Jordan Taking Part in Talks

NEW YORK —  Although Michael Jordan hasn’t been at the National Basketball Association’s labor talks, that doesn’t mean he isn’t being heard.

“Michael is taking part whether he actually comes to the sessions or not,” David Falk, his agent, told Bloomberg News. “He’s being kept well-informed and he’s making recommendations. He is clearly maintaining an involvement.”

The game’s most influential player last took part in talks during an 8 1/2-hour session on Oct. 28 that lasted past midnight. NBA Commissioner David Stern afterward said that progress was made toward ending the lockout, and that Jordan’s presence contributed to the movement.

Since then, though, Jordan has stayed away from negotiations.

“People are surmising that he’s gotten detached from it. He hasn’t at all,” Falk said. “It’s not his role to stare David Stern down. His role is to be a leader and contribute ideas.”

A week ago Friday, owners and players met for 9 1/2 hours, compromising on some of the’ key financial issues. Both said it was the most productive of the lockout’s 148 days.

Momentum disappeared early last week, though, after the league and union resumed their verbal sparring over the formation of an “escrow” account that’s designed to limit the amount of revenue devoted to salaries.

The most recent disagreement could derail talks tentatively scheduled for Saturday, although union Executive Director Billy Hunter said that he wants to negotiate.

Games already have been canceled through Christmas Day, and the season won’t start until 1999, if at all.

The league and union are bickering over how to divide about $2 billion in annual revenue. Players are demanding about 57 percent--the same amount they received last season--while owners are willing to pay about 52 percent.

“If they really wanted to be 50-50 partners, why don’t they just offer the players half the team?” Falk asked. “That’s what the shoe companies do when they want to keep the guarantees down. They give the players royalties on the product.”

Owners also want measures that would limit player movement. One proposed change would force teams who sign another team’s free agent to surrender its right to re-sign players under the Larry Bird exception. The Bird rule allows teams to re-sign players for any amount.

For example, if the Phoenix Suns signed a free agent, they then couldn’t exceed the salary cap to re-sign Antonio McDyess and five other players.

With the league trumpeting pessimism and making “ridiculous” demands, there’s little reason for Jordan to take part in the talks, Falk said.

“If you’re an intelligent person like Michael Jordan, why would you want to sit down in that kind of atmosphere when people are asking for unreasonable things they don’t need and shouldn’t have?” he asked.