How much does a team’s market size matter in the NBA? Does a large market team’s ability to attract top-shelf talent put them at an unfair advantage?

If so, you wouldn’t know it from watching the 2021-22 season.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets both play in two of the biggest cities in the NBA. Arguably, they reside in the two biggest cultural hubs in the United States of America. They attracted the top-shelf talent: it just didn’t get them anywhere.

In Los Angeles, it was about on-court fit. Russell Westbrook’s general ineffectiveness without the ball made him a poor fit alongside basketball savant LeBron James.

In Brooklyn, it was about off-court issues. Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine allegedly troubled the now-departed James Harden.

Both of these teams were wildly disappointing in 2021-22. Could they swap problems ahead of 2022-23?

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Kyrie Irving

Brooklyn Nets Receive: F/C Anthony Davis