The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that said NBA
teams can jointly impose work conditions on players when contract
talks reach an impasse. The court turned down the players
argument that the ruling gives "team owners an incentive to force
bargaining to an impasse so they can impose conditions." The
court ruled without comment. Negotiators for the league and union
are to meet today in an attempt to resolve differences that have
delayed the signing of a new CBA agreement (AP/Baltimore SUN,
6/25).
LOCKOUT: In New York, Mitch Lawrence examines the
possibility of another summer lockout by the NBA. He notes, "One
of the options the league is considering is allowing teams to
sign players for the entire month of July, then imposing the
lockout August 1. But that seems remote." He adds the lockout
"could come down Monday" if the latest round of talks breaks off
(N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/25).
HOOPS NOTES: Agent Len Elmore, who represented No. 1 pick
Joe Smith last year, has not a single player targeted to go in
the first round of the NBA Draft this year. Elmore, on the high
number of young players making themselves eligible for the NBA
Draft: "The message has been altered. The message now is, hurry
up and come out, because the faster you come out, the faster you
can get your time in and become a free agent" (David Steele, S.F.
CHRONICLE, 6/25)....The current issue of "Referee" includes an
interview with retired NBA ref Jack Madden. Madden says the
"biggest mistake" the NBA Referees Union ever made was firing
counsel Richie Phillips (now with the MLBUA) in '86. Madden:
"Phillips had a strong personality and the NBA hated to deal with
him" (REFEREE, 7/96 issue).
