Every media member and NBA fan has weighed in on the Jeremy Lin/Raymond Felton debate. We’ve even offered up our own two cents on the issue, but we wanted to wait until judgment day before having two of our writers with divergent opinions butt heads. With the clock ticking down to midnight tonight and the Knicks’ decision looming, one of the biggest free agent sagas of this offseason will finally come to a close. So, we ask: Jeremy Lin or Raymond Felton?
RAYMOND FELTON
Today, July 17, 2012, Raymond Felton is a better basketball player than Jeremy Lin. Since Ray starts the season at 28 years old and Lin at 24, a few years of development (or a few years of gaining weight if you’re looking at it from the anti-Felton side) can change that, but according to the Knicks’ offseason strategy, a few years is a long time to wait. New York wants to win a title NOW, and the better option to make that happen is Raymond Felton.
The most glaring difference between the two is on the defensive side of the ball. Felton is as passionate and tenacious as they come. He might not set the world on fire, but he is a more than competent veteran defender who can be trusted on the floor at any point of the game. At this stage of their careers, Lin might be a tad quicker, but Ray always finds a way to keep his man in front of him and plays even better D in transition than he does on the perimeter. I’m not saying that he is a reliable post defender, but a bigger guard is much more likely to head to the block against Lin than Felton. Ray has always worn his heart on his sleeve and wouldn’t think twice about missing playoff games when claiming his knee is 85 percent healthy. And while we’re on the topic of injuries, I have a hard time believing that Lin will ever sniff playing a full 82 game season. The way he throws his body around in the paint is downright reckless, but because of his size he has to keep playing that way to be effective.
We all know the Knicks have enough offense, so what’s the point of adding a point guard who will command a maximum volume of touches? While I do believe that Lin is the better offensive option, and will only improve, I think it would be foolish to take those looks away from ‘Melo and Amar’e. Like everyone else in the league, New York’s dynamic duo needs someone to take the scoring load off of them, but J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert (once healthy), Steve Novak, and yes, Raymond Felton are competent enough to get the job done without having to add Lin. Plus, at least Felton knows how to use his left hand. Some of the bigger perimeter-defending guards in the league were able to lock Lin down with relative ease last year, and I can promise you that Ray won’t find himself struggling to bring the ball up the court against Mario Chalmers at anytime over the next three years.
I’m utterly shocked at the droves of Knicks fans calling in to local radio stations to all of a sudden show interest in a salary cap that only Donnie Walsh has paid any attention to in the past 15 years. However, as much as ditching Lin for Felton is a financial move, it’s just as much a legitimate basketball move too. Ray Felton will play twice as much defense for half the price and is a battle-tested veteran who won’t have to set the team back by learning on the fly all year long. He may not be the better player statistically, but for right now, he’s a much better fit. Who would you want leading your squad into the playoffs, an unproven third year player with only 25 starts under his belt, or a trusty veteran heading into his eighth season who has wanted nothing more than to be in New York all summer? I applaud the Knicks organization for finally making a basketball move instead of signing the guy who will move the most merchandise. In a perfect world, both would be suiting up in blue and orange for the next few years, but if I could only have one or the other, I’m taking the proven vet.
-Kevin Smith
Jeremy Lin
If there were ever a player in the NBA that was too good for his own good, it’s Jeremy Lin. Don’t get me wrong, I know he’s no All-Star player just yet, but he has still become a star nonetheless. In relation to what was expected of him, Jermey Lin soared above and beyond last season. It’s safe to say nobody expected him to play the way he did, and that’s exactly why the situation has reached the point it’s at now.
As much as Carmelo Anthony says he would love to see Lin back in New York, it’s hard to believe he’s serious. Here’s a guy that was brought to New York to be the center of attention and then (although it was because of injury) suddenly found himself on the outside of the circle. Jeremy Lin upstaged Anthony in a way that was almost indirectly disrespectful. It got to the point where fans were really considering if the Knicks were a better team without Carmelo on the floor. Things certainly looked so for a good amount of time. In the absence of both ‘Melo and Amare Stoudemire, D’antoni’s offense was finally clicking, and Lin was the centerpiece. The Knicks were winning games, a star was being born, and all was good in NYC, until the actual stars returned.
