Rick Reilly lost it years ago but he's still writing away and his latest column was more annoying than usual. First off, he seems to hate the Nuggets trade, which is odd, since the Nuggets are still a legit playoff team and they have more than enough assets to acquire a superstar in the next offseason, if they want to go that route. But more bothersome is the fact that he says that Carmelo "betrayed" the Nuggets. Sports are a business. That's what we tell people like Kendrick Perkins when he has his heart broken by being traded by the one team he's played for in his career. But when players have power? Well, when it's their choice to go somewhere else, it's a betrayal! Loyalty is a two way street and while the owners and some writers are bemoaning the fact that superstars are leaving their original teams, David Stern and his cronies are pushing for a system more like the NFL, a league in which loyalty is almost dead since veterans are waived like it's no big deal.

Anyway, because Reilly is one of the two ESPN writers who don't allow comments on their pages (Sports Guy being the other) and because the e-mail Rick section of ESPN wasn't working, I'll just go and rant a bit here and post an open letter to Rick Reilly. I wrote it during my lunch break so it isn't perfect but I think it makes the point that Rick's assertion that the NBA isn't fun anymore because some stars are bolting town is just plain silly..

So KG trapped in Minnesota is fun? Bosh stuck up north is better for the league? This hasn't been one of the most entertaining seasons in recent memory? Player movement has its drawbacks but I think most fans would agree that the league is more fun when superstars can position themselves onto better teams as opposed to having their primes wasted by clueless GM's like Kevin McHale, Jim Paxson, and (yeah I'm saying it) Bryan Colangelo.

Also, players forcing their teams' hands to move them elsewhere is nothing new. It's what's made the Lakers the Lakers for all of these years, most recently with Kobe and Shaq. In terms of free agency, the Magic tried it with T-Mac and Grant. And as for your poor, victimized Denver Nuggets, they didn't seem to mind it too much when Kenyon Martin betrayed the his successful Nets squad by taking the money and running.

The most surprising thing about your rant is your take on the Nuggets. Denver has limited funds and would NEVER be able to build around a full 2nd max deal, which 'Melo wanted. They are better off now with a Pistons-esque squad of good-but-not great players and they have enough trade assets to acquire a superstar or two very good players in the coming offseason. (Of course, if they blow their money on more scrubs like Al Harrington, then it's on them, not 'Melo)

The main problem with the NBA's current financial situation (well, besides that there's at least two too many teams eating into the profit sharing) is the luxury tax which makes most small market/cheaper owners afraid to make that final push to greatness. If New Orleans couldn't make it happen with CP3 on a first max contract, they'll NEVER build a good enough team when he's making even more money. Teams like Utah might be just a player away but since their owners are more worried about their ledger than their trophy case, they refuse to spend the extra coin to acquire that last piece of the puzzle.

As for 'Melo "betraying" the Nuggets, it's ridiculous. He wanted out. He let people know. Now, he probably should have been quieter about it but, regardless, the Nuggets got fair value for him and they will be good enough to make the playoffs and scrappy enough to win a couple games in the second season. (They're basically the Knicks with Nene in for Amar'e and a deeper, better bench.) Next offseason, they'll be able to make the decision of whether to try to build a Detroit Pistons-esque title team built around very good but not great players or they can move some of their assets for a replacement superstar. What happened with 'Melo is a sign that the system works; not that players should forced to have their fates tied to braindead GM's and cheap owners.

Oh, and like with every other change the NBA has made to protect front offices from themselves, be careful what you wish for. A franchise tag? So you'd rather have watched 'Melo pull a Logan Mankins/Vincent Jackson move and sat out half the year? You want to see Chris Paul and Deron Williams pout their way through the 2012 season? Rather than finishing up their contracts and possibly careers on their current teams, you'd rather see guys like Derek Fisher waived unceremoniously ala Bob Sanders or the countless other players who experienced the apparently acceptable disloyalty of the NFL?

So while you dream of an NBA in which Kevin Love can realize that there's no hope of him escaping Minnesota or a league in which Dwight Howard can look at the aging, mediocre, overpaid team that's been built around him and realize that it's never getting better than it is now, I'll sit back and enjoy one of the most memorable seasons in the league's history.