NBA Commissioner David Stern said Friday that based on
NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter's 10-page written response to the
five-page letter Stern sent to players, it is "virtually
inevitable" that there will be no NBA season, according to
Mark Asher of the WASHINGTON POST. Hunter's letter to the
players told them that Stern's letter told "only half the
story" and that "the NBA's proposal represents steps
backwards from the freedom and benefits that NBA players
have enjoyed under the last and even earlier" CBAs. Stern:
"I think the players have been directed on a tragic course.
(Hunter) continues to counsel an intransigent stance on the
assumption the owners will hold the season at any cost.
Sadly, he's going to be wrong." Hunter responded through an
aide, saying, "It's David Stern's decision whether or not to
cancel the season. David is well aware that the players'
association is ready and willing to compromise so long as
there are meaningful negotiations. ... I'm not interested in
raising the level of rhetoric at this point. I'm interested
in meaningful negotiations at this time" (WAS. POST, 12/19).
ANYTHING YOU CAN SPIN...: David Falk, on Stern's
comments: "Cancellation of the season is only inevitable if
(Stern) cancels it. But if he decides the union has made
enough concessions and that the fans deserve to see games,
it would be inevitable that the season would start. Logic
and prudence would dictate that the lockout should end. ...
It's time for the players to take their suits off and put on
their uniforms" (PHILA. DAILY NEWS, 12/21). ESPN.com's
Frank Hughes writes that "one prominent agent bet that there
would be a deal consummated by Friday" (ESPN.com, 12/21).
YOU'VE GOT MAIL: Jazz F Karl Malone said that "a
majority of players" would approve the owners' latest
proposal after some "minor changes." Malone called the deal
"fair" and said that it "might only take a matter of days"
to get a deal done (Mitch Lawrence, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/20).
Malone: "I think it ends next week. I really do. Go ahead,
you guys can laugh if you want. But the meat of the
negotiations is done. Nothing tells me now that a deal
can't be done in the next four or five days." NBPA
President Patrick Ewing: "Maybe (Malone) knows something I
don't know. I'm hopeful, but if the deal doesn't fit for
everybody, we have to hold strong" (Bergen RECORD, 12/20).
CHARLES IN CHARGE? Charles Barkley, who coached in the
charity game, spoke on the lockout over the weekend: "We've
all gotten a little screwed up. Nobody has respect for the
game itself. The owners are greedy. The players are
greedy. I don't care about either one. I just want the
game to be sacred" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/20). Barkley, on
Stern's comments about cancelling the season: "If he cancels
the season, he cancels the season. I like David. David's
doing his job. But, I'm not intimidated. ... We know how to
play this game. We know this is a business" (WASHINGTON
POST, 12/20). Barkley, on Stern: "My man went on vacation,
so obviously he's not too worried about it" (AP, 12/19).
PLAYER QUOTEBOARD: Magic G Penny Hardaway: "I think we
can still save the season. There might not be a lot of fans
there, but we can save enough" (AP, 12/20). Bulls C Luc
Longley: "I'm terrified the owners would cancel the season.
... but I think they are bluffing. They would be fools to
turn down the deal we have on the table" (OREGONIAN, 12/19).
Spurs C Will Perdue: "The owners stabbed themselves in the
back when they signed Kevin Garnett to that [$126M]
contract. The problem is, a lot of owners will sign a
player just to keep him from another team" (S.A. EXPRESS-
NEWS, 12/18). Sonics F Vin Baker: "To be honest, I'm not
frustrated, I'm not angry. This league has been good to me.
Even if what I make gets cut in half from what I could have
made, it doesn't matter. It's still a lot of money. I just
want to get the best deal for everybody" (Tacoma NEWS
TRIBUNE, 12/19). More Baker: "We have to, as players and as
the NBA, make a conscious effort to get our fans back. ... I
always joke with my friends that it took Mark McGwire and
Sammy Sosa hitting 70 and 66 home runs to get people back.
... Maybe we have to have someone score 100 points a game to
generate fan support" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/19).
