ruruland:
I don’t understand why staunch Lin “lovers” believe people like Z-Man “hate” Lin. To point out Lin’s small sample of games and the idea of diminishing value are imminently fair. It’s odd to me that “Lin” supporters get so defensive when even though those who question his ability understand why letting him go was such a poor decision.

I agree some fans swing too far when objecting to reasonable views why not matching Lin was acceptable. Lin inspired an exceptional emotional connection with fans with what he did and how he did it. He’s hope for next season personified. And, it’s the nature of on-line debates that people argue against the poles even when responding to nuanced arguments.

I disagree with Z-man with how he sets his floor and ceiling for Lin. Z-man pegs Lin as just as likely to be a flash in the pan who regresses to waiver-wire wannabe as a quickly developing proto-Nash. Whereas I believe, with his sample size last season, Lin consistently did well enough against teams up to mid-level play-off caliber to show he’s reliably an above-average PG now. If his PG development gets stuck, his plateau outlook is Ginobili/Harden-type combo guard. In the unlikely event Lin regresses, the worst he will be is a better version of the Mavs Barea. His ceiling, of course, is Nash. Whether floor, plateau, or ceiling version, Lin would have been a key ingredient in a deep Knicks play-off run. Even if Lin’s ball-handling is stuck, Woodson’s system and Kidd would have mitigated it versus elite defenses while holding onto Lin’s game-changing potential.

So, the Knicks big mistake is losing Lin without plausibly replacing the ingredient he represented. If the Knicks had added another scoring, playmaking type of guard to replace him, losing Lin would have made more sense. Felton isn’t that type of game changer.

slovene knick:
Just read the David Robinson article. Younger generation should read it too. Totally different league, time, place, business, universe.

I respect younger players taking the incentive and taking what belongs to them….but they lose the aureola in the process.

I have nothing but respect for Mr. David Robinson and the era he played the game in!

For me the Knicks today are hard to root for…but to be honest 2002-2009 was waaaay harder.

I respect younger players taking the incentive and taking what belongs to them….but they lose the aureola in the process.

I have nothing but respect for Mr. David Robinson and the era he played the game in!

For me the Knicks today are hard to root for…but to be honest 2002-2009 was waaaay harder.

I actually really liked Dantoni but it was clear that it just wasn’t going to work for him in NY. I watched him do his thing with Nash and Amare with the Suns. It was sad to see him go out that way but everything was for the best and if the reports are true that he maybe interested in teaching College Basketball I wish him well and I think he would thrive there.

In regards to Zmans post I find that they do not provide enough perspective or detail from what I can remember. A quick example is the statement that he showed a downward statistical trend post All Star Break which isn’t quite true. Not going to get into the nitty gritty details of it.

In regards to your statement that letting him go was a poor decision. I feel it was a necessary decision. After JR’s comments (which I feel was more of a strategic business move but harsh nonetheless) and Melo’s comments (which were overblown) it was clear that Lin had to leave. Adding Felton with Lin Kidd and Prig would have been a lot of drama with multiple quality point guards on the roster and the NY media would have had a field day with it. I liked Lin the basketball player but by no fault of his own, unfortunately he brought along with him way to much attention and media hype and I think this team is due for a drama-less season with no blockbuster trades and no Linsanity. From a purely basketball perspective (this is where I agree with you that it was a poor decision) I wanted to roll with Lin over Felton, I felt that Lin was a better guard and would live up to the sum of his contract as he grew and improved as a player. I was really excited to see Lin and Melo play together, that 7 game stretch under Woodson was the best knicks basketball I had seen all year (greater than Linsanity and melo’s april) but alas it shall not be. But, the former I think was the necessary decision to make over the latter unfortunately.

I don’t see any reason to “hate” D’Antoni, even though I strongly disagree with his coaching style and overall philosophy. He’s still quite clearly a great coach and his offensive system changed the NBA. That fact that he did not change his team to fit the personnel on it was his decision, and he’s moving on for it, and I think happily so.

I don’t understand why staunch Lin “lovers” believe people like Z-Man “hate” Lin. To point out Lin’s small sample of games and the idea of diminishing value are imminently fair. It’s odd to me that “Lin” supporters get so defensive when even though those who question his ability understand why letting him go was such a poor decision.

Not getting into the Melo Amar’e stuff.

hoolahoop: I understand that you fanboys you will not like my comments. Tough shit. Pass the ball.

lol, now I’m a fanboy. If I’m a fanboy, you’re a troll.

I’d like to address your “if all fans were like me” point. I call bullshit. Most fans wanted the Knicks to keep Jeremy Lin and almost nobody thinks we made the right move. This fanbase absolutely loved (and still loves) Jeremy Lin. Ownership didn’t care. Please explain why you think “if all fans were like that, the knicks would have a better team now” when we have one of the worst owners in sports.

massive: I’m just informing you that your posts are antagonizing and argumentative, not constructive (nor do they differentiate from each other very much). That makes you a troll to me.

I understand that you fanboys you will not like my comments. Tough shit. Pass the ball.

And when did I tell you how to be a fan? I could care less if you’ve been a fan for decades or if you’ve been a fan since Melo got here. I’m just informing you that your posts are antagonizing and argumentative, not constructive (nor do they differentiate from each other very much). That makes you a troll to me.

massive: You said that you want to be a Nets fan) and that Carmelo is helping you let go of the Knicks), as if they’re doing any better than us. You hate Carmelo Anthony’s contract? How about the 80 or so million dollars they owe Joe Johnson. The $40 million they owe Gerald Wallace, or the 5 year max deal they just gave D-Will who came off his worst year and a half since his rookie season. (check BK ref and thenbageek.com if you don’t believe me)

1 – I never said I was switching to become a Nets fan. I said melo makes it easier for me to detach myself from the knicks, and I look forward to watching, and rooting, for the Nets this season. I’ve probably been a knicks fan long before you were born and may have been to more games at the garden – and the old garden, that you’ve seen on tv. Don’t tell me how to be a fan.
2- it’s not melo’s contract that I dislike. It’s his egotistical attitude. His idea that he can do it all alone because of his false over-confidence. It’s his refusal to play a team concept style of moving the ball and playing tough, hard nosed defense.

Defending melo by calling me a troll doesn’t make melo stop being a ball stopper. “sticky fingers” as coach Karl put it. “learning to trust his teammates” and Magic Johnson put it. I guess they’re trolls, too.

That’s his style and that’s all he knows, but that doesn’t change the underachieving results. As a fan, I demand 100% effort and playing smart winning basketball. If all fans were like that, the knicks would have a better team now.