New York - NBA players made it clear Tuesday: No deal.

No fear of Commissioner David Stern's ultimatum, either.

"The current offer on the table from the NBA is one that we cannot accept," players' association president Derek Fisher said.

Instead, the players said they will ask for another meeting with owners before Stern's Wednesday afternoon deadline in an attempt to end the lockout and save the season.

The league's current proposal calls for players to receive between 49 percent and 51 percent of basketball-related income, though union officials argue it would be nearly impossible to get above 50.2 percent.

"The players are clearly of the mind that it's an unacceptable proposal," union executive director Billy Hunter said.

"But because of their commitment to the game and their desire to play, they're saying to us that we want you to go back, see if you can go back, get a better deal."

Players are willing to negotiate further on the revenue split if they get some concessions on the salary cap system. Without them, Fisher said "we don't see a way of getting a deal done between now and end of business" today.

The league is seeking to limit the spending options of teams above the luxury tax threshold, believing that would lead to greater competitive balance. Players want all teams to be options for free agents.

If players don't take the deal by 5 p.m. today, the next offer will call for salary rollbacks, a 53-47 revenue split in the owners' favor and essentially a hard salary cap.

The players insisted they will not be forced into taking a bad deal by an ultimatum - though Stern refused to call it that.

"The players are saying that we understand their position, but unfortunately we're not intimidated by all that," Hunter said.

With more than 40 players ranging from All-Stars to minimum salary players behind them, Fisher and Hunter dismissed Stern's warning, and repeated that they are willing to negotiate and believe they have made more than enough economic concessions to get the salary cap system they want.