I don't see what that comment has to do with his ability to negotiate. Agree or disagree you'd have to admit that he's done ok for the players to this point.
I intrepreted the last part a little differently than you did. When he said it's just the principle he wasn't saying that you should be set for life if you've ever set foot on an NBA court. He was going back to his larger point that the owners are trying to, in his words, "run the table" instead of looking for common ground.
Not sure if you just read that comment or listened to the entire interview but I thought he came off well.
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