Last Tuesday, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and its referee’s union agreed on a two-year contract. Prior to the deal, the NBA referees were on lock out.

Sources claim that the union’s executive board will meet with NBA executives to finalize the deal on Friday at New Jersey. Agreeing to the contract would guarantee that the referees will be back to the league by season opening.

Reportedly, the deal was formed by NBA commissioner David Stern and Lamell McMorris, the attorney for the union. The Tuesday meet was the first of the two concerned parties in more than a month.

Replacement officials from the NBA Developmental League were used to run the pre-season games. The officiating has drawn several complaints from the coaches. In fact, three coaches were fined last week for public comments that criticized the replacement referees.