sent revenues soaring and the salary cap skyrocketing.Silver credited union executive director Michele Roberts for the more cordial tone of these talks and noted the role on the negotiating committee of Hall of Fame player Michael Jordan, now owner of the Charlotte Hornets. Silver said Jordans relationship with players has added an enormous amount to the atmosphere in the room.For players to see him in that position, it doesnt mean if Michael says it, it necessarily means that they should accept it as the position they should take, Silver said, but I think thats really added a special element unique to this league to have a superstar player like that owning a team now.Longtime Commissioner David Stern led owners and former NBPA executive director Billy Hunter represented players in the last few negotiations, and the league lost games in both 1998-99 and 2011-12. Silver said both sides feel that the most recent deal has been working.I think the fortunes of the league, the fact that there is more money to distribute among our players and teams, has created an atmosphere that makes it more conducive to continue a deal that looks a lot like the current deal, Silver said.And because they are working to extend it, rather than negotiate a new one, Silver said there would be more tweaks than wholesale changes.Silver and Roberts appear to have developed a stronger working relationship than their predecessors, and players have long looked up to Jordan for what he accomplished on and off the court.All-Stars Chris Paul, the union president who took part in this weeks meeting, and vice presidents LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are among the players thinking business as well as basketball.Ill say that when you have someone like Michael Jordan now on the owners side of the table, we all remember the old slogan from when Michael was a player of `Be like Mike. I think theres the sense now for the players that thats yet another area where they want to be like Mike, Silver said. Look what hes done, taking sort of his success on the floor and translated that into being an incredibly successful businessman.Silver didnt want to comment on specifics of the deal since it had not been completed, though its expected to include new league-funded programs to help retired players with education and medical expenses, and an increase in the rookie salary scale.But hes optimistic hell be able to discuss them soon.Hopefully, we will be back to all of you in the not-too-distant future to say that negotiations have been completed, but were not quite there yet, he said.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney Balenciaga Sale Mens . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Wholesale Balenciaga Shoes .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.balenciagauksale.com/ . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Balenciaga Sale Uk . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. Balenciaga Sale Shoes . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Newbee player Chen Hao Zhihao announced he would be taking a break from competitive Dota 2 for the foreseeable future.ESPN contributor Jack Chen translated the post, in which the veteran carry of the Chinese scene discusses his lengthy career in Dota 2.After playing professionally for so many years, Hao writes, I am exhausted. I am going to rest for six months, possibly for good.Chen goes on to address fans and supporters, apologizing for Newbees performance at The International 6 and asks for their continued support (Newbee placed 9th-12th). Hao wraps up by saying, Even if Im not playing, youll still see me often.This is the first departure from the scene for Hao, a player who hass appeared at every International since its inception in 2011.dddddddddddd Hao was a major contributing factor to Newbees dominance in the fourth International, where he earned his first career Aegis in Seattle. He has also played carry for teams like TyLoo, TongFu, Invictus Gaming and Vici Gaming. His approximate total career earnings come in at just over $1.7 million USD.Newbee has not released a statement yet on the retiring player, and has not indicated how it will be looking to fill Haos spot on the lineup. More will likely be revealed as the Fall Majors roster lock date of September 4 approaches. ' ' '