"What I would love to do is put pressure on everyone," Silver said at his annual news conference at NBA All-Star Weekend. Silver clarified that he has not been at the negotiating table, but has been involved behind the scenes. The league has proposed that players receive, on average, over 70% of net revenue, defined as revenue after deducting expenses. The average player salary, including revenue sharing, was projected to reach $540,000 in 2026 and $780,000 by 2031, up from $120,000 in 2025. The players, meanwhile, have proposed a $10.5 million salary cap and want to receive 30% of gross revenue -- defined as revenue before deducting expenses.