Ben Wallace bracing for lockout; Tayshaun Prince hopeful it will be avoided

So with that in mind, Pistons big man Ben Wallace said Friday that the players are preparing for the worse.

"We already thinking about that -- our situation," Wallace said after the Pistons' loss to the Thunder. "It's one thing for you to go through it, while it's different when you see somebody else go through it.

"You know whether you are prepared or not, so you just hope those guys are prepared for it. I've already been through one lockout, so I know pretty much what to expect."

Wallace was still a relative unknown during the NBA lockout of 1999, but it makes for similar situations in 2011.

"I'm pretty sure there are similarities," Tayshaun Prince said. "Obviously I don't know the whole situation as to why what's going on or why they are in the position of decertifying and things like that.

"But I know they are not agreeing on things. It does play a part with all sports -- it's not just an NFL thing, it's all sports and I'm pretty sure the NBA plays a part as well."

But Wallace and Prince remain hopeful.

"When it's time for the union to sit down with owners before June 30, I'm pretty sure they'll have to try to come to some type of agreement, and if they don't get some type of extension like the NFL did, try to knuckle down and get something done," Prince said.