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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, June 16, 2005

Union head believes 3 issues still unsettled

Associated Press

TROY, Mich. — There won't be a lockout in the NBA this summer if there are only three issues left for owners and players to resolve, union director Billy Hunter said.

The problem, however, is that the opposing sides do not even agree on how many items are still in dispute.

Hunter traveled to the media headquarters hotel yesterday on an off day in the NBA Finals to state the players' position regarding the stalled collective bargaining talks, saying he surmised from commissioner David Stern's public comments last Sunday that only three issues remain — an age limit for rookies, a tougher drug-testing program and the maximum length of long-term contracts.

"I'm going to hold him to his word, and I'm going to assume that all those other concessions they've talked about are no longer on the table," Hunter said.

But NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said Hunter's assumption was incorrect.

"That's almost a silly suggestion that anything's been taken off the table. Those were merely three critical non-economic issues that we said we needed to have. That was the point there," Granik told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

So, with only 15 days left until the current seven-year labor agreement expires, the sides cannot even agree on where they stand in regards to what's left to be negotiated.

Not only that, but there are no new talks scheduled.



BRAWL HEARING

Cases to be reassigned among several judges

Cases against five Indiana Pacers players charged in one of the worst brawls in U.S. sports history will be reassigned among several judges, according to a court ruling yesterday.

Oakland County (Mich.) Circuit Court Judge Fred Mester agreed with arguments from defense lawyers that the players' cases had been improperly assigned en masse to one judge instead of randomly distributed among several judges.

The trials for the players involved in the November 19 brawl at the Pacers-Detroit Pistons game were scheduled to begin Aug. 1, starting with Ron Artest, before Judge Lisa Asadoorian of the 52nd District Court in Rochester Hills.

Yesterday's decision could delay those trials, defense lawyers said.

In addition to Artest, Anthony Johnson, David Harrison, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson are charged in the case. The players and several fans awaiting trial are charged with misdemeanor assault and battery.



Elsewhere

Timberwolves: Longtime Seattle SuperSonics assistant Dwane Casey was in negotiations to become the next Minnesota coach, according to a report published yesterday on ESPN.com. Casey and the Wolves exchanged contract figures Tuesday and are progressing toward a deal, the report said, citing unidentified NBA coaching sources.

Cavaliers: Cleveland decided not to pick up the option on backup center Robert Traylor's $1.76 million contract for next season. Traylor averaged 5.5 points and a career-high 4.5 rebounds in 74 games as a reserve last season.