NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter found that "dissension"
among player agents is "beginning to grow" as they are
"losing patience" with the NBA lockout, according to Tim
Povtak of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. Hunter held a conference
call with agents yesterday and asked "for more patience
until the owners sweeten their latest offer to avoid
canceling the entire season." But "not everyone bought into
Hunter's theory." N.Y.-based agent Norman Blass: "If I were
in the players shoes, I'd bang out the best deal they can
right now and run with it." Another agent said, "The union
is still telling us that the owners have more to lose than
the players (if the season is canceled). The value of their
franchises will plummet if the season is canceled." But
Blass said Magic Owner Rich DeVos, Heat Owner Micky Arison
and Blazers Owner Paul Allen "don't need a season. The
players can't make up the money they are losing" (ORLANDO
SENTINEL, 12/10). Detroit-based agent Harold MacDonald:
"Basically, Billy Hunter told us that (NBA Commissioner
David) Stern would never throw the season, that the league
would suffer incalculable damage in doing so and he would
never take that risk." MacDonald said that Hunter was
"confident that the league would be up and running" in
January. During the call, Hunter said that he was empowered
to "turn down any offer" and would not "put what he felt was
a bad deal to a vote of the players" (Chris McCosky, DETROIT
NEWS, 12/10). One agent said, "The real negotiations begin
now. ... The damage is done." The agent added that the
union "no longer will insist" on receiving 57% of BRI and
another agent said that there was some "talk" of the union
"agreeing to some form of a hard salary cap in the late
stages of a six-year deal." But there would be no
compromise on the Larry Bird Exception. One agent: "The
mood during the conference call was very positive" (Frank
Zicarelli, TORONTO SUN, 12/10). On "Fox Sports News," Elise
Hart reported that David Falk and Arn Tellem did not
participate in the conference call yesterday because "they
don't need a conference call for their update ... they have
access to union powers anytime they want" ("FSN," 12/9).
THROWING STONES: Agent Keith Glass "criticized his
peers and the all-star players" involved in the Showtime
charity game in Atlantic City, NJ. Glass opposes any of the
proceeds going to NBA players, saying "for them to say this
will benefit N.B.A. players as a charity is wrong." Glass:
"None of my players has ever asked me for money and will not
accept money from this game. The entire portion should go
to charity. The idea that a player making $275,000 can't
manage his money, and needs the fans to bail him out, is
absurd and insulting. If that's the break between agents,
so be it." In N.Y., Mike Wise writes that other agents
"echoed Glass's concern." One agent: "We are taking a
beating on this thing. Let's just make sure we keep these
guys out of the casinos" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/10). In St. Paul,
Charley Walters writes that the "word" is that free agent F
Tom Gugliotta is "reconsidering his commitment to play" in
"The Game on Showtime" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/10).
ISIAH STILL IN THE MIX: Isiah Thomas said he has been
approached by several "former and current" NBA players to
mediate the talks. But Hunter told agents yesterday that
Thomas "cannot be fully trusted by the union because he is
employed by NBC." Others "believe Thomas was not asked to
mediate by the union because of his adversarial relationship
with Falk" (Terry Foster, DETROIT NEWS, 12/10).
ALL THAT JAZZ: On "Fox Sports News," Chris Myers spoke
with Karl Malone. Malone: "I really, in my heart, believe
the owners and Commissioner Stern have a proposal that I
think is fair. I think they're waiting, they're waiting for
guys to miss three or four paychecks." Malone, on player/
owner relations: "A whole lot of trust [has been] lost and I
don't think we can ever get that back" ("FSN", 12/9).
SHAVING GRACE? NBA Commissioner David Stern to FSN's
Elise Hart, on why he shaved his beard: "Someone in my house
thought it would be a good idea if I shaved." On whether it
was a sign that the lockout was ending: "No, it's just a
sign that it would be a good idea for me not to have a beard
anymore" ("Fox Sports News," FSN, 12/8).