What hockey fans don't realize is that Gary Bettman is an oddity. It's been a mission of sorts for him to put the NHL in strange markets and then exhibit patience as the franchise is non-viable for decades in the hopes that it eventually gains a foothold somewhere along the way. Sometimes this works (San Jose, Nashville). Sometimes it doesn't (Arizona).
Other sports commissioners don't think this way. They'll give an economically non-viable franchise a few years, then just sign off on a move if the grass on the other side of the hill looks a little greener. They don't take ownership of a failing franchise and refuse to sell it to anyone who seeks relocation, as Bettman has done. They don't nix a sale on suspicion that the buyer might want to take it to another city some day, as Bettman has also done.
It took the NHL about 20 years to get traction in Pittsburgh--and Pittsburgh had a hockey tradition on day 1 in the form of the quite-popular Hornets. The Hornets following was big enough that it caught the Red Wings' attention. The Wings used to fly in and play exhibitions here.
Pittsburgh has no such tradition of showing interest in professional basketball teams. The Condors played before empty venues--and most of its fans are probably dead. It stands to reason it would take even longer for an NBA club to become viable (another problem is that their arena revenue would be minimal, since they wouldn't be the primary tenant unless Burkle and Mario owned them).
If you put an NBA franchise in Pittsburgh, it would be relocated to another city many years before it would have an opportunity to gain a following of sufficient size to sustain it.
