10 NBA Players Who Need a 2011-2012 Season to Happen

The NBA lockout has been extremely hard on the fans, who at thought of a cancelled season cringe and experience severe cases of nausea, yet the same goes for many of the athletes, and not necessarily only the ones that don’t cut as lucrative a paycheck as LeBron James.

In fact, James is one of numerous NBA athletes that need a 2011-2012 season the most. Dating back to last season, players like James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh and Kevin Love have some unfinished business that they can ill afford to put on the backburner. Whether it is performance, mental or public image related, there are just some conflicts that will not be able to be resolved without a season.

While we can easily say that players like Bryant and James do not actually need a season to happen because at this point it does not affect their financial livelihood, we must understand that this goes beyond dollar signs and zeros. 

How is James supposed to rebuild his public image when the press rarely has direct access to him? Can Bryant prove to his critics he is still capable of leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a title when there is nothing to play for? Without a season, will Bosh be able shed the “soft” label and begin a reputation all his own in Miami?

The previous questions cannot be answered without a season, and these aren’t exactly conflicts that these athletes want to let marinate, giving the press and other critics further time to dissect and exaggerate their supposed shortcomings.

On the ensuing slides, let’s take a look at 10 players who need a season, more than we may currently realize.

Andrew Bynum of Los Angeles Lakers

Currently, Andrew Bynum seems to be viewed as more of a tool for the Los Angeles Lakers to use to acquire another star to pair with Kobe Bryant, specifically Dwight Howard, a reality that he has to change.

Bynum has not progressed as well as the Lakers anticipated in his six NBA seasons, but he still has a mountain of potential. He is a strong rebounder and shot-blocker, and can score effectively in the low-post. His biggest knock is that he lacks the dominance someone of his size and ability should emulate.

Additionally, there may be serious question as to whether the Orlando Magic would even be interested in him or not. Sure, he provides a 7' body to replace the supposedly outgoing Howard, but is Bynum the type of player you can build your entire team around? No, not just yet anyway.

Bynum needs a season to not only prove he can be a dominant big man in this center starved league, but that he is valuable to the Lakers as more than a trade chip. We have seen flashes of greatness in Bynum, but these flashes are infrequent. He needs to dominate the inside consistently to make Los Angeles second guess its decision to shop him.

The 23-year-old's inconsistencies have led the Lakers to use him as a means to obtain another star to further the team's development and improve the outlook of their future. Bynum needs a season to show Los Angeles that he is just the star athlete the organization is searching for. 

Carlos Boozer of Chicago Bulls

A subpar postseason has many believing that the Chicago Bulls may opt to shop the 30-year-old Carlos Boozer in order to attempt to fill a void at the shooting guard position or just to dump his bloated contract in general, which puts the power forward on the hot seat.

Boozer averaged 17.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season, but as the year progressed, he became more of a liability on defense than anything else. He was getting manhandled in the low-post, and the opposing offenses took advantage of his defensive deficiencies, especially in the postseason.

Chicago, with reigning MVP Derrick Rose and solid young players like Joakim Noah and Luol Deng, is not a situation that Boozer is going to want to leave. If the Bulls find a competent shooting guard they are arguably the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.

That being said, such a notion remains the same with or without Boozer. Should the Bulls obtain a shooting guard at Boozer's expense, they have the capable Taj Gibson to take over full-time duties at power forward position. Boozer needs a next season to show that the Bulls are better off with him, not just indifferent to his absence.

Next season, Boozer needs to show that his defensive ineptitude can be improved upon and his postseason offensive struggles were a fluke. The Bulls are going places, and Boozer needs a season to ensure that Chicago does not ship him off somewhere else before they get there.

Rudy Gay of Memphis Grizzlies

Rudy Gay only appeared in 54 games last season and the success the Memphis Grizzlies had without him has caused some to regard him as an expendable asset, a turn of events the small forward surely wants to reverse.

Despite the Grizzlies maintaining that they will not be shopping their star, Memphis developed a balanced attack that some believe would be better served without Gay. Before suffering a season ending shoulder injury, Gay was averaging 19.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, production that lived up to his five-year, $80 million dollar contract he signed last summer.

