Carmelo:

I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since you first entered the league in this, our fair city. What a long, strange trip it’s been. I have loved watching you play. I have hated the way you’ve played, and a couple of times, I’ve even wanted to get rid of you. But at the end of the day, I always enjoyed having you here; which is going to make our impending separation that much more difficult. First, I’d like to talk about how much you have meant to this city. You brought basketball to a football town. People are going to basketball games and caring about the Nuggets in a way that has never been true before. You’ve taken us to TV networks and relevance for the first real time in my generation’s lifetime. In short, you have put Denver on the basketball map. For this and more, I thank you for establishing a basketball tradition here that will continue long after you’ve gone to New York.

For this reason, I have always ardently defended you to others who think that you are overhyped and maybe not as good as the numbers suggest. I guess I was defending you because all of the things that I have just addressed. But when it comes down to it, maybe they were right. Maybe you aren’t that good. Granted, every team isn’t perfect, and yes, maybe we could have surrounded you with some better talent. But in all of those first round playoff exits, couldn’t, maybe, some of the blame be on you? Year after year you disappeared in the playoffs, close to 30 ppg for the season, and around 18-20 in the playoffs. And yes, some of the teams were great defensively, but all of them weren’t. You’re going to tell me that the Clippers were the defensive team of the year when they beat us? No, they weren’t, but you still allowed them to take away everything you wanted to do. Then, when things weren’t going your way, you acted like a child and totally lost your composure. Every year we saw somebody who wasn’t mature enough to lead a team through to the Finals.

But then, it happened. We made it to the Western Conference Finals. That year, you finally put it together and showed the maturity and competitiveness that a winner exhibits. And now, with essentially the same team and a new GM that is committed to building a team around you, you’re going to leave? I don’t get it. First of all, you are leaving millions of dollars on the table that you will never get again with a new agreement. But more importantly, it will seem to me and other fans that you quit on us. And that is exactly what you are doing: Quitting. You’re quitting for, what I can tell, minimal gain. Really, what is better about New York, besides, of course the ability to market your brand globally. But do you think that you, Amare and possibly Paul, with an all-defense-no-offense coach are really going to win the East? I’ve got news for you; the balance of power is shifting. The East is about to become the power conference. The Bulls, the Magic, Celtics and now the Heat are all teams that could easily go to the finals. But what about the West? Kobe is getting older, I can’t see him playing for more than about 5 years at the same level as now. After that, there is no clear cut favorite for the West. Why not the Nuggets? Why not Carmelo Anthony’s Nuggets? There is no reason to believe that we can’t be a contender in the West year in and year out.

I guess you could also argue that you’re trying to invigorate the basketball tradition in New York. Ok, fair enough. That would be pretty cool to be on the list of Knick greats: Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Dave DeBusschere, Clyde Frazier. However, if you brought a championship to Denver do you know what the list would look like for generational Nugget players? It would read something like this: Carmelo Anthony and maybe Chauncey Billups. Just ask Patrick Roy and Joe Sackic how that worked out for them. They were embraced and loved by the city the way that you would be if you were able to bring a title back here. If you don’t think that that’s the ultimate high as an athlete, then maybe you just aren’t the kind of competitor you’ve been trying to convince us of over the last 7 years.

The bottom line is this, we are all grateful for what you’ve done here, and I for one will continue to root for you unless you are playing the Nuggets or Thunder (KD, he’s my man). But in the end, the Nuggets will still be here long after you are gone, and the fans will continue to root for our team the same with or without you. So I guess the only thing to think about is your legacy here. Will you be remembered as the greatest Nugget ever? Or will you be remembered as somebody who quit on a team that embraced him? The choice is yours. But just remember when you’re playing for a psychotic owner, with the rabid NY media and people who won’t pick you up in their cabs: We could have been something special. Best of luck, you’ll surely need it.

Sincerely,

303SportsFan

PS: If it were up to me, I’d try and trade you to the Clips.