First, I must admit I get some good blog material from ESPN the Magazine. That being said, I enjoy the magazine, that's why I renewed my expensive ($26/year) subscription while dropping other mags (Men's Health).
In the most recent issue, which features a child in full football pads locked behind a gate in the wake of recent child molestation/rape scandals in sports, there is a refer encouraging readers to buy their favorite old covers. The selected thumbnail image appears to be from the 2004 championship Pistons, featuring Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace and Richard Hamilton.
Whomever selected the image for publication must have a sense of humor. When the magazine was heading to press, Billups was busy becoming a pawn in his second superstar trade in as many seasons, Hamilton was leaving the Pistons (with whom he had a well-documented poor relationship the past few seasons) for the Bulls and Wallace (who himself left the Pistons for the Bulls in free agency in 2006) was getting off with just probation and community service and no jail time after getting a DUI while carrying a licensed gun.
This had to be an inside job.