After we successfully concluded our last collective bargaining agreement in June, and with six years remaining on that agreement and three years left on our television contracts, I felt the time was right for me to get off the treadmill for a while,

I don't plan to do a tour of arenas and get rocking chairs,

[Not since the Class of '92 -- led by Shaq , Alonzo Mourning and Christian Laettner  -- has the NBA welcomed a more-anticipated trio than this. Some even go back further, to a day when this year's group wasn't even born.] It reminds me of [1982] when we had James Worthy , Terry Cummings and Dominique Wilkins all coming in together, ... I think that bodes very well.

That's at least an interesting notion. Then you're not dealing with the politicking.

We want the fairest arrangement we can. There is probably no perfect system.

It was too treacherous. It was unsafe. All the coaches, except one, were in agreement (to stop the meet).