Shaving Claims Called ‘Baseless’

The NBA denounced as “baseless” a book’s claim that heavy gambling losses by Isiah Thomas and James Edwards raised questions about point-shaving during two Detroit Piston games in 1989.

Jeffrey Mishkin, the league’s chief legal officer, called “absolutely false” the contention in the book “Money Players” that the NBA recently reopened an investigation into point-shaving in the late 1980s.

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Shawn Kemp says he’s not trying to force the Seattle SuperSonics to trade him by deliberately being late for practices and missing team flights.

“My contract’s fine,” the five-time all-star power forward insisted. “I’m happy. I have food on the table. Everything is good.

“You don’t play eight years and all of a sudden let your game go down just for a trade.”

Since the All-Star break, Kemp has averaged 14.6 points and has had a problem with being on time. He was fined an undisclosed amount by the SuperSonics on Saturday for failing to notify them he would miss a practice.

Kemp missed a team flight to Phoenix and skipped a practice before the March 30 game against the Suns.