Us, Lakers, Knicks, Philly, and GSW (may be forgetting someone). I have to add LBJ as his own entity.
I feel like all the owners allow these teams to stack players, because they believe it will help them get more money in the long run. Like if the most popular teams keep getting the best players, it’s a win for all of us. Remember, every team gets a piece of the pie no matter how terrible they have been for decades.
I could harp on the Lakers always getting the best, they plunder the smaller teams all the time. But look at Us, how did teams allow Us to get KG, Ray, and PP on the same team? Look at the team we have now (probably the end). They let us get Jrue and KP, knowing we already had the Jays?! White wasn’t White when he snagged him. We haven’t been bad since that Chip and look at how much the team was worth because of it!
Sure, the Knicks had been terrible, but as soon as they started winning, teams were ready to give them what they wanted, no restrictions. They are about to try and push KD there, especially after Giannis is likely staying put.
When GSW started kicking ahh, they haven’t stopped finding ways to revamp. Snatched up KD, got top picks when they fell off. Got Wiggins (don’t remember how). Picked up Jimmy after failing to lure KD back.
Philly is always falling short, and live as disasters, but NBA did try to stop them from all that tanking. They got the picks for the best players, but they kept fumbling the bag. When they finally “lucked” into Embiid, they kept getting the other good players, the lakers don’t get.

I know half+ of these teams are bring in top names as FA, but a lot of the time, those teams needed help to add the FA. I know, the team losing their players want something rather than nothing, but if those teams started saying we all agree we’re aren’t going to help with the sign and trades, those players wouldn’t be moving when they want to.
As I’m typing this out, I’m also starting to believe the players agree to this too! Money and lifestyle is a factor for them, but it has to be beneficial to the other teams because they could stop it if they really wanted to. So players win and the owners win.
LBJ: I’m going to the Heat! Surprise surprise, Cavs can build enough to bring him back home. Oh, so LBJ and Riley just happened to have a major clash over cookies? So much so that he’d jump ship after two chips? Remember, I’m arguing LBJ is like a team himself. Money man for the nba. When he goes to a team, they build them up with all the stars.
How in the living hell do the lakers get Luka for that light package and not get offers from other teams? Unheard of! I don’t care if Luka never gets better than he is now, the heck were the Mav’s thinking?
Spurs get the once in a generation talent. Surprise!
Mavs toss away Luka, #1 pick! Shocker!
If the bulls ever get it together again, I’ll be talking about talent being pushed to them too when they do. They have had good young players, they just haven’t found their wings like Philly did, since Rose(?). They still live off of MJ there will keep fans interested.
The smaller market teams will always get top players because of the draft structure, but it feels like they are the minor league, train up the future stars for the big boys!
With the amount of money and popularity Bronny brings, I see him on his own team in the finals before I see the NBA allowing another set of none fan favorites. Maybe a little exaggeration.

There is more I want to say, but I really want to hear from others. Do any of you think they are all in it together? I mean, it’s an organization, I get they are in it together. I’m talking about being in cahoots propping the popular teams. You see the ratings, I don’t see two small market teams meeting again for a while. If both are small market, one of them will have a generational talent on them. If Wemby remains healthy, he’ll be the next LBJ, Kobe, Jordan level guy. In the finals all the time.
Am I crazy? Another theory? What’s going on?!