By REID LAYMANCE
Boston Globe

Eighteen sports editors took part in the commissioners' meetings April 21-22 in New York. This is a report from those meetings.

Spend a morning locked in a banquet room of a posh mid-town Manhattan hotel with David Stern and by the time he's done working the room, it's hard to see any of the problems with his organization, the NBA.

David Stern

"We were cheered by the season," Stern said, noting attendance records and fast-break style of play while in the next breath describing the melee among Pacers, Pistons and Detroit fans and ensuing year-long suspension of

Ron Artest as "a couple bumps along the way."

Stern also acknowledged a few bumps that could be on the horizon as the league continues contract talks with the players association with the hot-button topic of the 20-year age limit on the table. "I don't know when we will have a deal," he said. "We have been there (a lockout that cost half of the 1998-99 season) and looked over the edge. We don't need the hockey situation as an example. But the issues across all leagues are very similar."

The smooth-talking Stern did manage to address two topics relating to the practice of journalism and the coverage of his league.

	OTHER REPORTS
	MLB: Bud Selig NHL: Gary Bettman NHLPA: Bob Goodenow NBAPA: Billy Hunter NBA: David Stern NYC 2012: Daniel Doctoroff USOC: Steve Roush NCAA: Miles Brand

He expressed concern over the use of the phrase "league source" in many stories that come across his desk. "That doesn't fairly describe someone who works for a team," he said. "And I'd say that 99.9 percent of the time when that (phrase) is used, it is a team source. My owners come to me when they see that and want to know what we're doing."

On problems with access, Stern said no major problems had been brought to his attention. "To the extent that there becomes less access, that's a problem. We will deal with the particular situation when we have to."

Also, new WNBA president Donna Orender confirmed the league's expansion lans to Chicago for 2006 and then an additional franchise a year after or later.

Stern said that the new teams wouldn't be tied to current NBA franchises or ownerships as had been the early model for the league. One city getting consideration is Trenton, N.J.

As far as the NBA itself expanding, Stern said the league was comfortable with its current number of teams and hopeful that they would all stay in their current cities with new arenas, where necessary.

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