By all accounts, the NBA is in a fantastic place as a league. 

The talent level is at an all-time high, they just recently signed a massive TV deal worth $24 billion, the value of franchises is soaring (see Rockets, Houston), and there's a budding dynasty in Golden State. However, an ESPN report about the financial underbelly of the league shows that there are rifts growing between owners about revenue sharing. 

According to the report, before accounting for the payouts from revenue sharing, 14 of the league's 30 teams lost money last season, and the league's Board of Governors is set to discuss the revenue sharing system during their meeting later this month. Via ESPN:

Despite a flood of new national television cash, 14 of the NBA's 30 teams lost money last season before collecting revenue-sharing payouts, and nine finished in the red even after accounting for those payments, according to confidential NBA financial records obtained by ESPN.com.

The gap between the league's most profitable teams and its weaker siblings will be addressed at the league's Board of Governors meeting on Sept. 27-28 in New York. Owners have planned a half-day review of the league's revenue-sharing system, sources said.

In what should come as little surprise, the main rift is between small market and big market teams. Of course, teams in big markets like the Lakers, Knicks, Bulls, etc. are able to pull in way more money than smaller market teams like the Bucks, Grizzlies, Jazz, etc., and mainly because of local TV deals. 

For example, per ESPN's report, the Lakers, even in a bad season, pulled in a $115 million profit even after revenue sharing, while the Grizzlies, who made the playoffs for the seventh straight season, lost almost $40M before revenue sharing. The main reason? The Lakers have a $149M local media deal, while the Grizzlies' is just under $10M. 

One quote, in particular, exemplified the burgeoning problem. 

"Teams in small markets are told we need to run our businesses better so we can make money," one ownership source told ESPN.com. "But teams in the largest markets can run their businesses poorly and still make money."

While the ongoing battle between small and large market owners does not appear headed for another war just yet, this is certainly a problem to keep an eye on, and one the league will surely want to address and get a handle on quickly.