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.
[12][13][14][15][16] During the off-season, the Blazers signed free agents Jim Jackson and Greg Anthony, who would reunite with his former UNLV teammate Stacey Augmon,[17][18][19] and acquired top draft pick Bonzi Wells out of Ball State University from the Detroit Pistons, who selected him with the eleventh overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft.
Despite losing four of their final five games, the team finished 35–15 in the lockout-shortened season, earning their fourth Pacific Division title and the first since 1991–92.
[41][42][43][44] The Spurs would reach the NBA Finals for the first time to defeat the 8th-seeded New York Knicks in five games, winning their first ever championship.