It is often said that sports is a microcosm of society. Even in a depressed economy the rich continue to get richer, and the poor... well... stay exactly the same.

With NBA powerhouses stockpiling their rosters with more beef, talent, and experience, one has to wonder... who will come out of this mess to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy come June 2010?

Here's an early assessment of what the top teams in each conference did this offseason in order to have a decent shot at dethroning the 15-time world champs.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. L.A. Lakers

What they did last year:  The best franchise in pro sports made their sixth Finals appearance this decade and captured its fourth title. They were the deepest and most balanced roster in the league and their youth, athleticism, exuberance, and overall length allowed them to create matchup hell for every team they faced en route to an 81-24 record (.770 win pctg)

What they did to improve:  What they sacrificed in losing the youth and athleticism of Trevor Ariza became offset with what they gained from the addition of defensive standout Ron Artest - bravado, beef, and a boiling hunger to win a title. The purple-n-gold machine also re-signed do-it-all forward Lamar Odom, keeping the nucleus intact for years to come. Title experience and undertaking the journey also count immensely, especially for players like Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, and Sasha Vujacic. It's an intangible that cannot be measured or overlooked.

2010 outlook:  Once again the Lakers are the favorites to win it all. Once again they have the greatest weapon in Kobe Bryant. Once again they have the best coach in Phil Jackson. The assault keeps on happening.

Overall Grade:  A-

2. San Antonio Spurs

What they did last year:  It seemed like a decade ago the last time the Spurs were ousted in the first round of the playoffs and then this year happened. Despite the coaching excellence of Greg Popovich, the once formidable Spurs couldn't weather the storm that was Manu Ginobili's ankle injury. As a result, they had a season to forget which culminated in an embarrassing opening round effort against the Dallas Mavericks.

What they did to improve:  The only team in the offseason to address all of their needs. They picked up career 20-point scorer Richard Jefferson to provide insurance at the two and three in case Ginobili can't pull through. They signed dependable veteran forward Antonio McDyess to provide much needed help inside for the aging yet still game Tim Duncan. And they managed to steal Dejuan Blair in the second round, who's arguably the most polished low post player in the draft not named Blake Griffin. If that wasn't enough, they added shot blocker deluxe Theo Ratliff to shore up the center position. The Spurs mean business in 2009-'10.

2010 outlook:  Coach Popovich stated recently, "If we don't win it all next year, you might as well fire me." It's championship or bust in San Antonio since we all know this may be their last hurrah.

Overall Grade:  A+

3. Dallas Mavericks

What they did last year:  A late season surge proved that Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, and co. were still among the top teams in the west until the upstart Denver Nuggets thwarted their run in the postseason. The Mavs' lack of size and strength inside eventually caught up with them.

What they did to improve:  Get smaller, which means they're catering to Kidd's style of play. Owner Mark Cuban is hoping the additions of Shawn Marion, Tim Thomas, Drew Gooden, and Antoine Wright can make them more athletic and allow them to outscore opponents a la the Phoenix Suns of '05-'07.

2010 outlook:  Dallas will be fun to watch, they will score a ton of points, and they'll run like there's no tomorrow. But that's about all we're going to get from them because in this league we all know that teams have to play defense and outrebound opponents if they want to become legitimate title contenders.

Overall Grade:  B+

 

4. Portland Trailblazers

What they did last year:  Gain much needed playoff experience. Losing to the battle tested Houston Rockets made men out of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and the rest of the young Blazers. Much-hyped center Greg Oden didn't have the opportunity to develop his game to the max and showcase his stuff because of nagging nick-nack injuries. International sensation Rudy Fernandez was a bright spot, as was the Blazers' continued success at home against the Lakers.

What they did to improve:  It's difficult to say whether or not the signing of veteran PG Andre Miller benefits this young team. Roy needs the ball in his hands most of the time to be an impact and so does Miller. It's up to Andre to adjust his game and fit in  if this experiment has any chance of working. Nevertheless, the deep and talented Blazers got better just by participating in the playoffs for the first time since Scottie Pippen was around.

2010 outlook:  If Oden can stay healthy and turn into a 15-10-3 type of player on a nightly basis, Portland immediately becomes major contenders in the west. They are the one team that gives the Lakers the most matchup problems. Barring injury to any of their top three players, the future is bright for this group.

Overall Grade:  B

5. Denver Nuggets

What they did last year:  Surprised everyone by coming within two wins of reaching the NBA Finals. Of course, this was all due to the acquisition of Chauncey Billups and the maturation of Carmelo Anthony.

What they did to improve:  Not much. Losing sharpshooter Linas Kleiza overseas will affect bench production as the season wears on. Re-signing Birdman was huge, but the Nuggets did to nothing to address their biggest weakness - their lack of size and strength at the power forward and center positions.

2010 outlook:  Although 'Melo seems to be on the verge of taking it to the next level as a player, Billups is also aging and may perhaps be losing a step. Denver's bench is thin, and they will be hardpressed to duplicate last season's success.

