Rome asked Stern whether the lottery was fixed. The New Orleans Hornets, recently sold by the league to Saints owner Tom Benson, won the No. 1 pick.
Stern responded that it wasn't, and after some debate over the legitimacy of the question, Stern said: "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?"
Rome said later Wednesday on his TV show on CBS Sports Network that he didn't take great offense, calling Stern's phrase a "rhetorical device" that some fans may not understand but he did. He defended his question, saying he doesn't believe the lottery is fixed but that it was fair to ask.