That being said, the Grizzlies finished the season 46-36 and went on a very impressive postseason run that included them upsetting the No. 1 San Antonio Spurs in the first round, without Gay. Is Gay's presence going to propel Memphis to the next level or is he going to disrupt the team chemistry they have developed without him?

The latter is something that Gay needs to prove isn't true. Like it or not, Gay has to prove that he was the missing piece to Memphis' postseason run last year instead of a non-factor. He needs to show that he can incorporate himself back into the Grizzlies' team concept seamlessly without becoming a hindrance or liability.

As long as there are no results to the contrary, Gay is going to endure speculation that states he is most valuable to Memphis as a trade chip. And how can results to the contrary be achieved? Only on the court, during a season, which Gay needs. 

Monta Ellis of Golden State Warriors

Prior to the lockout, the Golden State Warriors seemed to be aggressively shopping guard Monta Ellis, and while talks cooled down, he definitely has something to prove next season.

Stephen Curry is widely viewed as the future of the team because Ellis is thought to be incapable of being a leader. He is also thought to be a liability on defense and a loose-cannon on offense. While Ellis's 24.1 points and 5.6 assists per game are impressive, he needs to show the Warriors and the rest of the league that he is more than just about statistics.

The fact that Golden State would be willing to move Ellis' production says something about his character and value to the team. Sure, new head coach Mark Jackson is a stickler for defense, but with Ellis' athleticism, one would think the Warriors wouldn't be so apt to move him.

Ells is without a question a star-caliber player, but in order for him to drop the negative labels he has earned, he has to prove he is capable of and amenable to maturing. And what better time to start than next season?

Ellis did show slight improvement this past season, opting to pass the ball a bit more, but he is still not at the level where an organization believes he is a player they can build around. He did not demonstrate the will or ability to lead. Next season, Ellis needs to show a willingness to not only make himself better, but also his teammates better.

Even though Curry will be the unquestioned leader, the 25-year-old Ellis needs to find a way to become the type of presence that is valuable in the locker room. A good start would be to embrace the selection of Klay Thompson and help him develop his game further.

Simply put, Ellis needs to devote himself to a team concept, not a personal one.

Without a season though, the negative and unflattering connotations that follow Ellis won't be going anywhere. 

Chris Bosh of Miami Heat

Chris Bosh had a pretty impressive season averaging 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, a production level slightly below that of his career average, but what else is to be expected when you go from your team's first option to the third?

Bosh often gets overlooked as a result of playing alongside two of the best to ever play the game in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade; he is almost an afterthought. And this is exactly why Bosh needs a season more than most others do.

Though it will prove to be difficult, Bosh needs to establish his own identity with the Miami Heat. Currently, he is simply considered a member of the "big three," and even a tag along to the Wade and James show. This needs to change.

Clearly, Bosh will never have the same amount of talent or play at the same prolific level that James and Wade do, but that doesn't mean he cannot stand out on a team that boasts both of them. 

What can Bosh do to shed the "underproductive" label that was so brutally laid upon him last season as well as the "soft" label he has been battling his entire career? He has to become a more physical player; he has to become more of a force in the low-post.

While Bosh, as an overall player, is typically deemed overrated, his finesse on the offensive end is undervalued. A big man who can hit the mid to long range jumper is a commodity, no matter who else is on the roster. That being said, Bosh needs to become more physical underneath the basket by posting up the opposition more and finishing stronger. Perhaps this involves him putting on some more weight or maybe it involves him improving his ball-handling skills; regardless, he has get more physical.

There is a problem there though. How can one establish his own identity on offense with both James and Wade on the floor? It will prove to be difficult, which is why Bosh's focus for next season needs to be defense.

James and Wade are both very good defenders, but should Bosh crash the boards harder, move his feet better and block more shots, he will quickly prove his worth to this team. Teams are going to attack him down-low in order to avoid dealing with James and Wade on the perimeter, and he needs to take advantage of this challenge, not shy away from it.

Regardless of how Bosh does it, he needs to establish his own identity within this "big three" concept. His performance was often criticized this season and even now he is widely viewed as the most expendable star on the Heat.

In order for Bosh to put such opinions to bed, he has to let his play do the talking. And he cannot do that without a season. 

Dwight Howard of Orlando Magic

Wouldn't Dwight Howard almost be better off if there weren't an NBA season so he wouldn't have to field constant questions about his plans for the future? No, he actually needs a season more than most people realize.

