From the Enron collapse to the recent surge on Wall Street, big business has been big news of late. But even in the NBA, there's no shortage of speculating. Dynasties rise and fall. Hot franchises emerge while others go belly-up. Predicting which of today's teams will be sitting pretty in five years -- and which will go dot-com -- can be harder than figuring out a price-to-earnings ratio. So for those NBA fans who don't know the difference between Arthur Andersen and Kenny Anderson, SI's Marty Burns takes stock of all 29 teams -- and gives you his picks for the Bulls and Bears (well, Grizzlies anyway) to watch in the coming years.
BUY
	DALLAS MAVERICKS Principal owner: Mark Cuban Billionaire Cuban has already shown he will spend any amount of money to keep them competitive. Moreover, they've got a talented young core -- Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash -- that's locked up for years, and a gleaming new American Airlines Center. Unless David Stern's Thought Police force Cuban into selling, the Mavs should be a force for years to come.
	SACRAMENTO KINGS Principal owner: The Maloof Brothers This organization has it all: strong management, great young talent and a rabid fan base. Chris Webber and Peja Stojakovic are locked up through 2007, and there are tradeable assets for future flexibility. GM Geoff Petrie is one of the best in the business. Arco Arena is in good shape, and the fans pack the house.
	ORLANDO MAGIC Principal owner: Rich DeVos With one of the game's brightest young stars in Tracy McGrady, no state income tax and a location desirable to many pro athletes, the Magic should be talented for years to come. They have draft picks to trade and flexibility to clear cap room in 2003 for another run at Tim Duncan. If Grant Hill ever makes it back, look out.
	INDIANA PACERS Principal owner: Melvin Simon GM Donnie Walsh has done a masterful job of retooling after their 1999 Finals run. With young stars Jermaine O'Neal, Al Harrington, Jamaal Tinsley, Jonathan Bender and Ron Artest, they've got the pieces in place to carry on after Reggie Miller retires. Meanwhile, Conseco Fieldhouse is one of the game's best venues.
	LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS Principal owner: Donald Sterling Not even the penny-pinching Sterling can screw this up. With young stars Lamar Odom, Elton Brand, Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson and Corey Maggette, the Clippers are one of the most exciting teams in the league. Sterling won't re-sign them all, but they should be able to get value in trades and keep the buzz in L.A. going for a few years.
Other buys: San Antonio, Milwaukee, Philadelphia
SELL
	NEW YORK KNICKS Principal owner: Cablevision Not even Cablevision's deep pockets can save this team of mismatched parts from what looks to be a painful decline. Long-term deals to players like Allan Houston, Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley mean no salary cap room for years to come. Meanwhile, GM Scott Layden has done little to inspire the fan base.
	UTAH JAZZ Principal owner: Larry Miller John Stockton and Karl Malone will probably be gone by 2003, and then what? The Jazz will have plenty of cap room, but attracting free agents to Salt Lake City has never been easy. If folks in Utah thought they witnessed a lot of construction for the Olympics, just wait until this rebuilding project begins.
	TORONTO RAPTORS Principal owner: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment After having its value soar last year with Vince Carter's decision to re-sign with the organization, this stock has plummeted like Enron. Long-term deals to Antonio Davis, Alvin Williams and Jerome Williams have left them with no cap flexibility and little in the way of tradeable assets. A coaching change might be in the works as well.
	MIAMI HEAT Principal owner: Micky Arison Another formerly hot property, this team's stock appears set to take a tumble. With Alonzo Mourning's health in long-term doubt and the rest of the cap tied up in long-term deals to Brian Grant and Eddie Jones, it's doubtful they can re-tool and stay under the luxury tax. Meanwhile, Pat Riley is expected to leave the bench for the front office soon.
	CLEVELAND CAVALIERS Principal owner: Gordon Gund Even at its present low value, this stock is a risk. With hobbled center Zydrunas Ilgauskas tying up much of the payroll, there's little room to sign free agents. Meanwhile, point guard Andre Miller might bolt in two years. Declining attendance at Gund Arena only adds to the Cavs' list of concerns.
Other sells: Charlotte, Golden State, Atlanta, Denver, Washington
HOLD
	BOSTON CELTICS Principal owner: Paul Gaston The only NBA team actually traded on the New York stock exchange (current price: $11.15), the Celtics have a decent future. Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce are signed long-term, and Jim O'Brien has been a terrific fit as coach. On the down side, luxury tax concerns could hinder ability to add future assets.
	CHICAGO BULLS Principal owner: Jerry Reinsdorf There's nowhere to go but up, and they have a slew of potential talent in Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Trenton Hassell, Marcus Fizer and Eddie Robinson. They might add the No. 1 pick in the June draft as well. However, management is a disaster and it's doubtful the team will commit money to keeping all these pieces together.
	NEW JERSEY NETS Principal owner: Lewis Katz The Nets are primed to take over the New York market if they can keep Jason Kidd from bolting after the 2002-03 season. Keith Van Horn, Kenyon Martin and Todd MacCulloch are all signed long-term, and GM Rod Thorn leads a solid management team. Attendance is a concern, but a new arena deal could help.
	PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS Principal owner: Paul Allen With Paul Allen's deep pockets, this team will never lack for money. Chemistry and bloated payroll are drawbacks, but a late surge this season behind new coach Maurice Cheeks bodes well for the future. Traditional fan support and the state-of-art Rose Garden are other pluses.
	LOS ANGELES LAKERS Principal owner: Jerry Buss Though it might be tempting to sell now, this stock still has growth potential. With Shaq and Kobe signed long-term, and no sign of disharmony on the horizon, they could corner the market on gold jewelry. Besides, Phil Jackson's relationship with the owner's daughter means he'll be doing insider trading for years to come.
Other holds: Houston, Minnesota, Phoenix, Memphis, Detroit, Seattle

 

Related information
Stories
SI's Burns: Roundball Roundup Week at a Glance: Magic man NBA Power Rankings: Mar. 19-25 SI's Inside the NBA: The 'I' in Clippers
Multimedia
Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.