A while back I wrote about how the NBA lockout was detrimental to its overall success. Now, weeks later, we still aren’t anywhere closer to a deal being made between the players and the owners.

The first two weeks of the season have officially been cancelled and more and more players are being forced to look at options overseas. How much longer will it take for these two sides to realize that fans are getting impatient and they need to strike a deal already? Every day the NBA remains locked out, fans become more disinterested.

We have lost part of the season and it looks like more cancelled games will follow. Right now, fans should be getting amped up about the upcoming season. There would be preview magazines coming out, ESPN specials and fantasy leagues being drafted, but all we have to listen to is “after many hours of deliberation, both sides have remained in a stalemate.” I think I have heard this phrase at least 20 times over the course of a week.

No one is giving in and everyone is getting hurt by the situation. There is no telling when the season will actually get started. So far, no progress is being made and a cancellation of the entire season wouldn’t be seen as much of a surprise.

At the same time, even if the lockout is resolved, many players have decided to play overseas. Deron Williams was the most outspoken about going overseas to play for a team in Turkey. Many have followed him across the pond since he made it clear he is going to play basketball this season regardless of what happens in the NBA.

Many players are also deciding to go ahead and play the first two weeks of the NBA season anyway. Superstars like LeBron James, Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant are planning to hit the road on a global two-week exhibition league. This is a nice gesture, and I see how they are trying to help fans of the NBA all across the world while also getting to play some basketball. But I want to see a competitive game between two NBA teams trying to get into the playoffs and win the championship.

The efforts being made by the owners and players don’t seem like enough. The fans can watch exhibition matches and overseas games, but this is not the same as games between NBA teams. There isn’t anything on the line and the outcome doesn’t matter. One of the best parts of sports is the competitive drive and the fact that the outcome of the game is important.

Although we might be satisfied by these exhibition games, they won’t continually entertain us over the course of a season. The fans have already been shorted two weeks of the NBA season, and I just hope it isn’t too much longer before the season can begin.