Former Saluki basketball players, Paul Lusk and Marcus Timmons, were all set to try and fulfill their goals of becoming NBA players when another sports labor dispute put their dreams on hold.

The NBA owners have shut down all negotiations with rookies and other prospective players, along with rookie tryout camps and summer leagues, according to Mark Goldenberg, agent for Timmons and Lusk.

Lusk and Timmons were to attend rookie camps with the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons, respectively, but their plans are now on hold.

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The lockout hurts guys like myself, Lusk said.

You don’t get a chance to show what you can do.

Goldenberg said the lockout will not affect veteran players as much as those who are struggling to make teams.

It won’t hurt veterans, at least until training camp, Goldenberg said.

The big victims are the rookies.

Goldenberg said, besides affecting the players’ chances of possibly playing in the NBA, the lockout also affects their chances of getting noticed by other professional leagues, like the Continental Basketball Association or foreign leagues.

The more they get to play, the more attention they draw to themselves, Goldenberg said.

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Despite the lack of exposure this summer, Goldenberg is optimistic of his clients’ chances of playing professional basketball somewhere next season as he is exploring opportunities for Timmons to play in Europe and Lusk to play in South America.

Lusk, meanwhile, is also looking for the opportunity to play elsewhere in the United States.

I’ve got a good chance to be drafted by the CBA, Lusk said.

But with the lockout, I’m not even sure that they will have that draft.

In the meantime, Goldenberg advised his clients to be prepared to show their talents.

I would just tell them to stay in shape and to be ready, he said.

The lockout could end at any time.

Lusk said he has been working out in St. Louis with some former players from St. Louis University, but the hold on his future has hurt his drive to improve.

I’m still going to work out but I’m not going to work out as hard as I was before, he said.

Lusk said he and 14 other players, including a former teammate, Chris Carr, were to have started camp in Phoenix on Sunday. Within three days, the number of players would have been cut to 10.

These players would then represent Phoenix in the NBA summer league in Los Angeles.

Lusk said the league should have learned something from past labor disputes in other sports.

It’s surprising that they’re having problems now, after what happened to baseball last year, Lusk said. Hopefully something will get resolved.

Timmons was unavailable for comment at the time.