NBA Locks Out Its Players

NEW YORK -- The memories of a thrilling NBA season might have to last for a while.
There's no telling when basketball will be back.

The NBA locked out its players Friday when its collective bargaining agreement expired, becoming the second pro sports league shut down by labor strife.

The labor deal ended at midnight after players and owners failed to reach a new contract. The two sides remained far apart on just about every major issue, from salaries to the salary cap, revenues to revenue sharing.
The long-expected lockout puts the 2011-12 season in jeopardy and comes as the NFL is trying to end its own work stoppage that began in March.

It is believed to be only the second time that two leagues have been shut down simultaneously by labor problems.

The NBA, aware of the easy, inadvertent contact between team personnel and players, have outlined with great detail what is allowed and not allowed during the lockout.
Coaches, general managers and other front-office officials are allowed to follow players on Twitter, for example, but they can't send them a message or re-tweet a player's message, a source told ESPN's Ric Bucher.
Scouting prospective NBA talent also isn't allowed, sources told Bucher. For those who have sons playing in AAU summer action, such as Lakers coach Mike Brown and Hawks coach Larry Drew, that means they must leave the arena or gym as soon as their sons' games have concluded and not watch any other competition. They also are not allowed to watch practice or any other competition not open to the public.

That also goes for watching the U.S. team competing in the University Games. NBA officials are allowed to fly to China to watch the actual games, but they can't fly to Colorado Springs, Colo., to watch the team train.
Teams were told by the NBA front office that any violation will draw a $1 million fine and the possible loss of draft picks, league sources told Bucher. The first warning was issued during the first round of the playoffs, two months before the lockout was implemented.

Commissioner David Stern and the NBA front office say they will not tolerate any violations.
***Info. provided by ESPN***

D. Martez