I think that after Belle Angelos looked at the overall trend of salaries and decided that he wasn't willing to spend with the big boys. Unfortunately he wasn't cheap either which caused him to sign a parade of lackluster free agents in an attempt to field a competitive team.
I don't see how they don't have time to get some really smart people into a room (figuratively) and hammer out some deal better than trusting the owners not to screw them over. I do think the players will lose out if they don't play and don't agree with their current stance.
But the players should know that is what is going to happen. They have been losing the war of public opinion for decades. Signaling a complete lack of will to negotiate isn't doing them any favors.
I don't recall hearing any players complain about prorated salaries. It seems to me like the blowback started when prorated was no longer good enough for owners.
It is a two way street. I don't doubt for a second that if given the chance the owners will screw the players out of as much money as they can get away with. If I'm a player I'm deeply suspicious of any plan the owners come out with.
I hope they can get some experts involved and come up with a plan both sides can live with in which they both accept that they are going to be making less money this season.
I'm fine with them wanting to get as much out of the owners as they can.
I just get offended when they talk about how they would be putting their lives at risk. To me that's offensive to all folks that have been working throughout this pandemic from the medical personal to the folks making minimum wage in retail.
The players are going to be at a higher risk going to the gas station then they are playing ball. I don't see why any player that isn't in a high risk group, or that has immediate family that is, would decide not to play.