The Mavericks' first summer mini-camp "has been canceled
without any announcement," according to Brad Townsend of the
DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Townsend: "The Mavericks had considered
issuing a news release but realized that doing so might violate a
league-wide directive not to comment on the lockout, or its
effects. Under the directive, the Mavericks were not even
allowed to contact the players to tell them there is no mini-
camp" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/19). ESPN profiled how tough the
lockout has affected those players drafted this year. Hawks 2nd
round pick Troy Brown: "I enjoy playing the game, but like I
said before, there's definitely a business aspect and you have to
have those things taken care of before you can really concentrate
and do the thing you love doing the most" ("SportsCenter," 7/19).
ESPN's Mike Tirico reported that the lockout is also "affecting
charity." League officials cannot appear at charity events with
players or have NBA players take part in events organized by
officials to raise money for charity ("SportsCenter," 7/19).
NEW MEANING FOR "NBA": Randy Galloway of the DALLAS MORNING
NEWS writes that "thanks mainly to Michael Jordan, the NBA
currently stands for No Basketball Allowed." Galloway:
"Impossible as it may seem, the NBA now has a labor dispute that
could become more destructive than even baseball's." On Michael
Jordan, who he says is "an apparent puppet" for David Falk:
"Jordan was once considered a mega-star who took the sensible and
proper approach in everything except golf, where the hustlers ate
his lunch. But remember, Michael returned to the NBA this year
after spending a couple of springs hanging around major league
baseball players. That could explain everything about his new
status as full-blown jerk" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/19). In her
column this morning, Cathy Harasta writes that if it were not for
Magic Johnson's "contemplations" and "seemingly daily appearance
in the sports headlines," the NBA "would have no voice these
days." Harasta: "Though it started between seasons, the lockout
still has stamped the league as not much better than major league
baseball, the NHL and the NFL -- all of which have had forms of
season-altering work stoppages" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/20).
AND NOW WE WAIT: This morning's USA TODAY reports that the
NLRB "has received written arguments from the NBA, the NBA
Players Association and the group trying to break up the union,"
and that a "decision on the decertification process should come
within a week" (USA TODAY, 7/20).
