We've all seen the highlights of the ticker tape parade held in Miami when LeBron James and Chris Bosh decided to bring their talents to South Beach and join Dwayne Wade on the Miami Heat. The Heatles went on to spark the "Floridian Invasion" and tell the world that they were going to win not one, not two, not three--you get the idea--championships. Eager to believe anyone with confetti falling on top of them, America almost bought it.
Lo and behold, the Heat have taken their lumps, struggling mightily against the league's upper echelon. Although, to be fair, they still don't have a Ringo. Inspired by the Heatles and the money burning a hole in his pocket, Donnie Walsh and the rest of the Knick organization sought after and got another marquee player to ball alongside Amare Stoudemire, in Carmelo Anthony. For the sake of this questionable classic rock analogy, let's say that the Electric Light Knickerbockers were formed. And, yea, from the deep valleys of Times Square to the high rise apartments of the Upper West Side, there was much rejoicing.
Ah, but alas, despite motivational music videos, passionate 'Melo chants, and Ronny Turiaf's awe inspiring beard, the Knicks have a lowly record of 7-10 since the trade, and have fallen below .500 for the first time since about Christmas. The NBA's new collective bargaining agreement seeks to initiate a sort of franchise tag that will keep superteams like this from forming; however, the play from these supergroups appears to be anything but harmonious.
I happen to be in favor of this aspect of the new CBA, but not necessarily because I'm against big-market superteams. the Celtics and Lakers account for 31 of the 64 NBA titles won, so let's not pretend that the league has always had its talent equally distributed. With dedicated players, the Oklahoma City Thunder are poised for a long stay as one of the Western Conference's elite franchises. i admit the humble, loyal players like Kevin Durant have become more of the exception than the rule; however, the Nuggets are a tremendous 11-4 since losing the almighty 'Melo, and are proving to be The Little Engine that Could for small market teams all over the league. And, of course, how can we overlook the most consistent team of the past ten years, currently with the best record in the NBA? The Spurs have been the epitome of class and success for what seems like forever, but there is a problem.
The Spurs, despite being statistically the best team in the NBA, are losing money. The Hornets, another team in the thick of the playoff hunt, are owned by the NBA itself because potential owners are hesitant to maintain the team in small-market Louisiana. These small-markets are competing with the larger markets of the NBA, but they're bankrupting themselves to do it. The NBA must step in to keep these teams afloat financially, and the on-court game will take care of itself.
An NBA with 30 elite teams may sound ideal, but it's impractical. I'll settle for a league with eight title contenders and 12 more teams that are fun to watch. In this era of homemade All Star teams, it may seem like the very structure of the league is collapsing, but I believe the league will continue growing with teams cyclically falling in and out of contention. So what if the Lakers are never in last place? When has that ever happened anyway? The Heat and Knicks are proving that talent doesn't win titles. Hardworking, unselfish teams like the Nuggets, Blazers,Thunder, Spurs and Rockets are placing the premium on great coaching and attitude, not just great players. These teams are showing that the heart of the small market team in the NBA is arguably stronger than ever. It simply falls on the NBA to ensure that those hearts keep beating.
I leave you with a quote from the Heatles' hit single, "Come Together":
One and one and one is three,
Got to be good lookin' 'cause they'll never win rings.
Come together, right now, in Miami.
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