10 Most Important Ways David Stern Changed The NBA

7. Leading The League Through The 1998-98 Lockout

NBA LockOut
NY Times

The NBA endured a total of four lockouts under Stern, but none as contentious as the one that nearly killed the 1998-99 season. At that point, the soft salary cap instituted in the 1980s allowed player salaries to grow far beyond what was intended.

By the 1997-98 season, 57% percent of basketball-related income went to players, whereas the CBA only called for them to receive 48%. The settlement eventually created the rookie salary scale, the max contract and the Mid-Level Exception.

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