Home Improvements: New wood would be good.

Here's where we suggest possible changes that teams around the league could make to better themselves, be it through altering their uniforms, renovating their arenas, or whatever.  To start, let's work from the very bottom, and take a look at NBA courts.

For decades, the NBA has been dominated by a single court design: boring straight lines that interlock with each other, all pretty much the same shade.

While this is nice enough, there's not much to it.  It's drab, it's plain...it leaves you wanting more!  The Orlando Magic did their part to up the ante by adding in alternating vertical and horizontal blocks, and two-tone courts have recently made a splash, but it wasn't until just this season that the floodgates were really opened wide.

When the Nets moved from New Jersey to the beautiful Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn, they brought with them a herringbone-patterned court, and the rules have now changed.  Jay-Z, the Nets' part-owner, fought Commissioner David Stern for the right to use this new, unconventional design, and, lucky for us, he came out on top.

I was lucky enough to have seen this court in person, and man does it look nice.  Incredibly clean, very classy--it's a winner.  Hova's desire to find an alternative to the classic (i.e. boring) court pattern, and David Stern's eventual acceptance, would suggest that I am not the only one who thinks NBA courts are not living up to their potential.  The people have spoken, and they want hipper tiling.  Lucky for the other 29 teams in the league, I'm here, and I have ideas.

1. M. C. Escher-inspired tessellations

These intricate patterns would look incredible, with alternating dark and light finishes.  The first team to construct something like this will capture the artsy, high society-types--a huge market, I'm sure.  Additionally, both of the above examples have birds in them.  Add a larger beak, and you've got yourself a pelican, perfect for New Orleans' rebranding.  A team with a bird name, playing on a bird court, maybe even one constructed from bird's eye maple?  Wow, I'm cuckoo for this idea.  NEXT!

2. Honeycomb

With New Orleans abandoning the "Hornets" moniker, Charlotte is considering reclaiming their original name.  For fairness' sake, let's give these guys a makeover too.

This would likely take a super long time to construct, but it would be well worth it, because it would look sweet.  I guess I don't really know if hornets have honeycomb-shaped structures in their hives, but whatever, it would still be cool.  I can only assume the league would buzz about this court, and fans would swarm to see it.  NEXT!

3. Bunch of rectangles

I'm not really sure what this pattern is called, nor do I have a suggestion for a specific team that should adopt it, but someone definitely should.  A bunch of seemingly scattered blocks that together comprise a perfect block--it's poetic in a way.  I'm sold.

So there you go, NBA teams.  You've heard the cries of the people, and you have been given three suggestions for how to address these demands.  Call your carpenters, and let's get this going--you don't want to be left behind as this exciting new era in courts begins.