The NBA lockout ends: Winners and losers

Basketball will be back on Christmas Day, thanks to a new labor deal between the league's owners and players. Who benefits the most?

Lebron James slam dunks during a charity game
(Image credit: Brett Deering/Getty Images)

A Christmas miracle? Despite predictions that labor unrest would force the NBA to cancel several months of games, the 2011-12 basketball season has been saved. After a 149-day lockout that cost players and owners hundreds of millions in lost revenue, the two sides emerged from a secret 15-hour bargaining session this weekend to announce that a shortened 66-game NBA season will begin on Christmas Day. The new labor deal essentially gives the owners and players a 50-50 split of league revenue, while also placing tougher luxury taxes on teams with high payrolls, and mandating that players be signed to shorter contracts. Who wins and loses with this new deal? Here, a brief guide:

WINNERS

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