Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony has a solution — albeit an unrealistic one — to settle the NBA’s labor dispute.
“Just let us play and continue to negotiate. That’s what we say,” Anthony said on Tuesday after playing an exhibition game in Baltimore.
Talks between the NBA and its locked-out players’ union are expected to be held on Wednesday in New York for just the second time since the lockout began on July 1.
“I want a deal done, we all want a deal done. We just want it to be fair for both parties,” added Anthony, who shared the court with LeBron James,Chris Paul and Kevin Durant in the exhibition at Morgan State University. “We want to play basketball at the end of the day. We don’t care about none of that other stuff. They could settle that; just let us play and continue to negotiate.”
Anthony said he and others playing in Tuesday’s game met with NBA Players Association executive Billy Hunter earlier in the day.
“This time around we’re tight and we’re strong,” Anthony said.
The union and the league remain at odds over the owners’ desire to cut player salaries and establish a hard salary cap. Anthony is concerned that the lockout will drag on into the NBA’s regular season, which is slated to kick off in early November.
“I’m worried because I want to play and October’s right around the corner and it doesn’t look like we’re going to be start on time,” Anthony said.
WRITTEN BY Ian Begley is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com & FULL STORY HERE
