Phil Jasner: Iverson No Show At Las Vegas Meetings & More

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

                                          October 24, 1998
                                                 
                                    Coming up: More meetings
     
                                        by Phil Jasner
                                    Daily News Sports Writer
  
                       This much, we know.
                       In the aftermath of Thursday's emotional meeting
                       of the NBA Players Association, union executive
                       director Billy Hunter yesterday telephoned
                       league deputy commissioner Russ Granik.
                       They decided the two sides in the ongoing
                       lockout would try to meet today or tomorrow and
                       possibly on a larger scale next Wednesday in New
                       York, the same day the league's board of
                       governors will be meeting.

                       This much, we also know.

                       After making a point of saying he would be at
                       Thursday's meeting in Las Vegas, 76ers point
                       guard Allen Iverson was a no-show.

                       That was after Iverson said not getting involved
                       sooner was "another mistake" in his life.

                       Iverson did not respond to a message from the
                       Daily News. Detroit's Grant Hill and Orlando's
                       Anfernee Hardaway were other high-profile
                       players who skipped the Las Vegas gathering.

                       Hunter said he would attempt to bring the entire
                       player population of about 400 to New York next
                       Wednesday. More than 240 players attended
                       Thursday's meeting.

                       "Every member of the union has a right to be
                       present," Hunter said. "It doesn't mean they'll
                       be involved in negotiations. But it's important
                       for them to be there and hear [ commissioner ]
                       David Stern say he wants a hard cap."

                       Said Granik: "We'd be willing to do it with as
                       many players as they'd like to bring. We'll meet
                       with anybody."

                       The league has already canceled the first two
                       weeks of the season, at a cost of about $100
                       million in player salaries, and is expected to
                       cancel additional games next week.

                       Hunter said the players who attended the Las
                       Vegas session voted unanimously to never accept
                       a hard cap. Both sides have introduced widely
                       differing forms of a luxury tax as a possible
                       solution to the dispute that has cost the league
                       games for the first time in its history.

                       The owners want to impose a ceiling on what a
                       team can spend on salaries, plus a ceiling on
                       the percentage of that limit that can go to any
                       one player. The union is fearful that such an
                       agreement would eliminate the middle class of
                       players and eventually eliminate guaranteed
                       contracts.

                       The owners have proposed giving the players a
                       phased-in 48 percent of revenue in a four-year
                       deal, and have guaranteed the players $1 billion
                       plus at least five percent raises in each year.
                       The players received more than 57 percent of
                       revenue last season.
                       SIX SHOTS
                       The "Sixers Spokesmen," the wheelchair
                       basketball team sponsored by the Sixers, were to
                       make their season debut this morning against the
                       Charlotte Wheelchair Hornets in the 21st annual
                       Virginia Beach Mayor's Tournament. The Spokesmen
                       will play their home opener Nov. 14 at 2 p.m.
                       against the Newark Renegades at the Carousel
                       House, Belmont Avenue and North Concourse in
                       Fairmount Park.


                             ©1998 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.