Wade-Stern spat as NBA talks stall

By foxsports
Published

Not even the presence of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony could move the sides closer to an NBA labor agreement, the New York Post reported Saturday.

In fact, it may have moved them further apart in the cordiality department.

Wade shouted at commissioner David Stern during the lowlight of a tempestuous five-hour negotiation Friday that nearly ended the proceedings prematurely. The talks in New York produced no deal and could have created ill feelings stemming from the Wade incident. Stern holds grudges.

Players Association executive director Billy Hunter Jr. said he does not expect an agreement by this weekend.

A person debriefed on the meeting confirmed that Wade got ticked off when Stern, during his spiel, started pointing his finger at Wade.

"Don't point your finger at me," the Heat superstar screamed at Stern. "I'm not a child."

ESPN reported that Wade, James and Anthony threatened to leave the talks early before Hunter talked them into staying another hour.

"There are times when it's contentious," union president Derek Fisher said, without referring to a specific incident. "Guys are very passionate about their opinions. There are also times you really talk and show the type of professional respect. When you have as much at stake as we all do, you have to expect some ups and downs within the meetings."

One bright spot came when Stern, in damage control, backed away from his perceived threat to cancel the season if no strides are made by Sunday. Nearly 20 players and 11 owners met Friday and will resume battling Saturday at 10 a.m. local time.

But the lockout appears to have no end in sight. Fisher said the sides were not any closer to resolution Friday night than they were late Wednesday, when the last meeting broke off. He called the proceedings "engaging," which is far from acknowledging progress.

"I don't think it's going to get done this weekend, but the points were clearly articulated," Hunter said outside the Park Avenue hotel. "[Owners] understand from a players' perspective what our position is."