Who benefits the most from a lockout?

With the lockout looming there are several teams that actually stand to benefit.

If you are a rebuilding team what is your purpose going into next season, assuming there is one.

Let's check the list:

1. Develop youth
2. Determine your core
3. Build team chemistry

There are probably more items that may need to be on the list.  Let's just focus on these 3 for now.

What rebuilding teams really need to focus on all three items?

You have the Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Utah Jazz.

These rebuilding teams could actually use a full season to do all three of the items on the list.  The Wizards could use a full season to really build some chemistry with their new youth, the Kings need to determine their core and see what Greene can do at the 3, the Wolves and Jazz really need to determine their core and build from there.

So what rebuilding teams really wouldn't mind a lockout?  The Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Bobcats.

The Raptors just drafted a Lithuanian who wouldn't be able to come to the NBA until 2012-2013 anyhow.  After him, their only legit youth they'd like to maybe develop is Ed Davis and Jaryd Bayless. Truth is though that the Raps would need to make adjustments anyhow to properly develop these players and give them more minutes.  Andrea Bargnani is currently slotted as the team's power forward and is netting a salary a bit too steep to allow for Davis to overtake him in minutes and shot allocation.  Same can be said with Bayless who is behind Calderon in a similar situation.

So either way, a full season wouldn't even guarantee that Toronto would be able to play and develop their young talent.

What about the Bobcats?

Charlotte is coming off a draft in which they dealt their last remaining relevant player (Stephen Jackson) and like Toronto, may not be able to have their recently drafted rookie, Bismack Biyambo, available next season anyhow.  Charlotte's other young talent, Kemba Walker, would be in an awkward point guard duel for minutes with DJ Augustine and may benefit from another season, in which Augustine could come off the books and open up minutes at point.

Both Toronto and Charlotte have holes that they'd like to achieve through the draft.  Both teams may not want to play a full season to "tank" when there are few other incentives for them.  Canceling the season would ensure these teams stay in the lotto, don't look like they are "tanking" for their fans, and perhaps net some valuable talent via the draft so they won't need to think about wasting a season next year.

In such a negative time like the lockout, it's nice to see that canceling a season could actually help a few teams.  No wonder it may take a full season to simply resolve the issues.