While the NFL lockout is finally a thing of the past, there was lots of uncharacteristic perspiring going on – outside of the gridiron.

Both NFL players and fans are undoubtedly happy that there will be football this fall, albeit for different reasons. For the fans, it’s a matter of entertainment. As for the players…well, there’s nothing entertaining about not having a paycheck on a regular basis.

But for the multi-sport aficionados like myself, this only means one thing: one down, one to go.

On the heels of a highly exciting playoff season, the National Basketball Association is now in the midst of its very own lockout. The league, which only two months ago was at its popular peak, is now risking its standing with its fans and followers. The issues are unfamiliar to fans, unfortunately, and center around money, money and more money.

Seriously, owners are reporting collective losses of $300 billion, which is baffling to players (and fans) who are seemingly watching a prosperous league. Owners are looking to increase their share of the revenue, implement non-guaranteed contracts, and construct a hard salary cap for teams. Generally speaking, the NBAPA (NBA Players’ Association) likes the system the way it is, but are willing to part with a small portion (less than what the owners desire, of course) of basketball related income.

However, while everyone scrambled to get a grasp of the details surrounding this work stoppage, a funny thing happened.

A seemingly insignificant report that Deron Williams may play for a Turkish club was published. But on recent weeks and days, there have been more and more players indicating that they would entertain the thought of playing overseas.

And why wouldn’t they?

NBA players clearly have a unique advantage that NFL players did not. For the past several years, NBA Commissioner David Stern has been on a mission to globalize the league. In the past decade, Stern has:

1. Increased the pool of prospects to include international talent

2. Expanded the hype surrounding his league by playing games abroad

3. Been an advocate for applying FIBA standards to the NBA

In essence, he has rolled out the red carpet for the league’s players to play when they can’t in the NBA (for whatever reason). This gives players the ability to earn a paycheck and stay in game shape. These players – regardless of their star status in the States – would be embraced with open arms by other nations. The sheer mention of former NBA players abroad draws fans and packs stadiums.

The fact that players have this option has to be disheartening to the league’s owners because it has the potential to take the sting out of the fact that these players aren’t receiving NBA checks. Since Stern has crafted the Association into an entity that almost solely relies on the abilities of its superstars, his NBA work force is irreplaceable.

Billy Hunter has openly expressed his assertion that the owners are attempting to bully the players.

The NBAPA is united in its support of the players’ decisions to seek employment elsewhere. Here’s union leader Billy Hunter:

“This lockout is intended to economically pressure our players to agree to an unfavorable collective bargaining agreement. It is important for the owners to understand that there may be significant consequences to their decision to put their own players in these difficult economic circumstances.

“If the owners will not give our players a forum in which to play basketball here in the United States, they risk losing the greatest players in the world to the international basketball federations that are more than willing to employ them.”

Knowing that they can make money and that they are the league’s most cherished assets, NBA players have considerably less to worry about than their NFL counterparts. In fact, with random reports suggesting that top flight players such as Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Amar’e Stoudemire are seriously pondering the possibilities of hooping abroad, it seems that the players are aligning their actions – whether it be intentional or not – to make a statement.

One can only imagine how uncomfortable a franchise owner would be…seeing his meal ticket playing in a foreign, less predictable environment on a nightly basis.

After recent meetings between the players and owners, Stern has recently gone public by saying that the players are “failing to engage in a serious way.” But Stern’s hard-handed rule of the Association – including the ban of prep-to-pro players, as well as the long-forgotten dress code banter – hasn’t personally endeared him to the players. He’s run the league as a businessman would, attempting to satisfy the consumers.

However, if the financial state of the league’s teams are as the owners suggest – and Stern appears to be backing them – then his decisions have not impacted the bottom line and have merely widened the gap between the executives and the workers (players).

Look for the NBA labor meetings to follow the trend exhibited by the NFL: a reportedly huge gap that will persist until someone starts losing money, or at least gets nervous about that possibility. Then, in a flash, an agreement will be made.

And just like that, the NBA will be fantastic again.

T Lamont is the owner, administrator and author of all content for Ball or Nuthin\'. Feel free to contact T Lamont with a question or comment at ballornuthin@gmail.com.  All created Ball or Nuthin' content is the sole property of T Lamont. Read more from this author