And then there's the Oklahoma City Thunder.

I mean look....the Nets were on the verge of being the worst team of all time....like two years ago was that? Now they might feature a lineup of Williams, Johnson, Wallace and Howard?

Stern wants Brooklyn, NY team to be successful.

I think it is a disgrace the way a bunch of greedy motherfucking freeloading playing-a-fucking-game-for-a-damn-living dingbats (with the help of some soul-selling agents, of course) are fucking up an organized league in an attempt to make it fucking schoolyard basketball.

That's why I firmly believe that 50% of the proceeds for all sports should be taken from these pussy ass players and miserly owners and be sent immediately to the task of reducing our individual tax liability and national debt.

Then we are paying, but we are PROPERLY paying.

If this happens, this is a prime example of how the NBA is going to eat itself.

A few teams that are loaded with huge stars with bloated contracts.........a few other teams that are in markets that will be decent no matter what......and 20+ cities that are stuck with rosters full of crap that have no chance.

Of course OKC and San Antonio can compete, when they get two of the greatest players of all time and then fill in the other holes.

Agreed.

The only logical plan for a large majority of NBA teams is to lose so many games that you get a chance at a top 3 pick and then hope that they become a future hall of famer. Even then, there is a good chance the player leaves and wins a title somewhere else.

Of course OKC and San Antonio can compete, when they get two of the greatest players of all time and then fill in the other holes.

aside from the '04 Pistons and '08 Celtics that's how every team wins a title.

The Pistons went to 7 straight eastern finals without a player like LeBron and with a core similar to Indiana's current one. They even won a title. This just happened this past decade. It can be done, it just requires being smart, a quality that's very short in supply in NBA front offices. It requires not tying down your cap space to mediocre players. Many teams think like you do, panic, then give someone like Asik almost $30 million. That's why many mid market teams are hamstrung right now.

You are using exceptions to try and prove the rule. Yes, the Pistons worked out very well for them, but we really haven't seen a team like that since and didn't see one for a long time beforehand. The Pistons may be the only team to win a title in decades that didn't have a hall of famer. If I'm a GM, I'm supposed to try and emulate those Pistons?

Otherwise, it's "be a big market team or be an appealing city like Miami" or "draft a future hall of famer". That describes virtually every NBA champ since I've been following the game, besides that one Pistons team. Good luck Pacers trying to overcome those odds.

Yes you have to have a HOF player, and if you are a small market you probably have to draft him. But after you get that guy the rest isn't hard. Dont overpay role players, and stay flexible with your cap. I don't think drafting a HOF player is as rare as you imply it is. Seems like there's 1-2 in every draft. If you are terrible for 2-3 years you have a great chance at snagging one.

I agree, it's definitely a lot harder for a small market team. But that problem is exponentially worse in Major League Baseball(There's a good chance the Kansas City Royals never win a world series again), and MLB is not eating itself or whatever phrase spanky used originally. So why would someone think that would happen to the NBA?

Trade talks called off.

Why wouldnt any team go after him as an "all-in" rent-a-player for 2012-2013. I wouldn't mind the Bulls making a push and making a run when Derrick is back near the playoffs.

Send the Magic Deng, Noah, Charlotte pick, and the euro guy they drafted a year or two ago that is still overseas, plus extra picks

Bulls get Hedo and Howard.

It gives the Bulls flexibility in the future once Howard is off the books, and it gives the Magic some players and picks.