Section B·Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, March 5, 1998
Sprewell suspension reduced; contract intact
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Latrell Sprewell won a $16.3 million victory, but lost his fight to return to the NBA this season.
The battle about Sprewell's attack on his coach concluded yesterday as an arbitrator overturned the Golden State Warriors' termination of his contract and reduced a one-year suspension imposed by the National Basketball Association.
Sprewell's suspension will end July 1, five months earlier than the league wanted, and he will be paid $16.3 million during the next two seasons — whether he returns to the Warriors or he is traded.
"I find that a penalty of 68 games is commensurate with the severity of the misconduct, addresses the wrong done to the head coach and conveys a message that violence in
the NBA will be dealt with severely but always with due regard to principles of fairness," arbitrator John Feerkick wrote.
The decision was a big defeat for the Warriors and a setback for the league office.
"The arbitrator is a very charitable man, and he made a charitable decision in respects to Mr. Sprewell," said David Stern, NBA commissioner.
It was not a total victory for Sprewell because he was hoping to return to the league this season.
Now, the choice of where to play is out of his hands. His future will not be known until the Warriors trade him, which they are expected to do this summer.
"The reinstatement is probably going to make two parties unhappy, Mr. Sprewell and Golden State," Stern said.
Sprewell's attack on Golden State coach P.J. Carlesimo at practice Dec. 1 ignited a national debate about issues of authority, sportsmanship, out-of-control athletes and fair punishment.
His one-year suspension was by far the longest ever imposed by
the league for a nondrug-related offense, and the termination of his contract also was unprecedented.
The arbitrator upheld many of the NBA's arguments but thought the punishment was excessive.
Stern reacted with some biting comments toward the arbitrator.
"I think the fundamental point is whether you can strike your boss and still hold your job. The answer is that you cannot strike your boss and still hold your job — unless you play in the NBA and are subject to arbitrator Feerick's decision," Stern said.
Sprewell was informed of the decision by lawyers from the players' union.
"We are happy Latrell has his contract back," said his agent, Arn Tellem. "We are disappointed that he will not be able to resume his NBA career until July 1."
His return is subject to the NBA receiving assurances from Sprewell and the player's association that he will control his temper.
Stern cited the "premidated" nature of the attack when he issued the one-year suspension, but the arbitrator rejected that and said
Sprewell's two attacks, which took place 10-20 minutes apart, should be treated as one incident.
Still, the arbitrator upheld the commissioner's right to impose a considerable penalty when behavior warrants it.
"The stakes have been considerably raised in terms of what the commissioner will be able to do," Stern said. "The next one is going to be a lot more than $6 million, there's no question about that."
The Warriors argued that they had the right to terminate Sprewell's contract under Section 16 of the uniform player contract, which says players must conform to standards of good citizenship and good character and prohibits engaging in acts of moral turpitude.
Feerick said the two attacks, when treated as one single altercation, did not constitute an act of moral turpai-
tude.
Stern said that part of the ruling was "incomprehensible."
The reinstatement of Sprewell's contract means he will be paid during the final two years of his contract, although he still will lose $6.4 million in 1997-98 salary.
The Warriors can trade him at the conclusion of the season. By having his contract count against the salary cap, the Warriors lost the opportunity to use that money to sign a free agent next summer.
If Sprewell's suspension had been reduced to time served and his contract had not been reinstated, he would have become a free agent immediately.
"The worst thing that could have happened would be if he were allowed to perform for another team this season and then go to the playoffs or the finals," Stern said.
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