A breakdown in contract negotiations between the NBA league management and the referees union could well mean that refs from the Development League (D-League) will be officiating when preseason begins in two weeks. Although the union feels certain it will come to a lockout, the NBA is optimistic about the next two weeks, and feels that they might be able to pull an agreement together. The league and the union have already agreed to the basic premises of the contract, including a number of wage concessions by the union, and an agreement by the league to shorten the contract to two years. Issues arose over pensions, severance pay, and a proposal by the league to allow a number of WNBA and D-League 'refs in training' to officiate preseason games for practice.
See "Negotiator says NBA referees' lockout is certain", Howard Beck, The New York Times, September 17, 2009