NBA Realignment

How sick and tired is everyone about hearing how loaded the West is and how weak the East is. The fact that the best 16 teams are not necessarily the teams in the playoffs is ridiculous and Adam Silver needs to make a change. In the age of private planes, geographic boundaries are not what they used to be. Major League Baseball, the NHL, and the NFL have all or will make, changes to their playoff systems within the next 2 years. Why shouldn't the NBA do the same? I am proposing that the NBA ditch the East/West Conferences, restructure the divisions geographically, and  take the top 16 teams into the playoffs rather than the top 8 per conference.

Here's what it currently looks like:
Western Conference,
Northwest: Portland, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Denver, Utah
Pacific: Sacramento, Golden State, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Phoenix
Southwest: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Memphis

Eastern Conference,
Central: Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland
Atlantic: Toronto, Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia
Southeast: Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami

Here's what it should look like:
North Central: Minnesota, Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, Indiana, Cleveland
Pacific: Portland, Sacramento, Golden State, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Phoenix
Southeast: Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, New Orleans, Memphis
North East: Toronto, Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington
South Central: Utah, Denver, Oklahoma City, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston

In the current playoff system, the divisions are fairly meaningless. Although the third division leader needs to be a top four seed, fans usually only pay attention to the overall conference standings instead of individual division standings. In this system, divisions are restructured for geography to cut down on frivolous regular season travel and build on geographic rivalries present in other sports.

Another added benefit would be in free agency. Free Agents would no longer worry about playing in the lowly Eastern Conference, or the stacked West. Conference strength would not be a factor, and players could more often choose the best situation. But the real benefit is in the playoffs.

As it stood the teams making the playoffs were:
Western Conference:
1. SAS, 2. OKC, 3. LAC, 4. HOU, 5. POR, 6. GSW, 7. MEM, 8. DAL
and their league standings were, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Eastern Conference:
1. IND, 2. MIA, 3. TOR, 4. CHI, 5. WAS, 6. BKN, 7. CHA, 8. ATL
and their league standings were, 4, 5, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18

The current system had 8 of the top ten teams face off for only one spot in the finals, while the 4 and 5 seeds in the league played for the second. NBA fans deserved to have a chance at an Oklahoma City San Antonio Final in which Serge would be healthy for the entire series.

Another factor in this argument is that NBA fans were deprived of watching the Phoenix Suns and Goran Dragic in the playoffs. We should have been treated to a first round match up of the Suns and the Pacers. The fact that a team that goes 48 and 34 but still doesn't make the playoffs is ridiculous, and that instead of them we got the 18th best team in the league (ATL) that was 38 and 44.

The system also did a disservice to Atlanta. They should have been in the lottery. They should have had a chance at the no. 1 overall pick, and should have drafted at no. 13 with the opportunity to draft Zach Lavine or Tyler Warren if they wanted too.

NBA franchises should be rewarded for performance, not punished based on their geography. The NBA is becoming a more global brand, and need to put the best product on the floor when the most eyes are watching, in the playoffs.