The declaration rate for underclassmen entering into the 2010 NBA Draft could increase due to the looming potential of a new collective bargaining agreement, but the rookie pay scale is unlikely to be a main issue in negotiations.

The NBA and Players Association agreed to shorten the length of guaranteed contracts for first round picks from three years down to two years during their previous CBA negotiations in 2005.

"It already sucks for rookies," one agent told RealGM's Christopher Reina. "It's not advantageous economically for rookies."

Underclassmen, particularly juniors, declare for the draft without hiring an agent in order to get a gauge of their pro potential and to ensure they are more prominently on the radar of general managers and scouts. That hasn't changed and won't change.

But layers who do decide to stay in the draft shouldn't be motivated by the CBA negotiations and the possibility of rookie contracts decreasing either in guaranteed years or dollars.

The NBA is most concerned with reducing guaranteed contracts for veterans coming out of their rookie contracts.

"It's not going to get worse (for rookies). You gain nothing by coming out (if you're a borderline draft prospect)," said the agent.

There were 51 underclassmen in the 2009 NBA Draft, up from 39 in 2008 and 32 in 2007.

Billy Hunter, director of the NBA Players' Association, was at the Pistons' practice facility Wednesday, updating players on the status of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

"The players are concerned there may be a work stoppage," Hunter said. "That's the last thing they want to see. There may be teams that are struggling in smaller markets. It may be something they can't recover from."

The players are against a hard salary cap.

"We're not at all open to a hard salary cap and we've conveyed that," Hunter said.

Jason Maxiell, the Pistons' player representative, said players are beginning to take precautions with a lockout looming.

"Mainly save your funds, knowing it could be like 1998 (the last NBA lockout)," Maxiell said. "It was tough for (the players) then, and it could be tough for us. As a player you have to be prepared for it."

Derek Fisher, the president of the National Basketball Players Association, said the union is working to draft a proposal for a new collective bargaining agreement with the NBA.  

The players felt the league's proposal -- which included reductions in players' revenue share and guaranteed salaries, as well as the institution of a hard cap -- could not be the starting point for a fruitful bargaining session.

“We’ll just continue to push as hard as we can, so it’s as realistic and as serious a proposal as it can be, and not something we send back just for the exercise,” Fisher said.

“We know there’s going to be a lot of work involved,” he said. “We’ll keep pushing, and see what we can give back into their hands. There’s not a timeline or any guarantee it will be in their hands by a certain date.  We have this season, this summer and the entire year next year before we get down to doomsday.”

The NBA holds a trump card in potentially locking out the players if they are unable to agree on terms of a new collective bargaining agreement. Many NBA players would be unable to withstand a work stoppage due to how their expenses are arranged.

The players are without a similar trump card unless they present a collective front for several superstars to play overseas.

Derek Fisher, president of the players association, said the union isn’t thinking in those terms yet.

“It’s a long way away,” said Fisher on Tuesday. “I can’t speak for what guys might do individually, but we’ll have some things planned — some things we’ll need to fall back on if things go a certain way. Right now we’re trying to stay focused on the positives and take advantage of there being a year and a half before we get down to doomsday.”

Marquee players could head to Europe's well-established teams, but one agent sees China as a potential wild card.

Bernie Lee, who represents John Lucas III of the Shanghai Sharks, envisions the Chinese Basketball Association joining together with shoe companies to create a viable business model to attract premier NBA players.

“You’d have guys making huge money, and open up marketing opportunities that just don’t exist in North America anymore,” he said. “I can’t imagine what would happen if you put Dwyane Wade in Beijing or Chris Bosh in Shanghai — the opportunities would be endless.”