After a monthlong lockout, the NBA referees approved the collective bargaining deal that was agreed to in principle last Tuesday.
“We are pleased to reach this agreement,” NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement. “The negotiations extended further than either side had hoped, but when our regular season tips off on Tuesday we’ll have the best referees in the world officiating our games.”
The referees will be ready to return for the regular season which begins on Tuesday with four games including the Cavaliers vs Celtics. They will go through a brief training camp this weekend in New Jersey.