Coaches, NBA Agree On Microphone Issue

New York Knick Coach Jeff Van Gundy didn’t wear a microphone for Tuesday night’s game against the Houston Rockets. He didn’t have to.

After an outcry of protests from coaches around the league, a temporary compromise was reached Tuesday between the commissioner’s office and the coaches’ association, giving coaches who do not wish to wear a wireless clip-on microphone a new option--having a boom microphone placed near their bench.

“To me, it’s a great compromise on the NBA’s part,” said Van Gundy, who had been one of the most vocal critics of the new policy under which teams could be fined $100,000 or more if a coach refused to wear a microphone.

The league office and the coaches’ association planned to talk again today to review how well the compromise worked during TNT’s telecast of the Knicks-Rockets game.

The boom microphone was to be positioned along the baseline near the Knicks’ bench and would be permitted to enter huddles during timeouts--as long as the huddle took place along the sideline and not on the court. Van Gundy also had the option of waving the microphone operator away.

“It’s a test,” league spokesman Seth Sylvan said, “and we’re going to talk to the coaches’ association [today] and review the game, talk over how it went.”

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An arbitrator heard arguments for 2 1/2 hours but didn’t reach a decision on whether Chicago guard John Starks can leave the team and join a playoff contender.

Arbitrator Roger Kaplan said he would inform the NBA and the players’ union at a later date when he will announce his ruling.

Starks has offered to forfeit the rest of his $4-million salary--about $900,000--if the rebuilding Bulls would waive him, clearing the way for him to sign with a team headed for the playoffs.

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Marcus Camby, idle since Feb. 6 because of a strained ligament in his right knee, was activated off the injured list by the New York Knicks. . . . Forward Don Reid, released last week by Detroit, was signed by Washington. . . . The Philadelphia 76ers activated forward Tyrone Hill from the injured list.