After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.
[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout.
[22][23] To replace the retiring Clyde Drexler, the Rockets acquired All-Star forward, and six-time champion Scottie Pippen from the Chicago Bulls,[24][25][26][27][28] and signed free agent Antoine Carr, who appeared in two NBA Finals with the Utah Jazz.
[29][30] Pippen, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley had previously played together on the U.S. Men's basketball team in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
[32][33][34] The Rockets played solid basketball posting a nine-game winning streak in March, and finished third in the Midwest Division with a 31–19 record.