Now, more than ever, we’re looking at life after the National Basketball Association, and life with the National Benjamins Association.

Today’s report from ESPN’s Chris Broussard that Carmelo Anthony might be dealt from the Denver Nuggets in preparation for the summer of 2011 could signal the beginning of the end of the NBA as we like it.

Or, maybe, just the continuation of the end.

While dishing Knicks basketball with a buddy of mine over GChat the other day, the following roster came up as a possibility for opening night:

PG - Chris Paul

SG - Joe Johnson

SF - Bill Walker

PF - Amare Stoudemire

C - Emeka Okafor

This would take signing Johnson and Paul, and dealing Chandler, Gallinari, Curry and picks to the Hornets for Paul and Okafor.

Yes, that’s a starting five with just one 2009-10 Knick, and zero - that’s right, zero - opening night 2009 Knicks.

LeBron James might bounce from Cleveland, Bosh is leaving Toronto, Wade could leave Miami, Amare is headed out of Phoenix, Dirk may leave the Lone Star State, JJ is out of Atlanta, Boozer is leaving Utah …

Is this really a professional basketball league any more, or a real-life fantasy basketball league?

Listen, I’m all for the players exercising their rights. If I was an NBAer, I’d look to sign a contract at the spot that netted me the most cash, or the best chance to win a championship. There’s nothing wrong there.

The system as a whole, though, is crumbling at the seams.

Seven of the league’s 25 best players - and, maybe, five of the league’s 10 or 15 best players - could jump ship next year.

The Nets just dealt Yi for some guy that nobody has ever heard of to score $3M in cap space.

Draft night was equitable to a volatile night at the NYSE.

And not, ‘Melo, who isn’t going to be a free agent until next summer, might get dealt by the Nuggets in anticipation of his declaring to be a free agent.

I love the NBA, perhaps as much as I love the NFL. The pace of the games, the superstars, the slam dunks, the playoffs, the All Star game, the three point contest, (not the slam dunk contest), the Finals. But I HATE how much players move, and I don’t think I’m alone.

Look at the 90s. Stockton and Malone WERE Utah. Jordan and Pippen WERE Chicago. Ewing WAS New York. Reggie WAS Indiana. The Glove WAS Seattle. Not until late in their careers, when this new climate started to come about, did these aging stars venture to destinations unknown to pick up a few more paychecks.

Again, the capitalistic - albeit halted by a socialistic cap - nature of professional sports is in the best interest of the athletes. And for the NBA, up until a few years ago, it was enticing part of the game. And free agency hasn’t always left such a black mark on the league.

But I can’t be a fan of a sport where free agency is BIGGER than the sport. Where offseason excitement is BIGGER than postseason excitement. Where a team (the Knicks) punts THREE SEASONS in anticipation of having the chance to SIGN a few guys to BUY a championship.

I won’t stop watching. I won’t stop analyzing. I won’t temper my excitement if the Knicks win big tomorrow.

But if the NBA turns into a carousel of players trading jerseys every three or four years, I’ll look back at July 1, 2010, as the day that basketball died.