NBA Lockout: Ranking the Effect of a Missed Season on Each Team

The chances that the entire 2011-12 season will be cancelled increase by the day. It is a horrible thought, but if you listen to David Stern speaking about "Nuclear Winter," things sound bleak. The commish has proven to be a drama king.

The following slides rank the effects felt by each team, least to greatest, if the season is lost.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Crazy Dan should be elated to have the season cancelled from a pure basketball standard. Not only does he have two top-four picks waiting to debut, now you incorporate the loaded 2012 draft class.

The Cavaliers return to relevance may only take five years instead of 10.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Much like the situation in Cleveland, the T'Wolves get a chance to add more young talent without subjecting their current crop to an abundant loss.

One of the most important young players in the league, from a franchise standpoint, is Ricky Rubio. An extended offseason with a little better competition will actually help the young point guard.

Hopefully, he can acquaint himself with Kevin Love and Derrick Williams. Adding another young stud to this nucleus could be a nice start for this perennial loser.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are not quite in the same situation as the Cavs and T'Wolves as their young talent is not as impressive, sans DeMar DeRozan.

The young front line of Andrea Bargnani and Jonas Valunciunas will need time to gel together. The Raptors could have saved some money on Valunciunas' buyout had they known the lockout would potentially cancel the season.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings already have a nice young nucleus, but a player that is key for them is Marcus Thornton. He was a great addition from the New Orleans late last season.

The lockout stamps out any momentum the young team could have been establishing. Still, they are a few players away from legitimacy. They are very young and can absorb a year off better than some teams.

Charlotte Bobcats

Wow, MJ looks old now. The G.O.A.T. was called some other four letter words by players after his hardliner approach in labor negotiations. Still, the Bobcats didn't stand to gain much this year on the floor.

They were going to miss the playoffs again, despite what could have been a Rookie of the Year season for Kemba Walker.

The Cats aren't sweating missing the season as much as others.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have two terrible contracts (Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon) a disgruntled veteran (Rip Hamilton) and a aging defensive stalwart (Ben Wallace). 

They are not a franchise on the rise despite Greg Monroe and rookie Brandon Knight. The Pistons' brass can stand a season of inactivity. The long-in-the-tooth vets aren't a part of the future and the young players are young enough to withstand the year off.

Utah Jazz

The Jazz are truly in transition; the team doesn't have an identity right now. If Enes Kanter and Alec Burks can team with Gordon Hayward and Al Jefferson to create a new-look Jazz squad under head coach Tyrone Corbin, the rebuilding can begin.

Too many ifs for it to matter if the team's next season being 2011 or 2012. 

Phoenix Suns

The Suns are certainly a veteran team, even excluding unrestricted free agent Grant Hill. The Suns know they need to move in a different direction away from Steve Nash.

Another year makes the decision easier for the team. It is time to transition; Nash's already horrible defense is going to get worse. They can't trade Nash, they lost the ability to do that last season. If he walks as a free agent to start the 2012-2013 season, they lose him for nothing.

That isn't as bad as it may seem. Nash is 37 years old, teams know he has tons of tread on his tires and has to be hid defensively. Adding a free agent point guard makes even more sense in 2012.

The Suns will be better without Nash at this point.

New Jersey Nets

Missing the 2011-12 season does have some benefit for the Nets. Their new arena (Barclays Center) is scheduled to be completed in time for 2012-13. If that is their next season, they can make their Brooklyn debut earlier.

That could be a bigger draw for free agents, not to mention the overall appeal to the fans and media in Brooklyn. The one stinger is that they could lose Deron Williams, but playing in Brooklyn may be enticing enough for him to stay, if Jay-Z and Mikhail Prohkorov can lure in some talent.

Milwaukee Bucks

Scott Skiles' young team loss some of the momentum they gained at the end of the 2010 season. They could stand to add a player from the 2012 Draft class as well.

Even though they are not in the bottom group looking to the draft, as they have a fringe-level playoff team already.

Portland Trailblazers

The Blazers have two players that were thought to be the cornerstones of their team with major injury concerns. Greg Oden is a free agent (though they have made him a qualifying offer), but I believe he would like to come back, and the team would want him back—for the right price. 

Brandon Roy's knee is certainly an issue. A year off the court could help rehab or at least allow the team more time to evaluate both players and determine if they are in the team's plans.

New York Knicks

Melo and the squad in New York are still building chemistry. Chauncey Billups would become a free agent, he is already up there in age, so he losing him for nothing hurts but it opens $14 miliion dollars to spend on a younger floor general.

Also, Melo just had surgery, having an entire year to rehab will allow him to come back at 100 percent. The Knicks knew Billups was temporary; this team is about Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

This core can absorb a year off.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets are another team in transition. They aren't sure what their team will look like next season with the future of free agents Nene and Kenyon Martin uncertain. Now add in the players due to be free agents in 2012, the Nuggets entire roster could be different.

Starting their next season in 2011 or 2012 shouldn't have a crippling effect on their progress, as we don't know who the Nuggets will be this year or the next.

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers created some nice momentum this past postseason. The lockout will certainly stagnate that growth; the acquisition of George Hill would have really helped the team's backcourt. Now he may become a restricted free-agent before he ever plays a minute of basketball for them.

Frank Vogel had helped give the team a defensive-minded, edgy identity. It will be interesting to see if it carries over if the season is lost.

Washington Wizards

John Wall was leading the Wizards out of the Arenas era. Though they still have dead weight like Andray Blatche, Wall is among the league's brightest young stars.

