What ever happened to wanting to build your own legacy?

In lieu of the New York Knicks’ blockbuster trade for Carmelo Anthony, it got me thinking: Are these “super teams” that have become a recent trend in the NBA good for the league?

Originally, when Anthony was traded, my Cleveland-loving self was all for anything that would prevent LeBron James from winning a championship. But the more I think about it, the more I don’t like all of these superstars teaming up together.

What I want the NBA to have is parity, something it hasn’t had in quite some time. It might be wishful thinking and borderline unreasonable, but why is this so much to ask for?

Dating back to the 1979–80 NBA season, only eight teams have won the NBA Championship.

The Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Rockets, Pistons, Heat and 76ers are the only franchises that have won a title in the past 31 seasons. That’s it.

For a league in which half of the teams make the playoffs, that number is astounding.

In that same time period, the NFL has seen 15 franchises win a Super Bowl, and MLB has crowned 20 organizations as World Series champions.

I’m not denying that the level of basketball is great, because it is. But the NBA has a huge problem of seeing the same teams contend for a championship year after year.

Sure, if you’re a fan of these teams you’re all for it. But I’m starting to get very bored. Why do we even play the first couple of rounds of the NBA playoffs? Can’t we just fast-forward to the conference finals because we already know who is going to be playing?

Now, with talks of players the caliber of Chris Paul or Dwight Howard possibly joining the Knicks next season, another trio of superstars could be created, potentially developing the NBA’s next dynasty.

What does this say about the odds of small-market teams winning a title? The only person who may like those chances is Lloyd Christmas.

As a fan of a small-market team that had its superstar completely rip the heart out of an entire city, I usually find myself rooting for the underdog. Well, in the NBA, as much as you can root for the underdog, talent usually reigns supreme.

So don’t get your hopes up, Thunder fans. Your team has a ton of young talent, including one of my favorite players in the league. But, until Kobe Bryant retires or the Spurs lose their trio of stars, you may just have to wait for your turn out west.

Unless, of course, Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant decides to bolt for a larger market before that time comes, which definitely would not surprise me.

Sure, I like watching basketball played at the highest level — who doesn’t? What I don’t like watching, though, are the same teams, year after year, competing for a championship.

But, in reality, it seems as though these “super teams” are here to stay.

I guess I’ll have to settle for another Lakers-Celtics NBA Final. I haven’t seen this one before. Oh, joy.