Lockout makes insurance an Olympian issue for stars

NEW YORK — The decision by NBA club owners to lock out players starting Friday means NBA stars who want to play for their homelands in Olympic qualifying over the next few months must pay for their own insurance.The first NBA shutdown since the 1998-1999 season was reduced to 50 games began Friday morning after league officials and union leaders failed to find common ground in a last-ditch effort to avoid the lockout.Owners want a hard salary cap without the exceptions now available and to find a profitable business model for a league they say has only eight clubs that are profitable among its 30 teams.Players hope to maintain the status quo, saying it is not their fault that teams spend themselves into oblivion in quest of a championship.Some NBA players will look to participate with national teams in upcoming qualifying tournaments for the 2012 London Olympics, many saying they would play regardless of whether or not the NBA clubs have them locked out."We hope that the parties will find rapidly a solution, but above all we hope that the situation will not have a negative effect on the Olympic qualifiers this summer," FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann said."We will do everything to support the players and our members in their desire to fulfill their Olympic dream."The move comes after a season that attracted greater interest than normal, one in which stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh came together in Miami but lost to Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas in the NBA Finals."We had a great year in terms of the appreciation of the fans for our game," NBA commissioner David Stern said."It just wasn't a profitable one for our owners. And it wasn't one that many of the small-market teams particularly enjoyed. Or felt included."Players cannot use team facilities during the lockout. They will not be paid and are responsible for their own insurance, which could become an issue since a career-ending injury could come in Olympic qualifying."The only difference between a lockout and a no lockout situation is t

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