NBA Lockout: Which Dallas Mavericks Does It Affect Most?

As the NBA hits another milestone in negotiations, or lack thereof, the season seems to be further and further slipping out of the hands of the owners, players and fans during this NBA lockout. As sad as the reality of an entire season devoid of Metta World Peace's antics, Blake Griffin's enormous dunks and the "Heat Watch" is going to be, it's time to look ahead to a time when the NBA will again run rampant in the lives of its fans.

The defending champs look to be on pace to be the standing champions for two years. And for the Dallas Mavericks, whose average age on the current roster (including free agents) is 30, time seems to be seeping through the hourglass faster than most other teams.

So while we wait for the owners and players union to figure out this CBA mess, let's look at those who will suffer the most from missing an entire campaign that should be dedicated to raising the banner and defending a title, not scraping the barrel for half of a season.  

Rodrigue Beaubois/Dominique Jones

A season of no action will mean no further development from the Mavs coaching staff for young players Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones. Both played in the summer league last year, but both were unable to carve out any kind of role for the team during the stretch run. Not that the Mavs are complaining; winning a championship made them almost forget about the young duo.

But the future will be upon the Mavs sooner than later, and the development of two players that might end up starting at point guard and shooting guard in the coming seasons becomes more and more important as Jason Kidd and Jason Terry continue to age.

Both former first-rounders will be coming off foot injuries. Beaubois will be expected to return to his form at the end of the 2010 playoffs, when he torched the San Antonio Spurs during the Mavs' first-round exit. Jones will have to continue to become accustomed to the speed of the NBA game, after seeing action in only 18 games.

They will miss summer league, preseason and game experience the coming season would have had to offer. The Mavs will ask them to compete very soon, so here's to hoping they spend the lockout training hard and getting ready for an expanded role. 

Caron Butler

Coming off a ruptured right patella tendon, the 2011-2012 season was already going to be a test period for any team that wanted to bid for Caron Butler's services, including the Mavs. Now, with the possibility of an entire season being wiped out, Butler will have to face an uphill climb that includes staying in shape on his own, and finding places to play other than the NBA.

That's not to say Butler won't come back stronger than he was before he hurt his knee. His hard work and dedication to returning was chronicled by the Mavs during his rehab, and there's evidence to support Butler not being phased by the lockout at all.

He was dying to return for the finals, even hinting that had the Mavs gone to seven games with the Heat, he would have suited up. It's more of a shame than a lack of faith that Butler will return and play the way he did during the first half of last season. It's a dang shame we have to wait to see the fire and passion he returns to the game with. 

Tyson Chandler

Much like C.J. Wilson of the Rangers, Tyson Chandler will establish himself as one of the league's top free agents once the NBA returns open for business. He had a career year in Dallas, reminding teams why the New Orleans Hornets were a feared team just three seasons ago.

Chandler and the Mavs were riding an emotional high for much of the summer. After earning the league's highest team honor, throwing a killer parade in Downtown Dallas and winning an ESPY, the last thing he needed was a chance to sit back and think about all his options.

Now that he has had the chance to be a part of the union's discussions with the NBA owners, listen to the amount of money each team is going to have to spend and re-establish his own value to himself, reports are flooding in that the likelihood of Chandler re-signing seems to dwindle with each NBA labor meeting.

It's disappointing to think the Mavs might only have Chandler for one season, because his presence on the team could be pinpointed as the single-most important event for the Mavs in coming out of the 2010-2011 season on top.  

Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd reached the pinnacle of his NBA career this past June. After years of putting up gaudy numbers, losing twice in consecutive seasons in the finals and not even coming close to tasting it again until this year, he was able to achieve the ultimate goal. 

Kidd is on record as saying that if this season is wiped out due to a lockout, he would contemplate retirement. He's 38, and most of if not all of his NBA goals have been accomplished. He's too far along to consider playing overseas, and going out on top of the league wouldn't be a bad way to end it.

If Game 6 of the NBA Finals was the last time we see Kidd in an NBA uniform due to the lockout, it would surely reflect poorly on the league. He has become an above-average three-point shooter and defender at multiple positions, and that, coupled with his already-polished passing and leadership skills, made him one of the most exciting players to watch in any sport. 

He showed this past year he's still got it, and to end it now would be a shame. Then again, what's worse: going out while you still have some in the tank, or fading away when you are just a shell of your former self?

The Fans

After waiting nearly 31 years and enduring the aftermath of one of the greatest collapses in sports history, more than 200,000 Mavs fans lined the streets of Downtown Dallas to celebrate the finals victory over the Miami Heat. 

It was the ultimate vindication for fans who waited so long to taste that golden victory that came with the Larry O'Brien Trophy being held high for fans and players alike to see. I would know, I was one of those fans. 

I woke up at 5 a.m. to see the parade, and it was one of the single-most amazing experiences I can claim that I was a part of. But now that the league is at a standstill, no one that follows the Mavericks will able to see the Mavs raise the banner, receive their championship rings or even be given a chance to defend their title.

I understand the necessity of player representation and the intricacies of the business side of the NBA, but I hope that the league and the players err on the side of returning soon. It's been said before, and said in every facet of social and news media alike, but the real losers of this lockout are the fans.