Being a team with championship aspirations in a major market is interesting to say the least. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers may have built a roster worthy of championship contention, but they have an inherent excuse built into the NBA system if they fail.
Not enough money.
There are no excuses in major markets. Fair or foul (mostly fair), these teams are viewed as money-printing factories that can throw money at any leaky faucet. When the money is spent well, you get a Big Three that goes to three straight NBA finals. When the money is spent poorly, you get whatever the hell is going on in Brooklyn right now.
But the money is there. Major markets make it rain—or at least they're expected to. Jerry Reinsdorf has undergone mass scorn in Chicago for his continued unwillingness to pay the luxury tax, a pledge he broke this season but will probably work his way out of after Derrick Rose's regular-season-ending injury.
Even as the NBA has implemented more punitive penalties for excess spending, high-profile teams have found ways to finagle key additions on the cheap. ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Tyler Conway