NEW YORK — How many NBA fans think the league is better off without the Sonics in Seattle?

No self-respecting former Brooklyn Dodger or New York Giant fan, I can assure you.

Not only has the Emerald City been abandoned by its original professional franchise in any sport, but the league has lost one of its greatest assets.

One of my all-time favorite traveling rituals since the Sonics' inception in 1970 was going straight from the airport (quickly dropping off my bags with the hotel bellman) to Puget Sound; the next few hours would be spent outdoors (as long as it wasn't pouring) riding the ferries.

Once the novelty of the Thunder wears off in Oklahoma City, how long will fans remain fervent should ownership fail to construct a competitive team?

Think the pressure might be on Sam Presti to show some results in his second season as GM?

The smart money says P.J. Carlesimo will be this season's first coaching casualty.

Where's Sam Schulman, Al Ross, Spencer Haywood, John Brisker and Jim McDaniels when you need them?

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How many New Englanders think Celtics' telecasts will be better off this season without Bob Cousy expressing his expert opinion for 10 games . . . as he's done for the past nine seasons of his 34-year broadcasting career?

None with the slightest sense of franchise history, I can assure you.

Would the genius at Comcast who decided three on-air talent was one too many please resign gracelessly. Clearly, that vacant lot has no understanding for the acuity and honesty and enjoyment Cousy provided listeners.

What, like the Houdini of the Hardwood didn't know how to complement Tom Heinsohn and Mike Gorman, or when to set them up for a perfect remark?

This development is as revolting as Rick Pitino confiscating Red Auerbach's president title when he came into power.

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How many Phoenix season ticket-holders still believe their team is better off with Shaquille O'Neal than Shawn Marion?

How many of those will continue to attend home games halfway into a season that figures to start off poorly and probably remain underwhelming?

Under Terry Porter, no longer are the Suns running off makes — only misses and turnovers — as they did the last four seasons as prescribed by Mike D'Antoni. Therefore, the plan (diagramed by VP Steve Kerr) is to try to create many more misses than they did before.

(Interestingly, Porter was fired after his second season in Milwaukee by owner Herb Kohl, who felt the Bucks were too often the path of least resistance)

Problem is, the Suns aren't overly blessed with defensive specialists. Meaning they're no longer in all-out attack mode. Meaning your scintillating Suns are due south of simmering. Meaning Shaq becomes the focal point more often than last season, especially against the Rockets, Spurs, Lakers and Hornets.

Another radical change implemented by Porter (and no doubt advocated by Kerr) is reducing the role of Steve Nash, three months and change shy of his 35th birthday when the season begins. No longer is he being asked to run himself into an oxygen tent and figure out the offense by his lonesome.

Porter's offensive scheme is about motion, not locomotion. A lot of plays are run through Boris Diaw, Grant Hill and Shaq. The idea supposedly is to prolong Nash's career a couple years past the two he has left on his contract.

My valued contributors see it as more of a plot.

Should the Suns' transition prove too painful and linger too long, common sense dictates championship contenders will be willing to surrender all sorts of goodies to get Nash's well-rested and rehabilitated body.

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How many people in the Bay Area know what Robert Rowell's reaction was when the Warriors executive Chris Mullin acquired Stephen Jackson on Jan. 16, 2007, from the Pacers?

The team president wanted to put Jackson on waivers. Wanted Christopher Cohan to eat the $24 million remaining on Jackson's guaranteed contract and point him in the direction of J.R. Rider.

Earlier this week, Rowell branded Jackson the best player Golden State has, asserted no other player during Cohan's ownership has embraced the organization more, and said he would like to see him stick around.

In other words, Jackson figures to secure the extension he's angling for minus any help from an agent; longtime rep Dan Fegan was dismissed, I'm told, after Rowell told Jackson they could handle this negotiation by themselves.

Peter Vecsey covers the NBAfor the New York Post.