Columnist Steve Carp: NBA lockout will cost everyone

Steve Carp

Wednesday, July 1, 1998 | 9:04 a.m.

IF YOU GET A call from someone named Kenny Anderson, do yourself a favor and hang up.

Chances are the Boston Celtics guard may be trying to hit you up for a loan.

Normally, today would be payday for Anderson, who makes upwards of $5 million a year. Unlike most NBA players who get their millions spread out over the course of the year, Anderson gets his in one lump sum every July 1.

But today isn't normal for Anderson and his NBA brethren. The league has instituted yet another lockout, which means all transactions are off.

That includes getting paid. So there was no check forthcoming from the FleetCenter today for the 6-foot-1 guard who is working on his fifth NBA team in seven seasons.

And the way it's looking, Anderson may not see that check for a long, long time. Unlike previous attempts to bully the owners into caving in so the precious regular season may go on uninterrupted, commissioner David Stern may call the players' bluff this time around. The start of the 1998-99 season could very well be delayed.

Hey, records are made to be broken, aren't they?

At issue are the skyrocketing salaries. The owners want a hard salary cap, meaning the players get a set amount of money and how they divide it is their business. They also want to pull the plug on the so-called "Larry Bird exemption" which gives teams the right to re-sign their own free agents without it counting against the cap.

The owners also want to expand the morals clause in the standard player contract. They want to test for marijuana and be able to inflict heavier penalties on the Latrell Sprewells of the world for their transgressions.

The players might be willing to go along on some of the off-the-court stuff. But no way will they give in on the money issues. They claim they've already conceded enough. Witness the rookie salary cap that has been in place the past couple of years.

In the end, it's going to come down to money. It always does. But this time, it may take longer to come to a settlement. There are bad feelings on both sides and that's not the way you make a deal.

But once that deal is done, the fans will ultimately pick up the tab. The NBA Guide no longer publishes team ticket prices because it would likely violate obscenity laws.

However, the average cost of an NBA ticket these days is somewhere around $65. Multiply that by 41, throw in a couple of exhibition games and a slew of playoff packages where the prices get jacked up. Then you're talking about the cost of a new automobile (even if it's only a Kia).

The days of getting into a game for 50 cents on a G.O. card have gone the way of the peach basket. If you can afford to go to an NBA game, my heartiest congratulations on your financial largess. If you can't afford to go but still want to, see your bank loan officer, or the person who lent Shruti Misra $100,000 at 30 percent interest over nine months.

In fact, maybe Kenny Anderson should call Misra and ask her for the guy's phone number.