Battle Los Angeles: How the New CBA Could Make Los Angeles Clipper Country

In five years the Los Angeles Clippers will be more popular than the Los Angeles Lakers. I say that unequivocally. They will be a better team, a more popular team and the half century of domination will be over. 

Rome wasn't built in a day, but it didn't fall in one either. Other empires, once dominated became dominant. No one knew it when it started. It was just too inconceivable. The same can be said for the Lakers Empire—and I do mean empire. Dynasty is just insufficient to describe a half century of dominance. 

So, from the outset, let me establish that I am not a moron.

Yes, I am aware of the history of the two franchises. If you need the proof look no further than here where I ranked all 30 NBA franchises. The Clippers were dead last and the Lakers were first. So yes, I really do know how preposterous this sounds. That doesn't make it wrong.  

I'm also fully aware that Donald Sterling is arguably the worst owner in professional sports, and from all accounts, possibly an even worse human being. I also understand that the man we knew here in Chicago as "Vinny del Idiot" is their head coach. 

I'm aware that Kobe Bryant is playing for the Lakers. I know they are a historic franchise. I know that historically players have gone to the Lakers for the very reason that they are the Lakers. What's more, I know that players have stayed away from the Clippers because they are the Clippers.

I know all of this, but one empire is building and another is declining.  

It's not out of ignorance I consider this a possibility, but the impending Collective Bargaining Agreement and what it might mean. Now, we don't know for sure what's going to happen, but we know something is going to happen. Generally, we know that it's going to make it harder to move players. 

The salary cap will be harder to work with, whether it's hard or soft. Trades might not have that 25 percent leeway to accommodate trading players, particularly superstars.

This basically means two things for the near future: First, it means that cap space is going to be a lot more important than it was, and second it means the names on the backs of the jerseys are going to mean more than the names on the fronts of the jerseys, particularly if they aren't swallowing up a good chunk of fantasy cap space.

Right now though, if you're a player like Chris Paul consider your options. Try and perceive the situation through his eyes, not the eyes of a fan hoping for them to sign for your team. 

Behind door number one you have Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. They have a total of seven rings, two of them together. You have a real chance of going somewhere this year. So there's something attractive there. 

However, there's also the reality that beyond this year the chances steadily decline. The salaries of those two players are swallowing up an enormous chunk of the cap for the next three seasons. They combine for $45 million—just between the two of them!

Those aging players with ballooning salaries are cause for concern, even more so when you consider that the entire team is at $91 million right now. Even if they can add you, how will they ever add anyone else? 

Behind door number two you have Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, two of the more exciting young players in the league. You note that the 44.8 points they scored is only .3 points fewer than the 45.1 that the other pair and most importantly that they are making $25 million less.

The Clippers are obligated to just $24 million in 2012. That's less than the Lakers owe Bryant alone. Just think about it. The Clippers have enough money to add three ten million dollar players in 2012. That's the kind of salary that people are floating for Paul to take in the post CBA world to play in New York. 

Can you imagine adding Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Gerald Wallace to Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon? The Clippers could add that and still have 15 million to sign the last seven players. Once together, the Clippers could exercise Bird rights to retain Bledsoe and Griffin. That core could be together for five years.

Can you imagine a nucleus like that being together for four or five years? Wouldn't it cross your mind if you were a player looking to build a legacy? Would you rather build a super team than to be the third Musketeer elsewhere where they didn't have any money to sign anyone else? 

An All-Star starting five with a deep bench, or a Hall of Fame top three with little less than D-League scraps. Which sounds more attractive if you're Chris Paul?

If you're a player contemplating your future, not just a fan of a team trying to win an argument, which would be more attractive to you, a legacy of the past or a legacy of the future? The new CBA is going to change everything. The names on the front of the jerseys will matter more now than the ones on the back. 

There are some core Lakers fans. They are as intense and loyal as any other fans. They just can't afford tickets for the most part. The Lakers lead the league in bandwagon fans though. That's not a knock on the loyal fans. It's not their fault there are bandwagon fans. It's the Lakers' fault. It's what happens when you win for 50 years. 

Those bandwagon fans won't stick around for long while the Lakers start going into decline and the Visigoths are running them down in the Staples Center. Nope. The bandwagon fans will just look for the shiny new team. 

It's why a bold proclamation that in five years Los Angeles will be Clipper country isn't nearly as ridiculous as it sounds on the surface.

Battle Los Angeles is about to begin and the first shots fired will come when the new CBA is signed.

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