ARE RULES TAMPERING IN NBA A PRACTICE THAT'S KASTEN STONE?

          Hawks President Stan Kasten "angrily charged" that the
     Knicks "were given special treatment" by the NBA prior to
     the end of the lockout in order to acquire Latrell Sprewell,
     according to Jeffrey Denberg of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. 
     MSG President & CEO Dave Checketts, Knicks GM Ernie Grunfeld
     and Knicks VP/Player Personnel Ed Tapscott interviewed
     Sprewell at a Milwaukee site four days before the end of the
     lockout.  NBA Dir of Media Relations Chris Brienza said that
     any team interested in Sprewell was "granted a one-time
     exemption from lockout rules to interview him," though
     Kasten said the Hawks and "other teams ... weren't given
     that opportunity."  Kasten: "I've got my players furious
     with me because they know other teams are breaking the rules
     and we won't do it."  Kasten said that such rules violations
     have "been going on for some time" and that owners "know it
     goes on, but the league does nothing about it."  Kasten: "I
     say this stinks" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 1/23).