NBA LOCKOUT

Even with Ron Artest attesting to a change of
his name, preferably to Metta World Peace,
it seems minds could not come together enough
to prevent the NBA lockout on June 30th at 9:00
p.m. and thus some changes are in the offing.
Apparantly being an enthusiastic fan was not
enough. Appreciating our Lakers for their games
left out profit for the owners. Commissioner
David Stern said "The goal here has been to make
the league profitable and to have a league
where all 30 teams can compete".
Despite a three hour meeting Thursday and a
final proposal from the players-which NBA
leaders said would have raised average player
salaries to $7 million in the sixth year of the
deal- the sides couldn't close the enormous
gulf between their positions.
"The problem is that there is such a gap in terms
of the numbers, where they are and where we are, we
just cannot find any way, it appears, to bridge that
gap." Union Chief Billy Hunter said.
All league business is officially on hold, starting
with the free agency period that would have opened
today. The NBA's summer league in Las Vegas already
has been canceled, pre-season games in Europe were
never scheduled, and the players might have to decide
if they want to risk playing in this summers' Olympic
qualifying tournaments without the NBA's help for
securing insurance in cases of injury.
Meanwhile, the newest faces lining up as possible
Lakers are: point guard: Darius Morris, Forward: Ater
Majok and shooting guard: Andrew Goudelock.
At least for a few seconds time they are wearing
Laker uniforms and hope to be welcomed but it almost
seemed that they were all dressed up with no place to go.
With this latest labor impasse, general manager Mitch
Kupchak and the newly hired coach, Mike Brown will cease
to have any contact with them. The Lakers cannot sign their
draft picks and cannot allow them inside their practice
facility or place them on their summer league with this
turn of events causing a lockout.
A settlement will have to be handled cautiously and soon.
This is indeed quite a predicament to be in, Lakers'
negotiator, Derek Fisher feels. We can only sympathize
with this ourselves and hope it will all work out for
benefit to both sides.
Babs Wells