NBA labor talks break off - more bickering than bargaining

NBA labor talks broke off Wednesday after the sides met for less than two hours, the shortest session since the lockout began July 1.

"We were just sitting around the table, and both of us are somewhat stymied not knowing which way to move next," union director Billy Hunter said. "We just thought it might be better to go back to our respective offices and look at where we were."If we think it's appropriate, we will talk about getting together on Friday."

Commissioner David Stern and league representatives did not immediately comment on the latest development.

The sides were bickering even before they began bargaining. One day after what was to have been the start of the season, Stern said agents for the highest-paid players had disrupted and slowed the process.

"There's something going on that doesn't involve us, something internally in the union," Stern said. "As I stand here today, I don't know exactly what it was, but it's clear to me what's coming. Watch the process. You'll see."

Hunter arrived about 10 minutes after Stern and said: "He should blame it on Russ," a reference to deputy commissioner Russ Granik.

The sour moods were a new twist on the work stoppage that forced the league to cancel games for the first time in its history. At all previous bargaining sessions, the principals were more amicable during their pre-meeting comments.

"I don't have a prediction," Stern said. "We'd like to negotiate a deal. There's $1 billion to $1.1 billion in salaries on the table that we'd like to pay the players, but it's not happening.

"The agents are saying, `If you're not going to pay the players the way we want them, then we'd rather not have them paid.' Ultimately, this is something the union membership is going to have to decide for themselves."

There were to have been 10 games Tuesday night and 11 tonight.

"If I had to guess, the first game will be Dec. 25, because that's when NBC's money and the big chips are on the table," Utah's Karl Malone said on ESPN. "Stern wants players to miss two or three paychecks to start feeling the message.

On Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, boxes were piled high in front of the locker where Ewing usually suits up. Exercise cycles and empty ball racks were strewn about, mops were standing in the corner and three garbage buckets were stuffed into Terry Cummings' locker. The Knicks were supposed to have opened their 1998-99 season against the Boston Celtics.

"Unfortunately, the Knicks' locker room has been turned into a storage room," a tour guide explained. "My best guess is it will stay this way until January."