Howard does not need a season to prove his worth or to play his way to a lucrative contract, but rather he needs next season to justify whatever move he makes next summer.

When Howard enters free agency, his decision, no matter what it may be, will be scrutinized like we have never seen before, especially if he airs it on national television. Just kidding, but not about the scrutiny.

If Howard decides to leave the Orlando Magic, it will obviously be because he doesn't feel they can contend for a title anytime soon. How is he to say this though, if the team hasn't played together in over a year? What if this were the year Gilbert Arenas resurrected his career? And this time I'm not kidding.

While Howard probably could justify his decision to leave even with a cancelled season, he owes it to not only the Magic fans, but also himself to give it one more year. After all, don't you think Howard would prefer to re-sign with the team than drafted him? 

If he leaves, it is not going to be an easy situation to walk away from, and you better believe he is holding out hope that this team gets it together and/or acquires another star to pair alongside him. Howard has spent the better part of a decade in Orlando and there has to be some attachment there.

However, what if Howard decides to stay even after the season is cancelled? He is undoubtedly going to face some ridicule after the lukewarm performance the team had last season. It also isn't a stretch to think that people will say he's making the same mistake that Kevin Garnett did with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Simply put, Howard needs a next season to help him not only justify, but decide what he does next summer. If Orlando fails miserably at contending for a title then he can leave without the "what if" feeling. On the flip side, if the Magic show significant improvement or make an improbable acquisition, then Howard may find it easier to justify staying put. 

The decision Howard has ahead of him is an extremely difficult one to make, but it becomes even harder without a season.

Kobe Bryant of Los Angeles Lakers

Despite averaging 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game last season, Kobe Bryant's performance was deemed disappointing by more than a few.

Was it because he was playing injured? Was it because he failed to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA title? Or was it simply because he is 33 and that's what is expected of players his age—to be a disappointment?

Whatever the reasoning may be, Bryant has found himself in a position that he has never been in before: He has to prove himself. This is not to be confused with having to prove himself when he was younger, or proving that he is at least worthy of Michael Jordan comparisons, but rather he has to prove to the basketball world that he is still the same player, regardless of age.

If the NBA season is cancelled, not only is Bryant another year older, but his critics have had an entire year to build up his downfall and ridicule his abilities. Talk about momentum.

Sure, Bryant can play overseas, but nothing he does in Turkey or China will silence his critics. The NBA is a different level, and if Bryant wants to prove that he has plenty more left in the tank, he has do that there, no substitutions will do.

Plenty of people still believe that Bryant is nowhere near being done, but until we see him back on the court, talk of either his diminishing abilities or immunity to age is merely posturing, and as a 15-year veteran, Bryant, more than anyone else, knows this.

A cancelled season is just prolonging the inevitable for Bryant. Whether the inevitable involves his regression or his continued dominance is what's unknown. That's what next season, lockout willing, is for.

Kevin Love of Minnesota Timberwolves

Why exactly does Kevin Love need a season? He averaged 20.2 points and 15.2 rebounds per game last season, is only 22 and all indications are that his career path is more than promising. While Love's direction is clear though, his team's isn't.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in an awkward state right now; they do not have a coach, have basically two of the same player in Michael Beasley and Derrick Williams, and have high hopes for a 19-year-old point guard who only averaged a combined 5.9 points and four assists while playing overseas last year.

Love needs to see how everything plays out and what direction Minnesota is heading in. Next summer, Love is a restrictive free agent, and while the Timberwolves have the ability to match any offer, who knows what happens after that. For all intensive purposes then, Love has two seasons to see what this team can do before determining what to do with his future. His decision only becomes harder if next season is cancelled.

Does Love have the type of Kevin Garnett like loyalty about him that will keep him with the Timberwolves or is he likely to bolt faster than LeBron James did? Who knows, but one thing is certain, and that is Love knows this team needs to grow up. While he knows this cannot happen overnight, he is going to want to see some significant progress from this young team.

Love's game seems to be maturing at an alarmingly, for the opposition anyway, fast rate, but it is unclear whether the rest of the Timberwolves will follow suit. 

