Charles Oakley isn’t happy about the way NBA commissioner Adam Silver has handled his conflict with New York Knicks owner James Dolan. The former Knicks star told Newsday’s Jim Baumbach on Thursday that, while he spoke to Silver before and during All-Star Weekend, he hasn’t heard anything since. Silver had a different perspective.
From Newsday:
Oakley expressed disappointment that NBA commissioner Adam Silver hasn’t stayed in touch with him after the Feb. 13 meeting that involved Silver, Oakley and Knicks owner James Dolan. Michael Jordan, a friend of Oakley’s who owns the Charlotte Hornets, took part on a conference call.
Oakley said he spoke with Silver at a brunch during All-Star Weekend but haven’t been in touch since then.
“Why call a meeting if you’re not going to stay engaged with what’s going on?” Oakley said. “Hey, I’m going on with my life. I’m going to do what I have to do from here on in.”
When Oakley’s comments were relayed to Silver, the commissioner said: “I’m available to talk or meet with Charles any time he wants. I didn’t know he was waiting to hear from me.”
I’m trying to give Oakley the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Silver should have been more persistent in trying to patch things up. It’s unclear, though, if those efforts would have had any chance of succeeding. In the immediate aftermath of the conference call, Oakley said he was in no hurry to forgive Dolan after being ejected from Madison Square Garden, arrested and banned from the arena. This is a long-standing feud. “The swimming pool is still full of water,” Oakley said. “It takes a while to drain.”
Oakley followed up that amazing quote by comparing Dolan to disgraced ex-Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. He then blasted former Knicks who sat with Dolan after the Oakley incident, and attended a road game, sitting next to Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. He has every right to do all of this, but it doesn’t sound like he’s doing all he can to make peace.
