Carmelo Anthony, NBA Stars Cancel 4-Game Tour
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- With the NBA lockout over, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and other stars have canceled their "Homecoming Tour."
They've got to get ready for other games.
The four-city tour was supposed to stop at the Izod Center in East Rutherford on Dec. 10, but that game and three others have been scrapped now that the league and its players have a tentative labor agreement.
"We are thrilled that a tentative agreement has been reached and are looking forward to getting back to work and playing basketball," Dwyane Wade said in a statement. "We all want to reconnect with our teams to make sure we hit the ground running when training camps are expected to open on December 9. Our commitment to helping children and the communities doesn't stop, and the daily work of our foundations to do just this will continue, as always."
"Just wanna say Thank You to the fans for your patience and understanding thru all this," Anthony tweeted on Saturday. "Glad to give you the game of basketball back."
James and Melo, along with good friends Wade and Chris Paul, had games scheduled in Akron, New Orleans, Chicago and East Rutherford, N.J. Proceeds from the tour were to benefit the four headlining players' charitable foundations.
The four superstars still plan to hold a charity event on Tuesday in New York.
Organizers for the canceled tour said tickets will be fully refunded at the point of purchase.
Owners and union officials reached agreement to end the 149-day lockout on Saturday following a marathon bargaining session. Players must still approve the deal, and once they do, training camps and free agency will open simultaneously on Dec. 9. The plan is for a 66-game season to begin on Christmas Day.
Were you planning to attend the game in East Rutherford? Tell us about it in the comments below...
(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
