| | OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Houston Rockets are certain to move
to a new city if they don't get a new arena by 2003, NBA
commissioner David Stern said Saturday.
In his annual All-Star game news conference, Stern did not mince
words when discussing the uncertain future of the Rockets. Voters
in Houston turned down a referendum last fall to publicly finance
half of the cost of a new building.
"As far as them moving, it's more than probable, it's certain
that the team will be relocated" if plans are not in place for a
new arena by the time the Rockets' lease at the Compaq Center
expires following the 2002-03 season, Stern said.
Stern also disclosed that the NBA had reached agreement with its
referees on a new four-year collective bargaining agreement that
kicks in next season. Officials will receive raises of roughly 10
percent per season, a league attorney said.
Also, the league ruled that Dennis Rodman will have to move out
of the guest house he is renting from prospective Dallas Mavericks
owner Mark Cuban.
Rodman had agreed to pay Cuban $3,000 per month for use of the
house, but the league ruled it to be a violation of salary cap
rules. Rodman signed with Dallas earlier this month and played his
first game last Wednesday.
"It was a fairly innocent error," deputy commissioner Russ
Granik said, "under the assumption that as long as it was a fair
rental, it wasn't a benefit under the salary cap. But we don't want
to get into deciding in every case is it fair, is it not fair, is
it the right value. Those kinds of arrangements are just
prohibited. So I think in due course Mr. Rodman will be moving
out."
"That would be Tuesday," Stern said.
When the Rockets' arena referendum failed by a 54-46 margin last
November, Stern said the team had his blessing to move.
It is expected, however, that some sort of another arena
referendum will be put to a vote in the next three years before the
lease expires.
There has been talk in Houston that another team, perhaps an
expansion team, could be brought in to replace the Rockets if they
move. But Stern poured cold water on that line of reasoning.
"The chances for an expansion team going to Houston are
nonexistent, and the chances for a relocation in the face of all
the new arenas (in other cities) seems to be highly problematic,"
Stern said.
"NBA owners are not going to be an impediment to a Houston move
at such time as their lease is over, because by then every single
NBA team will be in a renovated or new building and their building
will not be adequate for the NBA."
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