Obviously I am rooting for a NBA season to occur. I don't need it as much as a needed a NFL season, but I would prefer to see live basketball games come fall. It may actually benefit the NBA to not have a season though, or at least a delayed, shortened season. The unexpected influx of players willing to play overseas shouldn't be frightening the NBA, it should encourage them. Sure, in the short term, owners and players not willing to play overseas (and risk injury) are screwed. But in the long haul, an extended lockout with elite NBA players showing their talent in Europe is the best thing that could happen to the NBA.
A perfect example of what I am getting at is the MLS. Americans don't care about soccer. It's a fact. Some (like me) try to pretend during the World Cup and other big soccer events. Sure, there are some people that truly like the sport, but most really don't care. I try. I can easily sit through a game without knowing any of the players' names. And I would enjoy those 90+ minutes. But once that game is over, I don't care about the next one or other ones. I'm sorry. I wish it were different. Soccer seems awesome and the players seem like cool dudes to hang out with. I just can't, and I know I am not alone.
MLS is somewhat popular because of international stars coming to play in the US. David Beckham is the biggest star to play here and Thierry Henry playing in NY/NJ helps. Soccer in Europe doesn't need the US to expand its sport. Soccer is already the most popular sport on the planet. Basketball though isn't nearly as popular. It is the third most popular in the states at best. Hockey is gaining, and in the short term, a lockout may bump the NBA down to four. But remember about the long haul.
NBA players such as Kobe, Deron Williams, Meta Worldpeace, among others considering to be worldly travelled, benefit the NBA. To expand their market to Europe is huge. The NFL is doing the same with a possible team popping up in Londontown. If the NBA can get Europe excited about basketball and possibly have a league there, what would be so wrong with a lockout causing that? The NBA isn't even trying and they could see an entirely new market open up big time without even trying.
It's tough to say this with the NBA coming off one of its best season in years, but the NBA needs a lockout. The players are overpaid, and the league isn't making as much money as it could. A boost in revenue would benefit the NBA. So instead of freaking out about no NBA, rejoice in the NFL having a season and let the NBA just take a much needed break. Let the players spread the good word of alley-oops to Europe and see what happens. Let Meta Worldpeace reach superstar status in the UK and we'll see what happens when David Stern backs down.
