Written by Demetri Inembolidis

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The NBA owners have locked out the players. This is something that people know if they have a pulse and have access to the internet. The lockout is a complex issue between the owners and the players’ union. The crux of the issue boils down to money. The owners want more and the players do as well. The lockout affects many people. It starts with the owners and players and reaches everybody from arena workers, front office members, restaurant owners and fans.

Most NBA fans have a reason to want to see the lockout end. They simply want to watch their favorite basketball teams play during the long and cold winter months. I personally enjoy having NBA games to watch throughout the fall and winter. I am harboring feelings of resentment towards the NBA owners and the NBA Players’ Association. I simply want to see basketball and I wish that they could figure out a fair way to divide the BRI (Basketball-Related Income).

Oftentimes, I see Cavaliers fans actively rooting for a lost season. This is a sentiment that bothers me greatly. Typically there are three reasons for this and I will outline them and dispel myths in an attempt to explain why we want to see basketball in 2011-2012.

“The Cavaliers will benefit in the draft lottery:” The truth is that nobody actually knows what will happen in the event of a lost season. What I do know is that it is naive to believe that the NBA will simply hand the Cavaliers the 2^nd best odds at the first overall draft pick because they had the 2^nd worst record last year. The NBA owners are not in the business of creating a collective bargaining agreement that will benefit Cleveland. The fact that there are sixteen playoff teams and fourteen lottery teams means that Cleveland will be at a disadvantage with regards to how the draft lottery will transpire. When the NHL missed the 2004-2005 season, every single team had a chance at landing the first overall pick and the rights to draft Sidney Crosby. Part of the process included looking at the team records for the previous three years. If this happened in the NBA, Cleveland would be punished in the lottery because of their 66 and 61 win seasons. As I mentioned earlier, nobody knows what will happen with the draft lottery, but it seems pretty obvious that Cleveland wouldn’t be handed the 5^th pick in the draft because of last season’s 19 wins and 63 losses.

 

“The system is broken:” When three superstars can play on one team, it is difficult to argue that the system is working for smaller market owners. The Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets were all negatively affected by their star players dictating where they wanted to play. If everything transpires the way that I think it will, the Magic and Hornets will be as well. This is something that happens with free agency and more attractive markets having teams. What bothers me about this sentiment is that literally nothing is on the table that will prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future. We may not like what LeBron James did, but it is something that will be prevalent in the NBA landscape no matter what kind of CBA is constructed. The only way that superstar players dictating where they will play is if something drastic happens, such as eliminating free agency. A hard salary cap will not deconstruct the Miami Heat and will simply make their competition weaker. Whether NBA fans like it or not, the Heat exist and tinkering with salary cap will not make them dismantle. This is a myth based on wishful thinking and anger. If something was on the table from the owners that would prevent this from happening in the future, I would be more understanding of hearing this. However, literally nothing is being discussed that will prevent future superstar free agents from teaming up.  Despite what many fans wish for, the real debate that led to the lockout has to do with the split of BRI.  Preventing future "superteams" is not a concern for the NBA owners.  A hard cap system will create more Raptors-era Vince Carter with mailed-in performances than players like Kevin Durant who are committed to their small market team.

“That’s one less year for LeBron James to win a ring:” I cannot think of a more frustrating thing for a Cavaliers fan to say. Many people from Cleveland claim that the city has some of the best sports fans in the world. Although this is a subjective statement to make, I believe it is thrown out the window when the rooting interest for a fan base is to simply not see a rival team win. I do not want to appear to be a LeBron James apologist, however I believe that it is time for Cavaliers fans to stop obsessing over him and look ahead to future of the Cavs. LeBron James decided to join the Miami Heat. He did it without tact and painted himself as an unlikable character. Watching LeBron James and the Miami Heat lose to the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals was exciting and missing next season could prevent us from seeing that again. Cleveland had a stroke of luck in obtaining the first overall pick in the draft and for the first time in many years, the Cavaliers have some young talent on the team. It boggles my mind that people who call themselves Cavaliers fans would actually be willing to spite LeBron James at the expense of seeing what Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson can do.

There can be positive results from a missed season. For example, it could give Kyrie Irving an entire year to allow his foot to completely heal. Additionally, the CBA could allow for an amnesty clause that would help end a bad contract. These are things that would benefit the team long-term, but they are not worth missing an entire year. Cavaliers fans would better suit themselves to look ahead to the long-term future of the Cavaliers and not be so focused on spiting any one particular team.

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