NBA chief Adam Silver met New York Knicks legend Charles Oakley and team owner Jim Dolan on Monday in an effort to end the spectacular public feud that has gripped the league over the past week.
Oakley was tossed from the Knicks’ Madison Square Garden home last Wednesday and subsequently banned from the venue by Dolan after a confrontation with security staff.
NBA Commissioner Silver however appeared to have brokered a peace deal on Monday after meeting Oakley and Dolan in New York along with Michael Jordan, who took part via a conference call.
“It is beyond disheartening to see situations involving members of the NBA family like the one that occurred at Madison Square Garden this past week,” Silver said in a statement.
“In an effort to find a path forward, New York Knicks owner Jim Dolan, Charles Oakley, and I met today at the league office, along with Michael Jordan, who participated by phone.
“Both Mr. Oakley and Mr. Dolan were apologetic about the incident and subsequent comments, and their negative impact on the Knicks organization and the NBA. Mr. Dolan expressed his hope that Mr. Oakley would return to MSG as his guest in the near future.
Oakley, 53, took a swipe at Garden security personnel seeking to remove him from his seat and was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal trespass.
The Knicks said later Oakley was abusive, describing his claim that he was told to leave the arena for no apparent reason “pure fiction.”
However the sight of Oakley, a popular figure on the Knicks when they were perennial playoff contenders from 1988-98, being herded out of the stands and handcuffed provoked a backlash from other former and current players.
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