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NBA players are pushing for more money in the next collective bargaining agreement -- for the players who came before them.Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, vice president of the National Basketball Players Associations executive committee, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the union has prioritized getting aid for retired players.The NBA and its players have agreed that the next CBA will include new league-funded programs to help retired players with education and medical expenses, four people with knowledge of the situation told the AP. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing.In exchange for those programs, and pending full approval from both sides, the split of basketball-related income would remain the same 50-50 deal as it is in the current agreement.Deciding how to divvy up the revenue pie was the biggest obstacle that led to the ugly lockout five years ago. But with that issue essentially taken care of this time around, negotiations have been much smoother as both sides look to reach an agreement on a new deal before the Dec. 15 deadline to opt out.For James, NBPA president Chris Paul and the rest of the union, taking care of those who are no longer playing is a worthy compromise for trying to recoup any of the financial ground lost during the 2011 labor dispute.We got a group of guys that are in there that know the negotiations, so any way to give back and try to help our former teammates and help former players and things of that nature, James said. Because weve all built this league together. No matter how big of a guy you were or if you were the 15th guy on the bench, we all built this league into what it is today. But its not just my idea. Im not taking any credit for that. But its all part of the process.Mike Glenn, a 10-year NBA veteran and a member of the National Basketball Retired Players Associations board of directors, said the CBA has dominated conversations among retirees for more than a year.Were very thankful to Chris Paul, LeBron and others who have provided the leadership to include us in the negotiations and have the foresight to see that theyll be us in a couple of years, said Glenn, currently an Atlanta Hawks analyst for Fox Sports Southeast. There are so many guys with medical issues who have had hip and knee replacements. With the cost of health care going up, it would be the biggest thing thats happened for retirees in 10 years.The CBA process will resume next week, when the league and the union meet ahead of the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York, which begins Oct. 20. NBA commissioner Adam Silver and union head Michele Roberts met in Spain earlier this month, when the league had a preseason game there. Silver and Roberts -- along with other members of the negotiating committee -- are preparing to return to the bargaining table with both sides in deal-making mode.New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony?expressed optimism that a deal will get done before Dec. 15.Were working. Were working towards figuring out a solution and kind of how we want to work together, he said Thursday. Believe it or not, we dont want to strike and they dont want to strike. So the best thing to do is really figure it out sooner rather than later. We want to try to get something done. I think the NBA and the owners are very receptive to that, and we are, too. I think this time before we were so far away from each other. You can feel the difference, you can see the difference, you can see the reaction, you can see the contact were having, the information thats being sent on both sides. I think were closer to getting something done. Hopefully itll get done soon.During the bitter negotiations of 2011 that resulted in the loss of 16 games for each team, the players ultimately accepted a decrease from 57 percent of basketball-related income to a band between 49 and 51 percent depending on a variety of economic factors for each particular season. After the league secured a new $24 billion television contract, franchise values skyrocketed. There was talk of the players opting out of the 10-year deal and seeking givebacks from the owners.But the talks between the owners and players this time around have been much more cordial.The influx of money has been key for the players, Anthony said.Were not going in there saying we want more money. We dont want to mess that up, Anthony said. We see how the league is growing, we see the growth of the league. We want to be a part of that. Theres certain things within the CBA that we would like to see as players of the union. So hopefully we can make something happen.There also is a trust level that was absent from previous talks, a factor that was only strengthened when the owners agreed to the new programs that will help players after their careers come to an end.James stressed that the medical and education programs benefiting retirees were not his idea alone, but a collective decision from the union to seek help for the players who helped make the league what it is today. Now, with so much revenue flooding the system to the benefit of both sides, the dialogue appears to be centered on the greater good over dollars and cents.I just want to see the league continue to grow; thats all that matters to me, James