Lockout looms after talks stall

Labor talks between the NBA and the players’ union broke off Wednesday, increasing the chance of a lockout starting in the off-season.

In a statement, the NBA accused the union of backtracking on several items that the sides had agreed upon. The collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.

“Since we are at a loss as to how we can possibly reach a new deal that is in any way consistent with the principal terms that we have been discussing for many months, there are no further meetings scheduled at this time,” deputy commissioner Russ Granik said.

If no new agreement is reached, a lockout could begin as early as July 1.

The sides had been publicly optimistic over the prospects for reaching a new deal until last Friday, when commissioner David Stern downgraded his outlook to “hopeful.” That came just hours after two union attorneys gave a verbal outline of the union’s new offer and, according to the league, changed its position on several key issues.

Kemp guilty on drug charge

Former Seattle SuperSonics player Shawn Kemp pleaded guilty in Seattle to attempted possession of more than 40 grams of marijuana.

King County District Court Judge Eileen Kato sentenced Kemp to five days of electronic home monitoring, a year of probation and a $440 fine.

The 35-year-old Kemp and a friend were arrested April 4 in Shoreline, north of Seattle, after an officer smelled marijuana around Kemp’s parked pickup.

Kemp was a five-time All-Star drafted by Seattle in 1989. He played for the Sonics until 1997, when he was traded to Cleveland.

Stern wants tougher testing policies

Commissioner David Stern wants to kick players out of the league for a third failed steroid test and double the suspension for a first offense, according to his testimony before the House Commerce trade and consumer protection subcommittee. A first steroid offense would draw a 10-game suspension in an 82-game season, a second would draw 25 games, and a third would result in a player being “dismissed and disqualified from the NBA,” with the possibility of reinstatement after two years under “exceptional circumstances.” Currently, a first offense gets a five-game ban, a second gets 10 games, and a third gets 25.