Overall Grade:  C- 

Other Notables

New Orleans Hornets:  Adding Emeka Okafor gives them just as solid a defender as Tyson Chandler but an even better low post scorer. Overall Grade:  B

L.A. Clippers:  My hunch is they'll stay healthy, Baron Davis will find himself again, Eric Gordon will emerge, and Blake Griffin will be even better than advertised. Overall Grade:  A

Utah Jazz:  A team coached by Jerry Sloan will never underachieve. They did nothing to add to their roster, which means I expect them to deal either Carlos Boozer or Andrei Kirilenko soon, perhaps to Miami for Michael Beasley + a player or two. Overall Grade:  D

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Boston Celtics

What they did last year:  Took east champs Orlando to seven games without their best player, Kevin Garnett. If not for his season ending injury, the Celtics could have just as easily repeated as NBA champions. Do-it-all PG Rajon Rondo blossomed all season long, catapulting himself into one of the game's best point guards. For the first time in his career, Sugar Ray Allen showed signs of slowing down.

What they did to improve:  Acquire some KG insurance, which they lacked against Orlando. Though Glen Davis proved more than worthy in the playoffs, he still didn't provide the threat that Rasheed Wallace would have posed against Dwight Howard and the Magic. Boston has a ton of veteran leadership, and provided they all remain healthy they will improve defensively with the addition of Wallace and have more offensive punch off the bench with newcomer Marquis Daniels.

2010 Outlook:  Indeed, the Celtics are aging but they're still hungry that's for sure. Boston is the best in the league when it comes to defensive rotations and clogging up the middle of the lane, but it remains to be seen how Garnett's knee will hold up and who will emerge from the Celtics' bench to give them quality minutes as Ray Allen's production is expected to decline.

Overall Grade:  A

2. Orlando Magic

What they did last year:  Jump on Superman's shoulders and ride his coattail all the way to the NBA Finals. The big surprise was the emergence of PG Jameer Nelson, who made his first All-Star team.

What they did to improve:  Because they had no answer for Kobe Bryant in the Finals, they went ahead and added Vince Carter to solidify the shooting guard position and give Michael Peitrus much needed help. The Magic also added some beef down low in Brandon Bass and bolstered their running attack by picking up Matt Barnes. They're deeper and more formidable, and it's now up to Coach Stan Van Gundy to make all the pieces fit together.

2010 outlook:  Expect Dwight Howard to improve his low post game and increase his scoring output. A more balanced attack should bode well for Orlando, and having a go-to guy in Carter will more than suffice after losing Hedo Turkoglu to Toronto. But Carter is no savior for once again the fate of the Magic rests squarely on Dwight Howard's shoulders.

Overall Grade:  A-

3. Cleveland Cavaliers

What they did last year:  Took the league by storm, posting a franchise best 66-16 regular season record (39-2 at The Q) only to falter in the ECF with home court advantage. Lebron James earned his first MVP award, but realized he needs a quality big man on his side if he truly ever wants to be regarded as a king.

What they did to improve:  Switch from super unleaded to diesel. GM Danny Ferry brought in what's left of Shaquille O'Neal in order to contain Howard, KG, and 'Sheed, but forgetting that O'Neal is now just a fraction of what he once was. But he's still Shaq, and that's better than what most teams have playing the center position these days. The Cavs also got longer and more defensive minded with the additions of high-flyer Jamario Moon and 6-6 SG Anthony Parker. Anderson Varejao re-upping was huge, and big Zydrunas Ilgauskas instantly becomes one of the best backup centers in the league.

2010 outlook:  The pieces are there. Cleveland now has a nice combination of veterans, youth, athleticism, and long range shooters. But as we all know... when there is enough talent, the overriding factor then becomes coaching. Can Mike Brown live to expectations? My money says he'll get the ax before Lebron can even whisper the words "free agent".

Overall Grade:  B+

Other Notables

Atlanta Hawks:  They virtually have the same lineup that took Boston to seven games in 2008 only with more playoff experience. Instead of Josh Childress, they upgrade to Jamal Crawford. They'll win about 45 games but they still won't have enough strength and size to contend with the beasts of the east. Overall Grade:  C+

Miami Heat:  All-world guard Dwyane Wade is running out of patience with Miami's rebuilding project. Pat Riley wants him to stay and be patient, which means Riley will do anything it takes to improve the supporting cast. If the Heat can find a way to land Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh, look out. Overall Grade:  D

Chicago Bulls:  Derrick Rose has proven that he will be legit for many years to come. But the Bulls are stocked with twos and threes and have little to show for inside the paint. After losing Ben Gordon to Detroit, the Bulls did nothing to improve the roster. That spells doom in the east unless, of course, Stoudemire or Boozer come to town. Overall Grade:  D

Toronto Raptors:  The NBA's only team from outside the United States fittingly has the most international players on any team's roster. You know what this means, right? They're going to run, shoot, run, shoot, run, shoot, run, run, and shoot. Which also means they're going to give up more points that they score. On the bright side, Hedo can do. Overall Grade:  B-

So there it is... a preseason look at the preseason. Truncated yet informative.

I'm sure you can tell by now that I really can't wait 'til the season starts.

I enjoy sports. I love my teams. That's why I keep score.