It seems as if there will never be a 2011-2012 NBA season.
With the entire preseason and the first two weeks of the regular season cancelled due to the lockout, how much more hope can NBA fans have? As far as what needs to be done, it’s pretty simple; the players need to reach an agreement with the owners. But that is much easier said than done.
The Lockout, which began on July 1st, is the fourth work stoppage in NBA history. A handful of star players have already signed contracts to go overseas and play during the lockout. 2011 All Star Deron Williams signed a one year deal to play for the Turkish Basketball League, and many international players have opted to play for their home countries until the lockout ends.
Now that they know regular season games will be missed, players have become very stingy with their financial situations. Fans, owners and even players didn’t think the lockout would get to the point where games would get cancelled. Commissioner David Stern has made it adamant that he won’t settle for a bad deal regarding the players and owners just to get the season underway.
Many players have started taking action because they are unsure of their financial situations. Superstar Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who has been in the league for two years said, “…I started thinking. How much do I have to put away if we miss a whole year?” Love later goes on to say that he has been putting money away since his first NBA paycheck and has stayed away from spending his money on “useless” expenses like multiple houses and partying.
On the other hand you have former Celtic Delonte West. West failed to sign a contract with a team overseas and he then put in an application to Home Depot but didn’t get the job. He is currently working at a furniture store in Maryland.
The longest NBA lockout was during the 1998-1999 season. The regular season was shortened from 82 games to 50 and David Stern was also the commissioner then. It is unknown what will happen because the pendulum can go either way, but now that games have been cancelled it has lit a fire under the butts of owners and players. The scariest part of the situation is how Stern has shown no fear in cancelling games.
Fans will just have to wait patiently to see the outcome, whether they get a season or lose it altogether.