NBPA Lockout Handbook Tips To NBA Players; No Trips To Vegas, No New Cars And How To Budget For Wives & Entourages…

The NBPA (The union for NBA players) released a 56-page lockout handbook detailing tips to help prepare the players for a lockout this off season.

There is a specific section dedicated to wives and “entourages”. They took the time to meet with these “professional friends” during All-Star weekend; I wonder if they had a special conversation with the Jocks W.A.G.S (wives and girlfriends)?

The NBA guide includes suggestions on dealing with mortgages, not making any car or jewelry purchases and even some travel advice avoid Vegas or any other gambling destinations.

‘Protect Yourself’

“Clothing and jewelry often have little or no resale value, so if times get tough, you will not be able to liquidate it quickly,” the handbook says in the section labeled “Clothing and Jewelry.” “Instead of making large purchases in the next year, save the money you were going to spend on clothes and jewelry in a lockout fund to protect yourself and your loved ones.”

It even included tips from players like Juwan Howard who experienced the lockout in the 98-99 seasons:

“Remember the last lockout, remember the experience that we all had to go through. From a financial standpoint, please save your money. Invest right, budget yourself the right way, because it is very important — no matter lockout or not, you are supposed to save up for a rainy day.”

How out of touch is he with his active peers. The majority weren’t even IN the NBA in 98, they may have just been entering high school. You’d be better served pointing them towards the plight of players like Allen Iverson, Kenny Anderson and Antoine Walker. That’s what they remember NOW.

Speaking of Kenny, he was a reference point in the guide about dealing with the media. In a 1998 interview with the New York Times Kenny stated that he was “thinking of selling one of my cars.”

“I don’t need all of them, you know, just get rid of the Mercedes.” – a laughing Kenny Anderson

If you watched Basketball Wives this season, you know the real reason Kenny had so many cars…

But anyway, I guess that’s their way of saying, stay humble and low firing in the press. That includes Twitter. The labor situation is real, I hope everyone has planned accordingly.

The lockout handbook was first issued in November 2010 via player’s meetings.