NBA

Van Gundy warns Stern about NBA lockout return

Jeff Van Gundy has a message for NBA commissioner David Stern: Learn from the lockout mistakes of 1999.

Van Gundy is calling for Stern not to shorten training camp or cram too many regular-season games into a shortened space.

Van Gundy, who coached the Knicks during the ’99 lockout, told The Post less camp and an overstuffed schedule will hurt the product — and the fans.

Van Gundy, an ESPN/ABC broadcaster, is an authority on the ’99 lockout. His Knicks emerged from a spotty 50-game regular season to rampage to the finals. Van Gundy, however, said the basketball quality was substandard.

By having a normal camp and less-congested schedule, Stern will show he does care about the fans, Van Gundy said.

“The fans deserve what they’re accustomed to seeing — the best basketball in the world even if it costs the players and owners money,’’ Van Gundy said. “I’m hopeful the league learned from 1999 and doesn’t rush it and realize one more week of patience, one more week of camp would be beneficial to the fans. I’m hoping the league doesn’t rush teams into action. We have history to show some people reported in horrible shape.’’

The ’99 season began in early February, featured a two-week training camp and two preseason games. The Knicks, who staged camp at Hempstead’s Island Garden, played only a home-and-home with the Nets.

“Reduced training camp, few practice days, basketball was very poor for much of the regular season,’’ Van Gundy said. “Once the playoffs began, it was more a normal schedule and a good product. But the regular season, fans paid top dollar for a very poor product.’’

Van Gundy made his comments from his Houston home yesterday. If not for the lockout, he would have been either at the Garden last night for the Knicks’ season opener against the Heat or in Oakland for his former partner Mark Jackson’s coaching debut against the Lakers. (The Nets would have opened in Washington last night.)

November is lost, but Stern and the union want to squeeze in as many games as possible.

“It would be good for the owners and players but it wouldn’t be good for the fans,’’ Van Gundy said. “Don’t just say the fans are important. Act in a manner in which you show the fans truly are important.’’

When the lockout ends, Van Gundy hopes the NBA restores $10 ticket specials as it did in 1999 and has cut-rate concession prices to make up for the work stoppage.

“The owners and players are very blessed to be in this situation, but don’t take it too far,’’ said Van Gundy, who will fill his time with college basketball, including an NIT Garden doubleheader Nov. 23. “I think fans are understanding about business to a point. At some point, some group of fans in some sport won’t come back.’’

The players union will hold an internal meeting today in New York to assess their next move and likely address the Foxsports.com report union prez Derek Fisher and union director Billy Hunter are at odds over the revenue split. The report suggested Fisher is in favor of a 50-50 split proposed by the NBA. Fisher has vehemently denied it. No meetings are scheduled with the NBA.