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Stern, Silver answer questions over Twitter

In an effort to clear up confusion over the finer points in the NBA labor negotiations, the league's Twitter account @NBA brought commissioner David Stern and deputy commissioner Adam Silver on to respond to questions posed from players, reporters and fans.

Note: Both were listed as part of the Q&A, but it was not specified on Twitter whether Stern or Silver was answering each question.

Here is a running file of some responses that came from that exchange:

-- Send ur questions to @NBA about the NBA's CBA proposal...David Stern & Adam Silver will be answering live starting at 7pm/et.

-- Grantland creator Bill Simmons: Mine: Why not contract over missing a season? RT @NBA: Send ?'s about NBA's CBA proposal to @NBA. Stern & Silver answering starting at 7et.

@NBA: @sportsguy33 Contraction has been discussed but is not a complete solution

-- 76ers center Spencer Hawes: since we have covered all of your alleged losses(and more)why am I not getting ready for a game tonight. Reason the lockout continues?

@NBA: @spencerhawes00 Don’t agree; season starts if union agrees to NBA’s proposal.

Hawes: if the commish calls the agents greedy for trying to protect their clients from a trbl deal what does that make the owners?

@NBA: Teams are group being criticized for trying to raise avg salaries from $5 mill to $8 mill & provide for better competition

-- Heat guard Dwyane Wade: why are all your "system solutions" only impacting the PLAYERS?? What have the owners giving up of significance??

NBA: @DwyaneWade The economics & system favored the players in prior CBA -- Teams lost over 300m last year

-- Fan Pheana Winfield: Why can't tax paying teams use full MLE since they are paying luxury tax at a higher rate? Doesn't tax money go to non paying tax teams

@NBA: @pwinfield24 Smaller MLE for taxpayers is not about the money, it's about competitive balance

-- Fan Azaz: are you willing to lose the season over system issues?

@NBA: @AzazNYK We need a system that allows all 30 teams to compete for a championship

-- ESPN Los Angeles reporter Dave McMenamin: Explain why you will revert to an alternative, lesser deal if the current offer isn't accepted. How is that bargaining in good faith?

@NBA: @mcten Teams suffering enormous losses; no choice but to recover if season does not start soon.

-- CNBC's Darren Rovell: You said you lost a total of $300M last season. How much would teams collectively lose with no season?

@NBA: @darrenrovell NBA would suffer enormous losses with no season; losses much greater without a fair agreement

-- Sports Illustrated reporter Sam Amick: Don't teams that received public funding for arenas to be built have a responsibility to their communities to continue operations?

@NBA: @sam_amick No mandate to operate unprofitably

-- @NBA: We want our players and teams to do well and we hope our proposal is accepted. Good night.

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