Lin to the Raptors a good idea? Lin Raptors Plan B? (168)

[Stahmenah_Vybz]

Jeremy Lin: Promising PG Would Be Linsane to Spurn Knicks for Raptors

Harvard’s prestige would plummet if Jeremy Lin signed with the Toronto Raptors. That was the headline of article I just came across on a Yahoosports.com. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...ks-for-raptors. This guy truly puts into perspective what many in the USA Sport world thinks of Canada when it comes to basketball and most sports for that matter. Are we truly that much poison where in Canada?

Is this guy even worth all the money that people are talking about throwing his way?

[Apollo]

With an anticipated $70 million tax level, the apron will come in around $74 million this summer.

One of the restrictions placed on teams above the apron was the smaller mid-level exception of about $3 million, while teams under the apron could have the larger mid-level exception of about $5 million. Since a team above the apron can't offer more than $3 million in a mid-level contract, the converse is also true: a team that offers more than $3 million in a mid-level contract can't subsequently exceed the apron.

The consequences are potentially devastating for teams with payrolls below the apron. If a team spends more than $3 million of its mid-level exception, then the apron becomes a hard cap for the remainder of the season. If you're a General Manager trying to assemble a winning roster, "hard cap" is an ugly, ugly phrase.

Keeping that in mind, the Knicks are in a unique situation regarding their mid-level exception -- and it's all because of Lin, a restricted free agent. While the Knicks can sign him to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception of about $3 million or below, anything above that would create a hard cap. Lin is likely going to demand his maximum of about $5 million for two main reasons: 1.) While he may not have that much basketball value right now, teams will be drawn to bringing Linsanity to their city; and 2.) Because other teams are going to know that the Knicks will be hard-capped if Lin re-signs for $3 million or more, they'll press them to match at about $5 million.

If the Knicks do, they'll still be able to re-sign him because he's a restricted free agent. In fact, because he has that status, the Knicks and Lin could agree to an offer sheet even before other teams bid for his services. And the Knicks can match any number because of the Gilbert Arenas provision, which prevents other teams from offering too much.

Currently, the Knicks are below the apron, so they'll be hoping and praying that Lin signs an offer sheet for $3 million or less. If the Knicks keep Lin at that amount (and they don’t use their bi-annual exception), they won't be capped at $74 million, and they can later go above the apron. Therefore, they could make trades that take on lots of additional salary, but they will still have to pay tax if their team salary is above the tax line (no transactions exempt a team from potentially paying tax).

While Lin's agent, Roger Montgomery, will have a fiduciary responsibility to his client to get him the best deal possible, he'll know the eventual suitor will be the Knicks. Therefore, Montgomery could ask Lin to do the Knicks a favor and take $2 million less and sign for about $3 million, in order to give the team salary-cap flexibility. By staying in New York, Lin would be make up the difference off the court by being a hot name in the No. 1 media market. What Montgomery will have to watch out for is the Knicks saying, "Sign with us for $3 million and we'll promise to take care of you later." It's that promise to take care of a player later that gets teams into trouble.

Source: ESPN.com

[wallz]

Well he's obviously worth a shot for the right amount of money. But he's gonna be looking for a bigger paycheck than I feel comfortable with the raps giving. Too high risk for the high price tag

[ceez]

Jose's PER is 16.73. Just throwing that out there.

totally minor stuff and i'm not saying Lin is better than Jose or the savior of the raps or anything, but it is what it is.

[ceez]

for instance,

Lin averaged 14.6 pts 6.2 assist 3.1 rebounds and 3.6 TO per game with a 19.97 PER
Kyrie averaged 18.5 pts 5.4 assists 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 TO per game with a 21.49 PER

granted Kyrie has a much bigger body of work, scored 4 more points and has a slightly higher PER, but Lin didn't do too bad, realistically. He actually averaged more assists. notice the turnover differential.

[ceez]

i dunno

the reality is when he took the knicks on that wild playoff clinching carpet ride he only actually had 2 or 3 bad games. sure he turned the ball over a bunch, but he's a rookie, and that's generally something rookie point guards do. i personally don't think he'll ever end up a genuine all-star (i say genuine because i have no doubt china will vote him in) but i wouldn't go writing him off so quick as everyone on the board is.

i'd take him if they got him for relatively cheap, but i seriously wouldn't put throw a wild contract at him. i'm in the "sign nash!" crowd and there's a few other pg's id rather see them pursue... but i wouldn't have a total meltdown if they signed Lin.

[wallz]

frankly speaking, fuck Lin. I never bought into the hype and I don't think he'd do anything for us. I don't care what team he goes to as long as it isn't the Raptors, he's not that exciting to watch play and he's not really relevant anymore.. You heard stories about him for like 2 weeks then it died, so I feel like that's how it'd be with any sort of fan base he'd generate in T.O.

Exactly. Who knows how good he will be. He's a decent score first point guard at best

[Ryan_1523]

frankly speaking, fuck Lin. I never bought into the hype and I don't think he'd do anything for us. I don't care what team he goes to as long as it isn't the Raptors, he's not that exciting to watch play and he's not really relevant anymore.. You heard stories about him for like 2 weeks then it died, so I feel like that's how it'd be with any sort of fan base he'd generate in T.O.

[Holy Craptors]

Raptors interested in Lin? (Business Insider)

Not sure if this has already been posted somewhere:

Full article here.

The Toronto Raptors are seriously interested in bringing Jeremy Lin and all of his marketing power up north, according to a New York Daily News report (via CBS Sports). They like him and what he'd do for their attendance, but Toronto would have to "back-load" an offer to the restricted free agent, paying him gazillions in the final couple of years of a deal, and hope that the Knicks would not match.

The same report states it's a forgone conclusion the Knicks will match any offer, no matter how many millions are thrown on the back end of it. As we've said before, high marketability and all, any team considering Lin needs to figure out if he's actually as good as he played this past season or if he's simply a flash in the pan.

Which means that if the Knicks match an offer, they'll be left with yet another terrible contract in a few years.

Is this far-fetched?

[Bendit]

I agree. Dolan will match and go over into luxury territory because of all the ancillary revenue Lin can produce for him. As a eastern rival though I wouldnt mind making it tough/sweat on the decision.

[Apollo]

The Knicks have so much money that you shouldn't discredit the idea that Dolan may be willing to pay tax.

[Bendit]

I believe you are going to have to go mid level at least and this NY will match. To beat NY we shall have to backload his deal in subsequent years above the mid level which forces the Knicks to divest themselves of a valuable current asset eg. a Chandler to create the cap room. Is Lin really worth (on the basketball court only) about 8 mil./per for say 4 years.

Does anyone have a feel for his defensive capabilities? I dont. My own opinion is I think we can take better risks especially when we have Jose already and we also have other needs. Besides we dont know who we will be drafting.

[Apollo]

You don't back end load a contract with $20M over two years to have him hold the clip board. If the Raptors give Lin big time money they need to start him. That's my opinion and I feel that way because such a crazy move would need to be validated to the fans and the investors. I smell the stink of the Skip(Alston) contract all over this one. I really hope they don't go here. I like Lin but I don't like his inflated market value.

[thead]

I agree with you. The only point was in the case he plays behind Calderon huge plus...if he plays behind Nash an even bigger plus. I do consider it HIGHLY unlikely he plays behind Nash though

[Apollo]

I see little chance that the Raptors land both Nash and Lin. The Knicks will secure Lin if they can't get Nash. That's my view on it.