Is Rubio poised to become an absolutely finished product? Will Love embrace and excel within the next coach's team concept? Are Beasley and Williams two more cornerstones to build upon or do they cancel each other out?

Love needs to find the answers to these questions so he can make a better decision for his future. And the only place he can find answers will be on the court, in game situations.

He needs a next season.

Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City Thunder

After averaging 21.9 points, 8.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game and emerging as a star-caliber player last season, Russell Westbrook's biggest need for a season should be him furthering his reputation, but instead, he need's a season to save it.

Westbrook may have emerged from behind teammate Kevin Durant's shadow last season, but by the end of the postseason he was casting an even bigger shadow over himself. After the Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, Westbrook shouldered most of the blame, through no choice of his own.

Westbrook was criticized for the cohesion he displayed with Durant. Many believed that he was taking ill-advised shots, handling the ball himself too much and not allowing Durant to simply do his thing. He was viewed as more of an obstacle standing in front of Durant rather than a teammate who could relieve the burden.

After the postseason debacle, speculation started running rampant regarding Westbrook's future with the team. Would Oklahoma City trade him? Would Westbrook demand a trade? Who could the Thunder get in return for the point guard?

When many people already have your ticket booked out of town, it kind of puts a serious damper on an otherwise promising season, and is also the reason why Westbrook needs there to be a season.

The Thunder had a promising year, and it is now up to Westbrook, not Durant to ensure that such promise continues. If Oklahoma City fails miserably next year then Westbrook becomes the scapegoat. People will steadfastly believe that he failed to adjust his game to fit the needs of Durant and the rest of the team.

The longer this lockout lasts, the longer such speculation will ensue. Westbrook needs a season to prove that he can both get his points and work with Durant too.

There is no reason to think that he can't, considering that he and Durant were quite cohesive all of last season, but unless Westbrook would rather head straight into restricted free agency next summer with this negative portrayal lingering over his head, he needs a season.

And I'm betting this is a label he would like to shed; a situation he would like to rectify.

LeBron James of Miami Heat

LeBron James had another fantastic season, averaging 26.7 points, seven assists and 7.5 rebounds per game in his first year with the Miami Heat, yet it seems what we will remember most about it is his numerous confrontations with the media.

The 26-year-old small forward is without a doubt one of the best to ever play in the NBA. James is a triple-double threat every night, and is one of the most elusive and prolific scorers the game has seen. That being said, his legacy is still in jeopardy of being slightly tarnished because of his sometimes hotheaded escapades.

No one is questioning James’ ability, but ever since “The Decision,” he has been ridiculed and downright hated more than arguably anyone else to ever step foot on the basketball court. Is it entirely fair? By no means am I an endorser of some of the things he has done, but there are times when even for someone who lives under the type of spotlight he does, his actions are over analyzed.

Regardless of whether it’s fair or not though, it is a reality that James must live with and work to improve upon. Obviously he will be remembered for his performance on the court, but improving his production and preventing himself from disappearing in the postseason is not why he needs a season. James needs a last season to reestablish his public identity; he needs to keep doing what he is doing on the court, and dial it down with what he says off it.

If James can even slightly recover from and reform his relationship with the media, then he further preserves his legacy. His talent can never be questioned, but right now, his ability to be personable can. 

While James does have an ego, I do not believe for one minute he is the malicious villain he is sometimes portrayed as. Case and point: James was recently filmed losing a game of knockout to a teenager, drawing criticism and comparisons to his failures on the court.

Points of views like the former will always exist, but would they have been this prevalent should it have been teammate Dwyane Wade instead? No, the story line would have been more about the teenager having the opportunity to play alongside Wade. Not James though, this gesture and fan interaction was almost completely overlooked.

When the public almost completely ignores your fan interaction and things alike off the court, your image needs some work. In the case of James, is it wrong or is right? Who knows, but it exists.

The longer the NBA lockout persists, the longer we have to dwell on James’ “mistakes” and over analyze everything he does. If he wishes to improve upon his public reputation, the canceling of a season is the last thing he needs.

James will always draw criticism for how he left the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it can either be remembered as a major thorn in the side of his legacy or a small blemish on an otherwise fantastic career. I’m inclined to think James would prefer the latter.

And in that case next season cannot get here soon enough for him.

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter here @DannyFavs2033.