LeBron 'very optimistic' new CBA deal will be reached

LeBron James isn't expecting a work stoppage in the NBA next season.

The NBPA vice president echoed Adam Silver's recent comments regarding a new CBA, saying he's confident a deal will be reached in the near future.

"I think the best thing about it, we started the conversation a long time ago," James told Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. "We're very optimistic on both sides, from the Players' Association to the owners, to (NBA commissioner) Adam Silver that we can get something done, and I think we can get something done."

Reports surfaced last week that the sides could be finalizing a new CBA within the coming weeks, with remaining talks centering around smaller elements of the agreement. Two-way contracts and a higher rookie contract scale are among the reported changes in the deal.

"I'm not here to talk about specifics, what the owners have asked for, what we've asked for," James said. "The most important thing is that our game is as big as it's ever been. And we want to continue that, and a stoppage of play will not continue that.

"We want to continue to build the brand and make the game as big as it can, where if there's certain people that can't watch it we want them to have an opportunity to watch it in different countries. So, that's what's most important."

Both sides have until Dec. 15, 2016 to opt out of the current agreement.