INQUIRER Sports

THE BIG MOVEMENTS THAT TOOK PLACE in the recent National Basketball Association offseason may end up merely being a prelude to what could happen next year, where big market teams like New York take aim at probably the biggest free agent class of all time.

But David Stern isn?t exactly caught up in the possibilities of next year. He?d rather enjoy the suspense of the ongoing season.

?Over time, I think it is better for fans of all teams if their team has a chance to be competitive,? the astute NBA commissioner told the Inquirer in a telephone interview recently.

US teammates and rookie batchmates LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors are just some of the superstars who may opt out of their contracts next year to test the free agent waters.

But while international soccer has Real Madrid and Major League Baseball has the New York Yankees, Stern believes dumping the big names in the big markets isn?t always a good idea.

?It?s not about the big markets, it?s about the integrity of the game,? said Stern, the person responsibly for bringing the salary cap in the league. He added that the NBA has a ?stable system? in place to guarantee parity among its teams?either through the rookie draft or through rules that allow teams to keep their stars without the players sacrificing anything financially.

Exciting season

The 67-year-old commissioner did say he is currently wrapped up in the excitement of the current season when several teams used the free agency to beef up their rosters and contend for the championship.

?I think it adds excitement in those communities,? Stern said the teams that added a key player to their rosters this year. ?These are teams that were probably within one player of winning the championship and they went out and [got that player].?

The Cavaliers, in an effort to dissuade James from flying to New York next year, added Shaquille O?Neal to their team. Boston which failed to defend the title it won in 2008, signed big man Rasheed Wallace and guard Marquis Daniels. Orlando, which lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals this year, signed Vince Carter.

Even the Lakers upgraded, adding defensive whiz Ron Artest to their championship mix.

But Stern added that he was as excited about teams like the Atlanta Hawks, who did not make as big a splash in the offseason but are doing very well in the NBA.

The rise of the traditional big guns and the surprise packages may have helped perk up the league?s advertising revenues at a time when the inhospitable financial climate made its presence felt in professional sports.

?After a quiet year, our national partners say advertising seems to be improving,? said Stern, who added that long-term contracts with television partners helped the league survive the financial crisis.