Now that the preseason has been underway for a week, and every team has played a game, I thought I would just drop you this little note.  There's a few things that just aren't entirely clear to me which I thought you might be able to help clear up.  Since I know that, more than anything else, you are concerned about the fans having confidence in the integrity of the competition in the league, I'm sure these questions are near and dear to your heart.

I have noticed that Darius Miles apparently isn't on anyone's training camp roster, Mr. Stern.  As a fan who has implicit confidence in the league office upholding equal opportunity for all, this concerns me greatly.

It was evident last year that Mr. Miles could have a home with a team that was looking to improve themselves on the court.  He was able to gain a spot in the top 12 players (active roster) of one of the most respected of NBA franchises, a franchise manifestly motivated to put the best product on the court at all times.  Clearly, this man's career is not over.

This makes it even more troubling that he cannot even gain a spot on the training camp roster of any team anywhere in the league.  We know that training camp rosters can be up to 20 players.  Surely, if Mr. Miles were one of the top 12 on one of your fine franchises last year, he can crack the top 20, nay, top 15 on at least one team now.  In fact, we know he was so valuable last year that it was worth it for a team to put him on the active roster even while suspended so as to help him clear his suspension.  Are we now to believe that he doesn't even warrant an invite to any team's training camp?  One of your most esteemed GMs, in an unbiased statement which could have no ulterior motive, said, "Without question, he can play in this league."

Mr. Stern, it grieves me to ask this question, have the franchises of your league colluded to freeze out this fine player and gentleman?  Has Paul Allen bribed them to join in his franchise's spurious allegations about Mr. Miles' health?  I have searched for any other explanation of this, and can find none.

It is true that there are allegations about some off-court incident or other during the off-season.  I find it hard to believe that Mr. Miles could be involved in any such incidents, but even if it were so, and Mr. Miles were to sadly be suspended, it is evident that teams would be willing to overlook such things and work with Mr. Miles to overcome such an obstacle.  Based on recent history, it is obvious that inconveniences like this would not be a hindrance to resurrecting his career.  We know that teams could have no ulterior motives in such actions, but be driven by strict self-interest in improving their teams.

Mr. Stern, I have always been impressed by the league's willingness to acknowledge that the league's own doctor was wrong in Mr. Miles' case.  This was a wonderful maneuver.  If the doctor had said that Mr. Miles was fit to play, he would still have been on Portland's books, so they could have prevented him from playing for other teams, and even traded him as an expiring contract.  By the league doctor getting it wrong, Portland still pays his entire salary, became a luxury tax payer instead of recipient last year, and they lose cap space now.  Any possibility of Portland getting any benefit from the millions being paid to Mr. Miles was taken away by this wrong diagnosis by the league doctor.  This was actually a brilliant move on the part of the league which has obviously been beneficial, and gloriously, all negative consequences of this wrong diagnosis were born by Portland and none of them by the league.  Truly, sir, you do know your business..  It has allowed Mr. Miles to further his career, for he is obviously fit and healthy and able to play -- but now, there appears to be a conspiracy denying him again.  Will the league allow this to stand?

Sir, I am troubled by this situation.  If Mr. Miles cannot even make a training camp squad, the conspiracy theorists will have a field day.  Some may even float the ludicrous notion that Mr. Miles is not really healthy enough to play basketball, and that two of your franchises informally colluded to circumvent the intent of the CBA, one to hinder a competitor and the other to gain financially.  They will even point out that one of these franchises not only received an increased share in luxury tax of approximately $196K, but also benefited by significantly increasing the disbursement to low revenue teams. 

Such an absurd idea should never be countenanced, of course, but we know how things tend to spread, don't we?  There were reports earlier this summer that one of your franchises had made a brilliant financial move by signing and playing Mr. Miles, not because he helped the team, but because of the financial impact on Portland and the increased luxury tax which that franchise received.  You see how these things spread.  Even people in Memphis are going to start to suggest their goal isn't winning.

Do you really want to see Portland make an appeal to have the Miles cap space reinstated?  Do you realize, if they do, how difficult it will be to reject it while maintaining an appearance of even-handedness, if Miles can't even make a training camp roster?  Surely, this must be avoided.

I would urge you to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.  Find out who is blackballing Mr. Miles.  Inform the franchises that they are to play to win and so must give Mr. Miles his chance.  It is not too late.

Sir, there is another matter which I feel I need to bring to your attention.  It is the status of preseason games.  Sir, I was always under the impression that these did not count.  They are not included in season standings, statistics, etc.  But I was overjoyed last year to learn, in fact, that they do count and a player can "gain credit" for games played even while a suspension is hanging over his head (for which they don't count).  This lead me to think that the status of preseason games was changing, and that these non-counting games now "count".

This is a good thing.  I like preseason games, because the off-season seems to drag for a long time, in some years anyway.  But now, I am dismayed to find that not all preseason games are on LPBB.

Sir, how can we have confidence that we are being told the truth about who plays non-counting counting games if we cannot see them?  How will we know which teams are helping players to overcome scurrilous attempts to medically end their careers?  Again, the league's integrity could be called into question here.  Perhaps you could take action of some sort.

Sir, there is one other thing I must call to your attention.  We know how important it is that there be competition in the league, and that one team not be allowed to achieve total domination.  This would be especially true if that team were not in a major media market, for financial reasons which it is understood you should not discuss publicly.  That San Antonio situation will wind down soon, and it's about time.

Sir, I recognize the valiant attempts the league has made in the past year on this front, as one particular team seems to be building a powerhouse that could destroy any semblance of competition in the league for years to come.  I appreciate the noble efforts of the league on this front, extending to your medical staff providing faulty guidance, and to interesting and varying interpretations of the import of preseason games.  Truly, you are to be commended.

But sir, I watched the highlights on NBA.com the last two nights.  This situation is not going away.  Despite all you have done, it appears to be worsening.  More is needed, sir.  Their center is looking, well, pretty good, sir.  And you did notice that they managed to parlay the cap space they did have into a pretty good player.  Do you really want another "San Antonio" situation to develop, just as that one is nearing its end?  More is needed, sir, and perhaps soon. 

What happens if no team from California makes the Finals for years?  Do we really want to see that happen?  Do we?

With Warmest Wishes (www)

jscot of Blazersedge.com