NBA Lockout: Top 5 NBA Players To Benefit from the Lockout

First off, let me apologize for using that word in the title; we've all heard enough about the NBA lockout to last us a lifetime.

Nothing gets me going more than rich people arguing over money. Neither side is right yet the dollars are blinding both to the obvious. Their ongoing bickering has cost the fans, the neglected kid in this bitter married-couple argument, their first month of games and likely the first week or two of December to boot.

But, believe it or not, there are some who will benefit from the lockout-shortened season we might end up with.

1. Carlos Boozer

Carlos Boozer...there are so many words to sum up his playoff performance, many of which would get me thrown off this site if written.

Boozer was bad against the Pacers, but we put that down to an injury late in the regular season. Boozer was worse against the Hawks but we put that down to a range of reasons from the Hawks defense to his injury lingering.

But then the Miami Heat rolled in and Boozer simply disappeared. A "turf toe" injury was the excuse given and it probably justifies some of his terrible performances on the offensive end, but it doesn't excuse his awful attempts on the defensive end of the court. It was like watching a man in quicksand try to catch a sprinter.

How does the lockout help C Booz? For one, he can absolutely be sure that he is injury-free by the start of the season. 

He can also work on his defense, and although many contend that good defense can't be taught, working on it can't be a bad thing for Carlos, right?

2. Dirk Nowitzki

The 2011 NBA Finals MVP has had a packed year. From representing Germany at EuroBasket to leading his team through a long, tiring NBA season and then all the way through a brutal playoff schedule, Dirk hasn't had a moment's rest.

At 33, Dirk is nearer to the end of his career than the beginning, and long seasons like his last will begin to take their toll on the German talisman. He missed a bunch of games early last season and Dallas struggled in all of them.

An extra-long summer is the perfect remedy for Nowitzki, who can aim to come back and hit the ground running. Not only that, but the shorter season means that Mavericks fans will get to see more of the high-energy, high-scoring Dirk that can take control of games at both ends. Fewer games means less fatigue at the end—more 100 percent effort from Nowitzki.

3. LeBron James

Another list, another appearance for LeBron James.

LeBron's 2010-11 season consisted of him living under the most intense scrutiny an athlete has ever had to deal with. His every move was witnessed by thousands and every single sentence was turned into a leading news story.

Add that to the fan backlash he faced in 29 NBA arenas as part of the Miami Heat's super-villain lineup and you get the feeling James has had a year to forget.

He was by far the most complete player in the league yet was pretty much denied a third straight MVP title because of his decision to join the Heat, totally unrelated to his game performances.

The long summer will give LeBron plenty of time to get his shambolic NBA Finals appearance out of his system. (Remember his eight-point Game 4 offering?) He literally fell off the face of the planet in the finals, dropping from averaging 26 points per game through the first three rounds to just 17.8 points per game in the finals.

He choked. We all loved it.

He became the ultimate villain, hated by everyone outside of Miami.

The extra time off will make absolutely certain that there are no lingering effects from the sort of performance that has turned once-powerful players into shells.

Perhaps we'll see a different 'Bron after all these charity events he's been at this summer?

4. Metta World Peace/Ron Artest

Ron Artest/Metta World Peace, where do we begin with you?

His season ended when the Lakers were humbled by the eventual-champion Dallas Mavericks in a Game 4 rout that will live long in the memory.

He then changed his name to Metta World Peace. We all thought that was weird. He's not stopped there, appearing on Dancing with the Stars and becoming a Twitter personality.

Not to mention his little liaison with a Twitter follower that ended, as they often do, in his outing to the media.

One thing's for certain: If the NBA doesn't come back, this guy ain't going anywhere quietly.

5. Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin had a pretty perfect year.

Rookie of the Year, winner of the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, winner of an ESPY and countless other awards for being...awesome.

He dunked and dunked and dunked his way through the season, becoming one of the biggest stars in the future of the NBA.

And then the lockout came, probably the one thing he didn't want. It threatened to sideline Griffin and make people forget about him.

What did Blake do?

He became a comedian, writing and filming for funnyordie.com and discovering that if the NBA lockout lasts too much longer, he could easily turn to a career in comedy.

Please, take Kwame Brown with you—he's pretty good for a few laughs (judging by his play)...