[2015-2016] Jeremy Lin as a Charlotte Hornet

His minutes fluctuate because of the player he is. I know his fan base loves to hold on to games like last night but those moments are few and far between. Lin is what he is. He will give you a night or two every month where he goes into 'Linsanity' mode but reality is he's a dime a dozen scorer off the bench. Poor handles, meh defender, poor bball IQ but if he gets hot he can score. Poor man's Crawford was close (although Crawford has great ball handling skills). Good teammate and that honestly will keep him in the league.

 

Lin is 27 and will be hitting has prime 2 or 3 years as a professional basketball player barring any major injuries. It will be very interesting to see if he will improved a little or a lot is his overall skill set or will he stay the same.

How do all you lofs, lofhs, and others feel where lin's NBA skills is going the next few years?

My opinion is he has improved each season in a certain part of his game and I believe he is really to be together all his skills to be a Kyle Lowry type player in the next 2 to 3 seasons.

 

I'd say more of a Jamal Crawford type. Which is fine. He's a specialist.

Like specialist shot blockers or rebounders (Chris Anderson). Specialist defenders (like Bev), specialist 3 point shooters (Kapono, Korver)

Specialists always have a place in the league. Lin will be fine. He just needs to carve out a niche for himself.

 

Mike D'Antoni said that Lin has the skills and the BBIQ to be a solid NBA player, but that put him in the right system and he would be great. His stats fluctuate because he has been used in so many different ways, but his minutes don't actually fluctuate much because his coaches in Charlotte are satisfied with his contributions. The only time his minutes decrease in Charlotte is when everybody is healthy and everyone can play the roles they are supposed to (in Lin's case, it's be the 2nd unit PG)...but when people are injured, Lin can step in as a starter or backup at either G position, and has actually spent time at SF.

IMHO, he and Crawford are only similar in their versatility. Crawford is a way better shooter (Crawford is the kind of shooter that you get surprised when he misses), and Lin is a way better penatrator and passer.

 

That's true. Crawford makes some RIDICULOUS shots, like its a video game.

Crawford's game reminds me of a street baller. Just so smooth. More playground style than "organized ball". It's hard to describe.. but thats what comes to mind when I watch him play. Just plays so differently than most other NBA players.

Anyway, I agree. Crawford is a much better shooter. And at this point in his career, Lin is definitely better at penetrating to the basketball hoop

 

Lin's skills are fine and have probably developed as much as they will. If he's happy in Charlotte, he'll keep this role as versatile 6th man there and be what we see him as today. If he leaves, he'll go somewhere to start, and if the system and the team chemistry is right, he's good enough to play that role on a playoff-bound team...

 

I agree, I don't think Lin will see a huge jump in skill.

He will probably maintain this current level of play for the next 3 years IMO.

 

No chance on being like Lowry. He is what you are seeing now. What could really help him is improving his ball handling. Needs a lot of work on his left hand. That would cut down on his turnovers too.

I also think he should stay in a small market like Charlotte. I think that better suits his personality. If he can fly under the radar that helps. He doesn't respond well to the "big lights" imo

 

Charlotte is a good place for him. If you tale him at face value and know the player you are getting then it's much easier to get contribition.

Disagree here. I have watched Crawford since Michigan (I am from Detroit) and he is a very streaky shooter. He will shoot you in and out of games (much like Lin) but is far better at getting to the basket. Lin is a better passer

 

yeah because starting in Madison Square Garden to a sold-out crowd = doesn't respond well to the 'big lights'

Lin needs the ball in his hands in order to perform, that's why he's inconsistent. Put Kyle Lowry in a corner and he won't be as good as he is.
Problem is no team is willing to have Lin as their primary ball handler/scorer (Rockets, Lakers) because he can play really bad sometimes.

 

Would be interesting to see where he lands next season. And how he performs in comparison to this season.

On that note, I don't think Houston's lights were "too big". Especially after "Linsanity" in New York. Sure, Linsanity was flukey. But my point is, it's not because of the "bright lights" Lin didn't do as well in Houston, as he did in NY. It's because Linsanity itself was flukey.

I don't count the Lakers because that organization has been run terribly the past 4-5 years; all the way from the top management down. Dwight Howard had one of his worst seasons in his career there in 2012-2013. The Lakers are a dump now and just not conducive to a team and its players performing optimally.

They are poorly run, and making a terrible impersonation of the perpetually tanking 76ers.

 

Jeremy Lamb fell off the face of the earth. Daniels should really be getting more minutes.

 

Lamb sucked in the last few weeks, plus he got kinda injured. Daniels' D is really bad but his 3 is just amazing. He's the black Steve Novak

 

Big chance he will stay with Hornets.

Hornets gave Lamb a 7M/per year contract. I don't see why they can't give a similar one (7m-8m) to Lin.

Of course some other teams might offer him a starting spot and a bigger contract so he leaves, but I don't see many teams willing to do so.

 

Re-signing Batum needs to be their first priority. He's going to get PAID this off-season.

 

How much more can he get? He is paid 11.8 mil a year.

 

Big chance he'll opt out.

Lamb's contract is just horrible. not sure they'll give Lin more than 5M

And if he stays, he'll still play behind Kemba. Lin wants to start and it's not like the Hornets are contenders. Nic Batum might not re-sign as well.

 

Lamb is only making 3 mil, you must mean Marvin Williams.

 

Lamb got a new contract early this year and I think he's making around 7M per year for 3 years.

If we're not trolling and having an actual BB discussion, I think Lin has cut down his turnovers and become better defensively. His shooting has not been good this year but supposedly he changed his shooting mechanics.

I read that he has started 12 times this year for Charlotte and is averaging 18.1ppg in those starts. I think over the last 5 years of his career he has probably started enough games that it is valid to consider his average over all his starts, including his first year in Houston. Someone more committed than me can look that up, but if I had to guess, I'd say as a starter he is maybe around 15 ppg for his career and that he probably has 200+ starts(including 82 his first season with the Rockets).

The problem with Lin is that his bad games look terrible and stick in your mind. He's had enough 20+ pt games in his career that it's not a fluke. However, the question is if someone hands him a starting PG job, can he produce at the 15-16 ppg level for 82 games. Off the bench it's ok to only have a good game out of every 3. That's what people expect out of a bench player, even a decent 6th man, but as a starter he has to bring it every game.

 

Thanks all!!

I think the last page of posting pretty much provide us all what kind of player lin is now and going forward.

Everyone was pretty spot on with their take on lin's NBA skill set.

And no crazy trolling on by any extreme fans on either side.

We can all get along. Props for stros here....beat KC!!