In what has to be great news for NBA fans, team owners and especially NBA players, it looks very likely that the regular NBA referees will be available for the 2009-2010 NBA regular season, according to the Associated Press.

Not a whole ton of details, but what is certain is this. The league has made a new proposal and as a result, an individual familiar with the negotiations – whoever that may be – has said that the proposal will be recommended for approval to the referees on Friday. Furthermore, this “source” has also stated that they may very well be on the court for nest Tuesday’s season opener at Cleveland.

Neither the NBA nor the National Basketball Referees Association would comment on the progress of the said negotiations; however, the breakthrough in the negotiations that included NBA Commissioner David Stern and referees union negotiator Larnell McMorris happened on Tuesday.

The contract between the NBA and the union expired on September 1 and neother side could agree upon a deal; as a result, the league has been using replacement oficials – to mixed results, at best. I would have to say that assuming an agreement does indeed take place between the league and referees union, it would be at the perfect time as those of you who have been following the preseason already know, the replacement refs have left a lot to be desired.

Some examples of the discontentment are the coaches who hqave been fined for criticizing the job that the replacement refs have done thus far. Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown, Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and Memphis coach Lionel Hollins are lighter in the pocketbook, courtesy of the replacement officials.

The coaches have been in the business long enough to know a good referee from a marginal one; once the deal has been inked between the NBA and referees union, things will be somewhat back to normal.  I don’t think we need to have the 1995-96 season revisited – the last season that replacement officla were used during the NBA regular season.