New Orleans Hornets star Chris Paul says NBA players want to play
NBA super star Chris Paul reiterated once more his desire, and that of his colleagues, to end the lockout and get back to the NBA court.
The New Orleans Hornets swingman was speaking after appearing in a charity game arranged by Kevin Durant.
Durant’s charity game, played in Oklahoma City, drew in some of the most exciting names in the NBA including LeBron James, the Miami Heat super star, and Paul. They put on a show for the fans with an extravagant game that ended 176 – 171.
After the game, Paul said the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), in which he is the team representative for New Orleans, wanted just to end the lockout as soon as possible so that the NBA players could get back to what they do best, play basketball.
"As you see in these games that we're playing, we love to play the game. We're going to find a way to play -- any way possible. We want to just keep giving our fans the opportunity to see us because if not for the fans, we're not who we are," Paul said.
The NBPA and the NBA have been locked in discussions for over a year and a half to find a solution to a longstanding labour dispute. When the old Collective Bargaining Agreement expired, the league locked out the players.
The two sides have negotiated in earnest for long now but an agreement does not seem forthcoming. The NBA Commissioner David Stern has, as a result, cancelled training camps, preseason and 100 regular season games so far.
Chris though believes that they have to continue to strive for a solution. He said the lockout is impacting more than just players, and it is for the fans, employees and others that a resolution has to be reached.
"So we just want them to know that we still want to keep working toward a deal because it's not just about us. It's about the fans, it's about the employees, all the people that make our game happen. We want to play -- just make sure everyone understands that."
He pointed to the fact that players have been engaged in exhibition games throughout the lockout as proof of their willingness to play. Paul himself has appeared in a lot of pro-am league games as well as charity events like the one in Oklahoma. He argues that money is not the main motivation for players, if it were; he wouldn’t be out on the court during the lockout.
"Guys don't get paid to play in these games," Paul said.
The NBA Commissioner, meanwhile, is expected to cancel more regular season games soon.
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