The lockout robs them of some momentum. At least they would benefit from paying a full year of Rashard Lewis' ridiculous contract.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Gingerbread Man-Child may or not be leading the Clippers out of their abysmal existence. They missed the playoffs, but the excitement he helped generate will be somewhat subdued now.

Still, the core is mostly a young one. A cancelled season shouldn't alter what the Clippers are destined to accomplish, whatever that may be.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets are a team that needs the 2011-12 season for direction. Are they going to build on last season and push themselves into the playoffs in the Western Conference?

Can the Rockets really go to the next level with Kevin Martin as the main scoring option? There are some vital questions that need to be answered. 

It is worse for a team to be right on the edge of the playoffs, without a lot of options to flip their roster, than to be in obvious rebuilding mode. The Rockets carry team options on six players after the 2011-2012 season, including Terrance Williams and Jordan Hill.

The Rockets could do a complete overhaul via free agency if they chose.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks have one shot at making the best of the Joe Johnson contract situation: finding some way to lure Dwight Howard back to his hometown.

Without that, the Hawks do benefit from not paying a year of Johnson's terrible contract, but they don't have the leadership to make a marked improvement with this group.

Philadelphia 76ers

The trade rumors continue to circulate about Andre Iguodala; it is apparent he needs to be moved to usher in a new era.

No 2011 season means Iggy gets one year older and his trade value goes down. Also, the 76ers would now be faced with Thaddeus Young's potential free-agency.

Golden State Warriors

New Warriors head coach Mark Jackson is no doubt anxious to get to work with his young team. There are also a few moves that need to be made so the Warriors can adopt the style and identity Jackson wants for the team.

The Jackson hire was an exciting one; losing the 2011-12 season could take away some of that excitement amongst the players and fans.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are a young and popular team. It is terrible that they would lose a year in their growth and maturity process. The momentum they have is substantial as their progress has been steady over the past two seasons.

Their saving grace is the age of their core, but that also is the sad part. The Thunder could have easily made it to the NBA Finals this season.

Chicago Bulls

It is very much the same scenario as Oklahoma City. What makes it a little worse is the age and contract of Carlos Boozer.

Boozer is about to turn 30 years old; he'd be closing in on 31 by the time next season started. Boozer is already injury-prone and another year doesn't do much for his productivity or health.

Because of his huge contract, the Bulls need him at his best. Plus, Derrick Rose's contract situation would take center stage. He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2011-2012 season.

The Bulls would have to get that deal done quickly to extend him to avoid an ugly situation.

Memphis Grizzlies

Though the Grizzles situation is similar to the Thunder and the Bulls, they are not as far along, and their chemistry isn't as established or solid.

It seems a cancelled season could rob them of them of the identity they established this past season. Will Zach Randolph return as focused and disciplined as he was in 2010-11? Marc Gasol would go into un-restricted free agency with the chance to lose him for nothing.

Miami Heat

No team has as much pressure to win. The Heat need to win this year; if they don't, I may go as far to say that they won't win with the Big Three at all. The Heat are heavily committed to their top six players. All of them are signed throughout at least the 2013-2014 season.

Though all of their fringe players would become free agents, it doesn't create much opportunity to add depth to a team that needs it.

Dwyane Wade will be almost 31 by the time the next season starts. The Heat don't want to lose this entire season. Their window is not as big as it may seem.

New Orleans Hornets

It seems as though Chris Paul wants out of New Orleans. The team's moderate success last year seemed to muffle that somewhat. Missing the entire season will leave Paul the time to talk amongst his friends and potential new teammates, primarily Carmelo Anthony.

Paul may have already decided that landing in New York is the best scenario for him by the time the season resumes. That leaves the Hornets holding the bag as they won't be able to get his value in return, if he decides to exercise his player-option.

Thus they would probably lose him for nothing.

Los Angeles Lakers

An aging core with an aging mega-star, the Lakers don't need to miss a whole season. Kobe will be 34 years old when the next season starts.

That makes a sixth ring that much less likely. 

The only reason they aren't last on this list is because of the Dwight Howard possibilities. They could feasibly trade Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum for Howard without the Magic agreeing to a trade. The Lakers hold a option on Odom and Bynum that totals almost $27 million.

Sounds like that could go to D-12, with some left over. Those prospects probably increase if the season is canceled.

Orlando Magic

The best thing that could have happened to Orlando would have been for the team to get off to a fast start. That could have possibly encouraged Howard to stay with the team.

Now the Magic could lose Dwight for nothing. Even though it would be near impossible to get his full value, it would be a blow to the franchise to have him potentially walk, and get nothing in return beyond a salary slot.

San Antonio Spurs

The end is here for the Tim Duncan-led Spurs. If Duncan chooses to retire, then Spurs fans watched him for the last time in the postseason against Memphis.

Now, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker will be another year older without an abundance of young talent to help soften the fall.

The season cancellation would hurt San Antonio big time, as it will speed up the fall from prominence.

Dallas Mavericks

The defending champions are not a young group. A cancelled season would just about kill any chances they have to repeat. Jason Kidd will be 40 years old and a free agent, as will Jason Terry; Tyson Chandler will probably sign elsewhere.

Losing the season will rob them of just about every key contributor but Dirk Nowitzki.

Boston Celtics

This season was probably going to be the last year of the Boston Three Party. In this scenario, the run is almost certainly over. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett would both be free-agents.

Even if they resign for less money, which would almost certainly have to be the case. Now add another year before they get back to action; that doesn't bode well for the chances the team will make one last reasonable championship run. 

Do we really think Jermaine O'Neal's physical status will be better in a year? Losing the season hurts the C's the most of any other team.