Mason says Knicks owner wants NBA to play

Knicks guard Roger Mason knows at least one owner who wished the NBA lockout ended with a labor agreement Thursday night: James Dolan.

Mason, vice president of the Players Association, has rubbed shoulders with the Knicks owner countless times this summer and fall in Manhattan hotel board rooms instead of the team's plush practice facility.

"You can look at it and say the majority of owners don't want a deal," Mason told The Post yesterday from his Los Angeles home. "But there are owners eager to get a deal done. At this moment they are overshadowed by a contingent of owners who are trying to get everything they want in a new CBA."

Asked if Dolan is one of the owners in the minority, Mason said: "Definitely. You feel excitement in the city. I know Dolan sees that, hears that. He's definitely one of the owners who's ready to get back to work.

"There are a committee of owners, and their voice is going to be as one. But you know [Dolan] has put a lot into renovating the Garden and put a lot into the team. He had a lot of tough years and there's a lot of promise now. He wants to get back out there."

Mason said it was a quiet weekend following Thursday's disastrous end to federal mediation in which NBA owners refused to negotiate on other issues unless the players accepted a "take-it-or-leave-it" 50-50 revenue split.

Because of his VP role in the players' union, Mason felt compelled to nix multiple overseas offers. He played one season in Israel and got an offer to return with an end-of-lockout "opt-out." He received a similar offer from a team in Spain and two offers from China, which doesn't offer opt-outs.

"I've been around this whole process the last two years and wanted to fulfill my commitment, the obligation I have," Mason said. "I want to see this through so we can get back to playing ball. I've been fortunate to save enough money."