NBA owners power ranking: Who is best owner in basketball?

Apr 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. The Spurs defeated the Clippers 111-107 to take a 3-2 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. The Spurs defeated the Clippers 111-107 to take a 3-2 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

The life of an NBA owner is rough, but who are the best and worst owners in professional basketball as we enter the 2015-16 season?

Owning a professional sports franchise is a fun job, in theory. But the brass tacks of the gig is to basically be a bean counter who has the ability to change the makeup of a team with a single phone call. Owners aren’t as popular as general managers are, but they’re much more involved in the rosters that are put together than you think.

There are rock star owners, quiet owners; good ones and bad ones. Some owners are great but have bad teams whereas others are great owners with struggling teams. Owners pay the bills, and some know how to get things done a lot better than others know how.

Owners and front offices are generally tied together, and when one does something wrong, the other gets blame was well. Ditto for when things go right. But determining who the best and worst NBA owners are is no easy task, as there is a lot of grey area between the guys doing their jobs right and the ones who will be a problem when the CBA negotiations roll around next.

So who are the best and worst owners in the NBA heading into the 2015-16 season? Let’s start at the bottom and crawl to greener pastures at the top.

Note: This ranking is based on how an owner allows his franchise to be run, his influence on the team and the direction the franchise is headed as a result of these factors. 

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