The NBA's locked-out referees could be back on the floor in time for the season.

The league has made a new proposal and a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press it will be recommended for approval to the referees tomorrow.

The person, who requested anonymity because the negotiations are ongoing, said it's "highly likely" they'll be on the court before next Tuesday's season opener in Cleveland.

The breakthrough in the labour dispute came on Tuesday, after a meeting between league com-missioner David Stern and referees union negotiator Lamell McMorris - who had both previously withdrawn from the process.

Unable to reach a deal

Neither the NBA nor the National Basketball Referees Association would comment on its progress.

The contract between the league and the union expired on September 1 and the sides have been unable to reach a deal, though they were close a couple of times.

The league has been using replacement officials in the pre-season and they have been criticised for the high number of fouls called in the games.

After multiple breakdowns in the talks - one when the referees rejected a deal their negotiators had agreed to in principle days earlier - the NBA seemed set to open a season with replacement officials for the first time since the 1995-96 season.