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.
[2][3][4][5][6] Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.
[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.
[12][13][14][15][16] The Bucks selected German basketball star Dirk Nowitzki with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, but soon traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for top draft pick Robert Traylor from the University of Michigan.
[42] However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Bucks would be swept by the Indiana Pacers in three straight games.