On "SportsCenter," ESPN's David Aldridge reported that
NBA Commissioner David Stern "offered almost no room for
optimism" in avoiding a long lockout. Stern: "I think that
once the shutdown comes, I would tune back in a longer
period of time than they [the union]. Stay in touch but
don't tune in for several months." Aldridge: "The league is
not anticipating any type of eleventh-hour negotiations,
neither is the union. There is going to be a lockout and
it's going to be a long one and a difficult one." Aldridge
expects the owners advisory committee to recommend a lockout
next week, "with a full vote to follow by all 29 owners and
the lockout to come on July 1" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/24).
ON TNT: TNT started its NBA Draft coverage with updates
on a possible lockout. Tape of NBPA President Patrick Ewing
labor comments were followed by Craig Sager's interview with
NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik. Ewing: "The owners
want a bigger share of the pie, and we want our share of the
pie and we feel that the pie is big enough for everybody,
but we're not going to give back in what we've feel ...
we've earned." Granik: "I can understand that Patrick
doesn't want to make any changes because the agreement has
worked very, very well for the players. It hasn't worked
well for the owners. ... We've been in a system where the
owners really have no knowledge in advance of how much they
are going to have to pay in total salaries and that's what
we have to try and correct in the new deal." Granik said
about a lockout that "looking at it right now I don't think
that there's really much choice. Absent some miracle
between now and June 30, I think we'll have to commence a
lockout on July 1." Granik called the players' decision to
boycott this summer's World Championships "very unfortunate
for USA Basketball. ... I don't know why the players chose
to take this position. I think they must have some very
serious misunderstandings about the relationship between USA
Basketball and the NBA" ("NBA Draft," 6/24).
STICKING POINTS: ESPN's David Aldridge said the Larry
Bird exception continues to be "the sticking point" in
negotiations. Aldridge: "The owners want to try and limit
the amount of money being paid out. They want cost
certainty. The only way that you can achieve cost certainty
... is to limit the amount of money the owners are paying to
re-sign their own free agents. ... But the players are
adamant -- no limitations, no conditions under which they
give up [the Bird clause]" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/24).
TALK OF LOCKOUT: In Ft. Worth, Richie Witt reports that
the Mavs "believe they will be able to keep consistent
contact with at least a couple of players" during the
lockout. They hope that injured players may meet with team
doctors and trainers at a site away from the team's facility
to chart their rehabilitation (STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/25).
FEELING A DRAFT: In Boston, Bob Ryan writes on last
night's NBA Draft, saying it "has become one of the most
depressing nights of the year on my sporting calendar. What
we had last evening was another example of the beast
devouring its young" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/25). In Detroit,
Terry Foster writes under the header "The Free-Agent Market
Has Taken The Wind Out Of The NBA Draft." Foster: "The
draft is no longer about sending chills up your spine,
unless you get one of the top five or six picks. ... Draft
night is more fluff and puff than hard-core substance for
most NBA fans" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/25). NBC's Jay Leno: "The
NBA Draft was held earlier today. Top prospects are
expected to receive contracts worth $20 million, which
should just enough to cover the players' child support
payments" ("Tonight Show," NBC, 6/24).
NBA NOTES: The NBA will announce today that the 2000
NBA All-Star Game will be held in Oakland (S.F. CHRONICLE,
6/25)....NBA referee Joe Crawford was charged with tax
fraud, the eighth official named for such an offense.
Crawford "offered his resignation to the league and will
plead guilty" (AP/ESPN SportsZone, 6/25).