It's official, the NBA is in full-on lockout mode. David Stern and the league announced that they will officially lock out players as of 12:01 p.m. EDT on Friday morning. Here's the message sent via email from the NBA.
What does that mean for the players? First, they can't have any contact with their current teams or coaches and cannot use any team facilities. In addition, free agents will not be able to talk with or sign with teams and trades can't be made.
In short, if you're an NBA fan, it's awful. The good news, if there is any to come out of a lockout, is that Billy Hunter and the NBA Players Association did not decertify and the two sides seem to be more willing to talk than their lockout counterparts in the NFL.
All things considered, this is not a great time for sports fans, with two of the nation's biggest professional sports leagues currently in lockouts. Hopefully, this lockout won't last as long.
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