OT: Will we ever see the Western Conference realign?

The divisions just don't make much sense geographically. I was thinking earlier what the Western divisions should look like and I came up with this, does it make sense?

Pacific: Blazers, Kings, Warriors, Lakers, and Clippers.

Mountain: Jazz, Suns, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Thunder.

Southwest: Spurs, Mavericks, Rockets, Grizzlies, and Pelicans.

 

Yes, the current alignment is ridiculous. The so-called NW Division is spread out over three time zones. There isn't a single other team in our division that's in the same time zone as us. Shit, Boston, Toronto NY and Brooklyn are all closer to Minnesota than we are, both geographically and in terms of time zones. Can you imagine how ridiculous it would be if Minnesota was in the Atlantic Division (or a fictitious NE Division)?

BNM

 

That would be the perfect one!

 

So basically just switch us with the Suns? That makes a ton of sense to me. I'm not sure if the NBA has a marketing reason for keeping Phoenix with the Cali teams.

 

At the time of the last realignment, OKC was still in Seattle, so the current alignment made more sense (but still wasn't ideal). And before that, when the Grizzlies were in Vancouver, the entire Pacific Division was in the Pacific Time Zone. Letting teams move from the West Coast to Oklahoma and Tennessee fucked everything up. Since when is Tennessee a western state?

BNM

 

Not till a new team in the West, like Las Vegas, causes it.

 

I think the next time we see realignment is when the NBA expands to Europe

 

When they add a team to seattle we will see a big realignment.

 

I'm hoping OKC would move towards the Southwest. They are so far out of our area, it's ridiculous to think they are in our same division.

 

They should be an east coast team as well as the wolves. They don't really make sense as west coast teams.

 

It's stupid, but it doesn't affect scheduling THAT much. I don't really care if they mess with it or not.

 

OKC is right in line with the Texas teams. Minny and Nola are way out though.

What the NBA should do is allow Vegas and Seattle to have teams and move Minny to the East.

NorthWest Division:
Portland, Seattle, Utah, Sactown and Golden State
Southwest:
Lakers, Clippers, Vegas, Phoenix and Denver
Midwest:
Dallas, OKC, SAS, Houston and Nola

Central:
Minny, Chicago, Indiana, Detroit, and Cleveland

Northeast:
New York, Brooklyn, Boston, Toronto, Milwaukee, Philly

Southeast:
Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Charlotte, D.C.

 

Milwaukee doesn't belong in the NE, they belong in Central with Chicago.

BTW, back in the 1970s, Milwaukee and Chicago were both in the Western Conference. Even Indiana was in Western Conference when the Pacers made the jump from the ABA to the NBA. But, back then, there weren't any NBA teams in Texas, Denver, Utah, only 2 teams in California, etc.

The NBA has a long history of realignment as the league expanded, the ABA teams merged, teams moved, etc. I think it's time for the NBA to start seriously looking at realignment again.

BNM

 

Oops, well they could be moved to the Southwest then. My mistake.

As far as the talent pool… I think it will get much stronger, especially since two more teams will give you 36 more players. I think certain players aren't given the opportunity to play. Also, teams would receive a little more "cap space" with the addition of a couple more teams.

 

Is any team except the Blazers in the wrong division? I doubt the NBA is concerned in the slightest about our tiny market having regional matchups a close 800 miles away instead of 1500.

 

I… HATE…. YOU….

Okay Mr. Smarty Pants. Give me your alignment then!


Here's mine:

Western Conference:
Portland, OKC, Denver, Utah, Golden State, Seattle, Vegas, Phoenix, Clipper, Lakers, SacTown, SAS, Houston, Dallas, Nola, Memphis.

NW: Portland, Seattle, Golden State, SacTown
Pacific: Lakers, Clippers, Vegas, Phoenix
Mountain: Denver, SAS, Dallas, Utah
SW: Houston, Memphis, NOLA, OKC

Eastern Conference:
Minny, Philly, Toronto, Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Indiana, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, Washington

MW: Minny, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indiana
Central: Toronto, Cleveland, Chicago, Philly (even though it really isn't central)
Atlantic: Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Washington
SE: Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando