Around 9 a.m. this morning, NBA player reps starting arriving at a NYC midtown hotel for a critical union meeting to review, and potentially ratify, the owner's CBA proposal. Among those in attendance included Carmelo Anthony.

Melo is joined so far by Kobe Bryant and Shannon Brown (Lakers), Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy, Jr. (Pacers), Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and Evan Turner (Sixers), Ben Gordon (Pistons), Jeff Green (Celtics), Tyson Chandler (Mavericks), Emeka Okafor (Hornets), Mike Conley, Jr. and Leon Powe (Grizzlies) and Jared Dudley (Suns). Reps for all 30 teams are expected to be there.

Sources are saying the players have issues with the owner's latest offer and are likely to reject it over several contentions, including a 50-50 BRI split, a minimum rookie age of 20, a hard cap on any non-taxpaying teams that use an exception to sign a player, and a reduction of salaries for minimum, first-year and D-League players.

The biggest disagreement, though, is reported to be about a provision that calls for what would basically be an unlimited escrow tax. As ESPN The Magazine senior writer Ric Bucher explained, "If teams spend more than the allotted percentage, they not only retain the 10 percent of each salary held in escrow, but if that 10 percent doesn't cover the excess then the additional funds can be deducted from a one percent of BRI dedicated to 'post-career player annuity and player benefits.' If the excess still hasn't been satisfied, future benefits and escrow funds can be utilized to cover it. In essence, it assures the owners that no matter how much they spend in any one season, they will not have to pay more than the stated percentage."

If the union does reject the deal, NBA commissioner David Stern's plan for a 72-game season beginning Dec. 15 would backfire -- and so would potentially a season, as union desertification and legal proceedings could take over. Unfortunately, a court battle could even impede on the 2012-13 season.

Stay tuned to ESPNNewYork.com for the very latest.

Knicks notes:

• With two superstars in New York, Melo and Amare Stoudemire, it has piqued the interest of the NBA reality show "The Association," which wants to make the Knicks the subject of their third season. "The Association" is an up-close, behind-the-scenes series similar to HBO’s NFL documentary series "Hard Knocks" that once followed the Jets. Talks with the team are only in their initial stage.
• STAT is slated to play in Drew Gooden's charity game in San Francisco on Nov. 20.

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