"It would be easy to say that if the Sixers have new owners, they'll change things around, spend lavishly on free agents and do everything they can to bring the team back to the NBA's elite.

But really, the NBA climate only allows owners to maintain the status quo. So if the group, led by billionaire Joshua Harris, were to take control of the team from Comcast-Spectacor in the coming weeks, nothing much would change at all.

That's the way things are in the NBA.

Since 2000, there have been only five champions -- the Lakers (five), Spurs (three) and the Pistons, Heat and Celtics. That followed a decade in which the Bulls won six titles in the 1990s and the Rockets won two.

Parity doesn't exist in the NBA. And it probably won't anytime soon because Miami has three stars in their prime.

So Harris basically has two choices -- keep the status quo and hope the Sixers can work their way into the elite over the next few years -- or gut the team.

It seems highly unlikely Harris would gut the team.

He is worth $1.5 billion. One of his investors is Jason Levien, a former NBA player agent and executive with the Sacramento Kings.

There is also a glimmer of hope for Harris and other owners: the pending lockout.

As devastating as a lockout would be, especially one that lasts well into next season, you can bet most NBA owners won't be that upset about it.

For one, most NBA teams are losing money. That probably includes the Sixers, who played to 72.6 percent capacity last season, the worst in the NBA. Secondly, the owners should emerge with favorable terms once an agreement is reached."