said. The players are a huge, huge piece, but we also know the owners have great minds as well. Our commissioner is great, but our league, our logo, the Jerry West logo is probably the most well sought-out, admired logo in the world, and weve got to figure out a way to keep it going, keep raising the bar. Thats my only concern.The new agreement is expected to include several other new elements as well, said the people with knowledge of the discussions.They said owners are pushing to give their teams more options to keep homegrown players in their organizations, a topic that came to the forefront after Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to form a new super team with the?Golden State Warriors. One of the proposals, the people said, includes the possibility of adding a second five-year maximum contract. Currently, teams can offer only one five-year max contract, which can make it more difficult for teams to keep multiple stars happy.The people told the AP new elements also include an increase in the rookie salary scale to fall more in line with the surging salary cap, which was first reported by Yahoo Sports. The people also say two-way contracts that would pay players less when they are in the D-League and more when they are with their NBA teams -- a structure that has worked well in hockey for some time -- will be a part of the deal.ESPNs Ian Begley and The Associated Press contributed to this report. St.Louis Blues Pro Shop . 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. Wholesale Blues Jerseys . LOUIS -- St. https://www.cheapblues.com/ . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Blues Jerseys China .Y. -- Syracuse has turned up the defence at the right time all season, and when High Point threatened to pull off a monumental upset the second-ranked Orange did what they do best with their quick hands and savvy play. Blues Jerseys 2020 . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . AMES, Iowa -- There are times when senior Deonte Burton can be the most spectacular and maddening player on the floor for No. 25 Iowa State -- often in the same sequence.Harnessing Burtons strengths and minimizing his weaknesses will be a big challenge for both Burton and coach Steve Prohm this season.Burton has been occasionally spectacular for Iowa State. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder is averaging 14.1 points, a team-high 7.6 rebounds and is shooting 47.4 percent from 3-point range.If Burton can continue to overcome the little mistakes that hold him back, like forced shots and the nearly two turnovers per game so far in 2016-17, the Cyclones can be a serious threat in the Big 12. Iowa State travels to face Iowa (4-5) on Thursday.Some of those shots that he shoots, youre like `Oh man, Prohm said. But those are lessening. Now the biggest thing weve got to get him to do is to make that extra pass, and I think hes seeing that. But hes just an offensive talent.Last season, Burton was a role player for a team with plenty of scoring options.This year, the Cyclones are counting on him.Burton was a top-50 recruit coming out of Vincent High in Milwaukee, and he earned Big East All-Rookie honors for Marquette as a freshman. But after losing his mother to breast cancer just before the start of his sophomore season, Burton opted for a change and left Marquette after just eight games.Like so many transfers before him, Burton found a home with the Cyclones. He became eligible last December and was immediately inserted into a rotation that had just lost starting guard Naz Mitrou-Long to injuries.Burton averaged a career-high 9.7 points and 3.9 rebounds. But with frontcourt stars like Georges Niang and Abdel Nader leading the way and a firsst-year coach in Prohm that he barely knew, Burtons focus wasnt always where it needed to be.ddddddddddddell tell you. Last year...he wasnt hard, necessarily, to coach. But he wasnt easy to coach, either, Prohm said. I really just talked to him about my expectations, what I wanted him to do to help him ... the way you go about things, the way you prepare, the way you work, the way you handle yourself. Hes done all that.Prohm also said at media day in October that he wanted Burton to get a double-double every game. Burton is talented enough to come close.Burton has scored at least 20 points three times this season, including a 29-point performance in a 73-71 loss to No. 8 Gonzaga.Burton has shown a knack for getting hot and scoring points in bunches -- like when scored the first 13 points in Mondays win over Nebraska-Omaha -- but hes learning not to do that without disrupting Iowa States game plan.If I start hitting some shots, then I start taking bad shots. So I just try to keep with the flow of the game, Burton said.That 91-47 win over Omaha also featured a sequence that encapsulated Burtons game.Burton grabbed a tough defensive rebound, but then threw a careless left-handed outlet pass the Mavs stole. Burton stayed under the hoop, blocking the ensuing layup try and allowing the Cyclones to get back up the floor in transition.If Iowa State can get those types of plays from Burton -- minus the miscue -- it will be much closer to reaching its full potential.I think Deonte is playing a lot smarter right now. And we need him to, Prohm said.---More college basketball at www.collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '