Hunter Finally Believes Owners May Pull Plug

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

                          Hunter fears no NBA season
     
                          December 14, 1998
                          Chicago Sun Times
                          BY LACY J. BANKS STAFF REPORTER

                          For the first time, NBA union chief Billy Hunter
                          said he believes the owners might pull the plug on
                          the season.
   
                         ``The more we give, the more they want us to give
                          and the less they're willing to give in return,''
                          Hunter said Sunday. ``I guess they really are
                          willing to blow up the whole season. It's sad. But
                          it's true.''

                          This is a change of tune and tone for Hunter. Since
                          owners locked out players July 1 and delayed the
                          season until a new labor contract is negotiated,
                          Hunter consistently has said commissioner David
                          Stern and the owners are too smart to cancel the
                          season.

                          One day after the owners ended the latest session
                          after 30 minutes, Hunter said he wonders whether he
                          has been giving the owners too much credit.

                          ``Saturday, we broke up so soon when [the players]
                          made more concessions and the owners simply said,
                          `That's not enough,' instead of offering us
                          anything,'' Hunter said.

                          Said deputy commissioner Russ Granik: ``It's very
                          clear we don't have the basis for a deal between us,
                          or anything even close. It's clear we have very
                          different ideas of what an appropriate deal should
                          look like.''

                          Did Hunter call Stern on Sunday?

                          ``No,'' Hunter said. ``I don't plan to call [today]
                          either. In fact, I don't know when or even if I will
                          call them again to set up new talks. I've said all
                          along that we won't have a deal until the owners
                          want to negotiate a deal, and we remain ready to
                          negotiate. We'll even negotiate on Christmas Day if
                          that's what it takes.''

                          Apparently Hunter won't aggressively pursue talks.
                          Many believe the owners see that as a form of
                          weakness and also have been banking on the players
                          caving under the hardship of missed paychecks. The
                          players have been assured of losing more than $400
                          million in salary even if there is an agreement this
                          week because a 50-game season couldn't start before
                          mid-January.

                          ``I've talked to my players this weekend, and we
                          remain committed to nothing less than a fair deal,''
                          Hunter said. ``If not getting a good deal means the
                          owners will cancel the season, then that's the
                          owners' decision. No players are pushing us to
                          surrender and accept whatever the owners want to
                          give us in order to have a season.''