If you think about the way the events transpired, once Carmelo returned from his injury, “Linsanity” took a plunging decline. Many questioned if the two players would be able to co-exist being that there was only one basketball. In his return, it was clear that Carmelo’s rhythm was off, and he went overboard trying to look unselfish. Well, that’s not how Carmelo plays. Eventually he would need his spotlight back. Thankfully (for him) D’antoni was let go, Lin suffered an injury, and New York was Carmelo’s kingdom once again.
Lin would end up sitting for the rest of the season due to his injury, however he was never actually ruled out. The possibility of his return always lingered. Surely, if he had returned in the first round of the playoffs against Miami, and lead the team to a win or two, “Linsanity” would have been right back where it was at the height of his success. The Knicks would’ve had the same problem they had before, and this time they wouldn’t have been able to get bailed out of the situation by an injury or another coaching change. Being that he was never ruled out, he probably could have played if they really wanted him to. However, rather than exposing him to the bright lights of the NBA Playoffs, and giving him another opportunity to outshine ‘Melo once again and become the deciding factor between a win or a loss, they decided it was better to leave him in street clothes.
New York has announced that they have acquired Raymond Felton, a proven starting point guard who is familiar with the nuances of New York basketball. Felton is a very solid and consistent player. You know exactly what you’re going to get with him. He’s good for at least six assists per game and has never averaged more than three turnovers per game in a season. He’s a real point guard’s point guard. In his only season with New York, prior to being dealt for ‘Melo, he averaged an astounding 17 points and nine assist per game, by far his best season as a pro. So when you look at the decision on paper, there’s no question it makes good sense.
However, bringing Felton back to town would ultimately mean the Knicks have to part ways with Lin. The Houston Rockets offered Lin a “ridiculous” (as Carmelo Anthony would call it) three-year, $25.1 million deal that the Knicks have the option to match until 11:59 pm tonight, but with Felton coming to town, many see it as a very slight possibility.
Although Felton is a very solid point guard, and deserves to be a starter, Jeremy Lin is a project. The Knicks just brought in veteran Jason Kidd who seemed more than excited to help develop that project. Now that Felton is coming back, that relationship is interrupted. Rather than judging Lin’s potential upon his flashes of brilliance, the Knicks are judging him on his relationship with Carmelo, which seems to be sweet on the surface, but sour behind closed doors. Carmelo knows he needs the basketball to be the player he is, and now that Lin has had his taste of the spotlight, it would be difficult for him to go back to being a non-factor offensively.
The fact that Jeremy Lin stole the hearts of New York fans for a quick second means matching his offer is too dangerous of a gamble to take in their eyes. Knick fans love Jeremy Lin for filling the void and rising above expectations the way he did last season. His merchandise sales and fan support were through the roof, and it was all unexpected. It took the Knicks organization as well as Carmelo Anthony by surprise, and since they were completely blindsided by his success and striking popularity, they have to avoid the situation altogether because they don’t know how to deal with it.
That is why Jeremy Lin is better than Raymond Felton. Sure Felton is a better player on paper, has had a way better career, and is much more solid and consistent. But those flashes of “Linsanity” make you believe that Jeremy Lin has the potential to be a franchise point guard and team leader. He’s only played one season, and with experience along with the teachings of Jason Kidd, who knows how good he could become. The Knicks are too afraid that Lin has the potential to become their most popular player. Obviously that would make Carmelo Anthony feel uncomfortable and disrespected. The threat of that alone is enough for them to choose Felton over him. At the end of the day, the Knicks have to protect their investments so Carmelo Anthony must be comfortable. If that means Mike D’antoni and Jeremy Lin have to go, then so be it. After all, Carmelo Anthony is a bad man, so you can’t fault the Knicks for making that decision.
-Jaimie Canterbury
Who do you like: Jeremy Lin or Raymond Felton?
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