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I write this as someone who appreciates the fact Milwaukee guard Brandon Jennings seems to love the game, and life in general, and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Jennings is a hard-worker with a great attitude, someone who keeps basketball fun.

But for the sake of the league, he needs to be careful, even when joking.

I’m referring to Jennings’ recent comments about someday forming yet another “Big Three,” with fellow second-year guards Stephen Curry (Golden State) and Tyreke Evans (Sacramento).

Obviously, that would never work. It would consist of too many players who play the same position and the same style.

Obviously, Jennings’ comments were made in jest — as he was discussing current trios such as Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh in Miami, and Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston.

In fact, here is exactly what Jennings told the reporter, who works for celebrity gossip website TMZ:

“Everybody’s doing different stuff now. You know, everybody’s teaming up now, trying to beat Kobe [Bryant]. Like Miami, you got the Big Three there. You got the Big Three in Boston. So I guess me, Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry should all call each other in the next two years and try to hook up and play on the same team, I guess. … Everybody’s teaming up, so there’s not going to be no more competing. Everybody’s playing for each other. I guess in three years, like I said, me and Steph and Tyreke should do the same thing.”

At the very least, Jennings is likely to receive a “talking-to” from NBA commissioner David Stern. He might even get fined.

In Jennings’ defense, he certainly wasn’t aware these comments would take on a life of their own (as things often do in The Internet Age).

But this is a sensitive time for the NBA. While league officials will never admit it, and whether it’s right or wrong, many fans outside of Miami view James as a villain for joining Miami, especially in the manner in which he did. Again, right or wrong, that’s the truth of the matter. The league’s two-time MVP is now largely despised.

Then came word that New Orleans star Chris Paul wanted traded.

Now comes word that Denver star Carmelo Anthony wants the same.

Now everyone is talking about Paul and Anthony joining Amare Stoudemire in New York.

On and on it goes, as the NBA is sadly becoming a league built around trade rumors and player movement, as opposed to actual basketball.

This may be one reason sources within the league say the NBA’s popularity has been dwindling in China, as well as a few other regions around the globe. The perceived selfishness (some would even call it cowardliness) of the league’s stars has also turned off plenty of casual American fans.

Like it or not, that’s what is happening.

Are stars like Anthony, Paul and James to blame? Partially. Is the media to blame for constantly badgering players about Where Will You Go Next? Yep.

Are fans also to blame for craving this type of information, frequenting websites that could be viewed as basketball’s version of TMZ? You had better believe it.

Fans love rumors, the media loves reporting them, and the players love creating them. It’s all about being in the spotlight.

The league realizes this isn’t a healthy way to go about business. It is now hard at work, again, on image repair.

So while Jennings’ comments were mostly innocent, they were the kind that can make a lot of fans roll their eyes and walk away from the pro game. Not his comments alone, mind you — but along with all the other stuff, it is beginning to look like the tail is wagging the dog in the NBA.

The NBA isn’t going to allow that, even if it’s in perception only.

As great of a guy as Jennings is, he and the others are probably going to learn that soon enough. Remember, this is a league that instituted a dress code for its players. Can a gag order be far behind?

Probably not. But even more than the players, the NBA is about the fans. And the NBA will always have the fans’ best interest in mind — even at the expense of the players. After all, regardless of industry, you need to please the buying public more than the people whom you are paying.

NBA officials know that and will certainly take the necessary steps to make sure it is always the case, whether the players like it or not.