The real issue with the NBA is that it appears a certain sense of entitlement seems to have overtaken the players, no longer are they required to sustain their level of play. For too long they've been paid on what they used to do instead of what they are likely to continue to do. Just look at the NFL model, players can be cut at any time if their production dips and the league is as competitive and popular as anything in the world. If the NBA adopted a similar approach, no longer would teams be held hostage to the contracts doled out guys like Baron Davis, Brandon Roy and Corey Maggette -- underperforming for health, motivation, fatness or whatever reason.
Ultimately though the league's health is going to hinge on the owners also working out some kind of revenue sharing system that enables smaller market teams with smaller revenue opportunities to share in the largess. So while I tend to agree with the owners' stance, that salaries are out of control and that a cap is needed, if the league is going to get really and truly fix its financial structure, some of the deeper pocketed guys in markets like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles are going to need to learn to split up some of that league money more equitably. I haven't heard a whole lot of people talking about this angle in the media.