NEW YORK — The NBA will hold training camp next week with replacement officials, saying the referees union has rejected its final contract offer.
The National Basketball Referees Association has been bracing for a lockout since talks first broke down last week, and lead negotiator Lamell McMorris called it “imminent and unavoidable” after no deal was reached Thursday.
A statement from the NBA on Friday made it clear the lockout was underway.
“It is extremely disappointing that the NBRA has ignored the economic realities, rejected our offer, and left us with no choice but to begin using replacement referees,” executive vice president and general counsel Rick Buchanan said.
McMorris said the referees didn’t view Thursday’s negotiations as a final offer, yet weren’t surprised by the NBA’s decision.
“I predicted that a lockout was forthcoming, and yet it does not mean that both sides cannot continue to talk and work through some of these issues,” McMorris said.
Training camp was scheduled to begin Sunday, but now will be pushed back into sometime next week to give the NBA time to line up the replacements and get them to New Jersey. The league did not say how many referees would be at camp. There are 57 active NBA officials.
The contract between the NBA and its officials expired Sept. 1, and the sides had been trying to reach a new two-year deal. They largely agreed on salaries, which would have held steady this year and given the refs a slight increase in the second year, but the union balked at the league’s attempt to change retirement benefits.
Cavs’ West arrested on weapons charges
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — Cavaliers guard Delonte West was arrested after officers pulled him over for speeding on a motorcycle while carrying two loaded handguns and a loaded shotgun in a guitar case.
Prince George’s County police spokeswoman Sgt. Michelle Reedy said West was riding a Can-Am Spyder motorcycle north on the Capital Beltway in Upper Marlboro when he cut off an officer, who pulled him over. Police said a handgun was found in his pocket, another in his pant leg and a shotgun in a guitar case strapped to his back.
West was charged with speeding and weapons counts. It is illegal to carry concealed weapons and to transport loaded guns in Maryland.
The Associated Press
