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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—With the NBA looking at a potential lockout that would wipe out July’s summer leagues, the Charlotte Bobcats thought they found a way to still get a look at young players and free agents.
The league had other ideas.
Coach Paul Silas said Tuesday night the NBA turned down Charlotte’s plans to host a multi-team, free-agent camp after this month’s draft and before the collective bargaining agreement expires July 1.
The Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks were scheduled to bring free agents and possibly draft picks to Time Warner Cable Arena. The teams had even reserved hotel rooms for the series of workouts and scrimmages on two courts at the facility before plans changed.
“The league wouldn’t let us do it,” Silas said.
HOWEVER
But the Bobcats still plan to get in as much work as possible before the league could shut down amid a labor dispute. And so far the Bobcats are happy with the results—especially with top scorer Stephen Jackson(notes).
Now healthy following a lingering left hamstring injury that ended his season early, Jackson has lost 20 pounds. Down to 225 pounds, he impressed in a workout Tuesday supervised by Charlotte assistant coach Stephen Silas.
“When I saw Jack today, initially I didn’t know it was him,” general manager Rod Higgins said. “He had on this nice white outfit so you could definitely see his waistline. I’m sure that was intentionally done.”
Jackson leads a parade of players scheduled to work out at the team facility before they’re potentially barred July 1. Tyrus Thomas(notes), D.J. Augustin(notes), Matt Carroll(notes) and Garrett Temple(notes) were on hand Tuesday. Even guard Gerald Henderson(notes), still on crutches following hip surgery, watched the workout
“It just shows you the leaders that we have on this team, to get guys to collectively say this is something we want to do,” Higgins said.
Kwame Brown(notes), Shaun Livingston(notes), D.J. White(notes) and Dante Cunningham(notes), who faces a marijuana possession charge after a May traffic stop in suburban Philadelphia, are expected in before the end of the month.
