When the NBA owners locked out their players they were under strict orders from Commissioner David Stern not to have any contact with them, and that has now led to the postponement of the rookie transition program that was to be held Aug. 9 to 11.

The program has been instrumental over the years in helping rookies and young players with many of the issues they will face as players and as young men with a considerable cash flow. The rookie transition program is run jointly by the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.

The NBA announced Tuesday that the event will be rescheduled once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. It’s a good thing the rookies have up to three years to participate in this program because it could be a while before the two sides settle on a new CBA.

The NFL originally held off on its rookie symposium during its lockout period but then decided to hold it anyway and Commissioner Roger Goodell and union head DeMaurice Smith spoke to the players together. Don’t expect Billy Hunter, the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), and Stern to play as nice.

The rookie transition program becomes the latest casualty of the nearly month-old NBA lockout after the owners also called off the Las Vegas summer league this month.

Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Terranceharris

(Photo: National Basketball Players Association)