How about this on the 4th when it mattered. Somebody nailed a dagger , and nuked dragic's drives to the lane with offensive foul. Who was it?
Dragic is having a great year. Lin would have comparable numbers if he were the #1 or #2 option and played a similar number of minutes. The gap between the two is not that big, and that's what makes the Rockets a difficult matchup. Lin presents matchup challenges for opposing teams and he isn't in the top 4 on their pecking order.
I agree. TBH, if Lin's contract is structured normally (8-8-8), it is fairly reasonable and tradable. But with 5-5-15 and the last yr balloon payment, it will be very hard for any team to swallow. I just don't see any team (if the ones that really want Lin) do it as they can always sign him to a more reasonable contract in two yrs (by that time, Lin might develop into a nice player). Trying to trade him (Asik as well) now, it is like asking other teams if they want to be a sucker and the Rockets' b****: we got all the benefits while you foot the bill :grin: The only way he will be traded is to get back some garbages. Would the Rockets do it? Unlikely. So this is I think why the thread is totally unwanted. This thread won't generate any meanfuling discussion how the Rockets can develop and improve (right now it is rated two stars, if it is up to, zero). For those of you who want Lin to be traded (for whatever reason), just give it up already. It is most likely that Lin is here to stay for this season and next.
The numbers are clear: Patrick Beverley deserves to start over Jeremy Lin As true today as it was then. Your point? Healthy or not, Dragic was better than Lin then and is today. That's not hate... that's just reality.
Cluth do you think Lin should be traded or he is still an important piece to this team if it was to contend?
He's an important part of the team -- especially if he plays with the aggression we saw recently more consistently -- but like Asik, it's his salary that I think makes him a trade candidate. That salary/contract also makes him difficult to trade. You would need to find a good city/team for his marketability, a team that needs a point guard and a team that is likely not contending (willing to give Jeremy a large role).
Clutch: are you trolling?:grin: Not good... Not good at all.... I agree that Dragic is better than Lin right now. There is no argument there at all. But they are quite similar at the same stage of their development. Lin now is a lot like Dragic three or four seasons ago, inconsistent, lack of confidence, some brilliant games then disappeared for a few, playing well against Spurs :grin:. There is a reason why Suns traded him to us. I don't know how well Lin will be a few yrs down the road. I guess time will tell. But I won't bet against him being a good player in a few yrs though given his workethics. Lin has a lot of skills and what he lacks right now is experience, confidence, and savy. Those will often come with experience and time.
This is exactly what I have been saying. The market for Lin is very limited. No current contenders would want Lin and not many lottery teams would throw that kind of money at him. It is best for the Rockets that Lin accepts his bench role (which I think he has) and plays with aggression irrespective of the number of minutes he is given. He is a role player on this team and minutes for role players fluctuate from game to game. If they play well, they will see good minutes, if not, they will be benched for large periods. That's all.
Clutch...how do you come to that conclusion? Dragic was a 14.7, 7.4 guy who shot .443 and 319. Lin a 13.4, 6.1 who shot .441 and .339. And of course the obligatory...Lin wasn't allowed to play PG. Dragic is DEFINITELY playing great ball now but I'm not sure the results don't flip if they traded teams.
It's just really obvious. Dragic is faster, quicker, and more dangerous on the break. He plays with a confidence and can dictate the game better. I can't speak for the numbers because I haven't really analyzed them but I can tell you it's obvious from watching them play. At the NBA level the differences between greatness and good and average aren't always obvious to a lot of people. All of these guys can ball. All of them are good. Lin is a good player. There's no doubt about it. He can ball. But Dragic is on another level. If Dragic were on this team, he'd be starting over Bev. But he's not. And will not be. So it's a useless point. We have Lin, and I don't regret that. He's part of the team. He's a likable guy. He works hard. And when he plays with confidence and faith in himself, he does well. I see Lin on the level of a Steve Blake more than a Dragic. That's not bad at all for a guy that wasn't drafted. But I don't like how people seem to have such unrealistic expectations of him and rip apart anyone who doesn't agree that Lin is star material. I mean, Lin is the 6th man on a contending team, he's got a pretty sweet gig. He gets to play 30 minutes a game unless he sucks it up badly. And he's slowly seems to be getting comfortable. His team mates like him, his coach likes him, and I think that's enough. But it's not enough for a lot of people. And that's a shame. I think Lin is a Rocket until his contract is over at least. If he comes back will depend on whether he wants to sign on to play for a lot less in a back-up role. But he will be free to go wherever he wants. I bet he doesn't pick a place where he will be the best player on that team though.
i dunno, health should matter. hell, i am a better player than kobe when he tore his achilles... well, maybe not.
that's interesting. i think lin is more athletic than dragic. lin has a faster first step and can finish at the basket better. dragic is a better jump shooter and just plain tougher. what elite skills do you think dragic has?
If you had a chance to watch the games that Dragic played with Sun (he was unfortunately stucked behind a Hall-of-Fame much like Lin stucked behind JH), what you described about Lin can be easily applied to Dragic at that time as well. So whether in a few yrs Lin'll develop into the level that Dragic has now is hard to predict. It is up to your oppinion or mine. It is toally upto how much Lin believes in himself and how much effort he puts himself in developping his skills. But I won't bet against it though as I stated in my previous post. So I disagree that those high expections are unrealistic. I agree with the rest of your assessment though.
Curious, if Lin was moved to a team that made him 1st or 2nd option, would that team instantly become a team to watch? Not like watch out, they're heading to the playoffs, but like you would add that team as one of your 5 teams to watch on league pass.
I wouldn't unless I happen to admire that team to begin with. I only care about Lin as long as he is on the Rockets. Outside of that, Linsanity means extremely little to me.