Would you rather Lin or Bayless?

[Bendit]

The odds that in the long term Lin is a bonafide starting pg in the league is slim. That 3 teams passed on him/cut him before the Knicks must say something. All those talent evaluators could not see his qualities? JB on the other hand was a highly touted prospect and about mid lottery selection. Lin somewhat benefited by getting his opportunity when there was nothing to lose and the Knicks about to implode. The team played loose and well with bench players (Amare & Melo injured)...he went on a roll. I have doubts whether he can adjust especially when the pressure is on (at Harvard he did not play in a major conference).

I opt for Bayless. I think he is still learning the position and he has a quicker step than Lin. Dont care for the marketing aspect.

[JalenRose5]

I am a fan of both players! If I had no other PG choice, I would choose Lin. What he did during that winning streak is unbelievable. His turnover nature is quite displeasing to me, however I give him a pass because it was his first time ever on an international stage in the largest market in the world and he still managed to win games despite his turnovers. It seems people in this forum value taking care of the ball more than winning?

[Papa Burgundy]

If the role up for grabs is bench guard, than I have seen Bayless perform well in that role ... Not sure Lin would be as effective in a bench scoring role, where the minutes may be more unpredictable.

Who knows - maybe Bayless can do really well in the coming season and change some minds about his ability to run the show ... he still has something to prove.

[Nilanka]

If the role up for grabs is bench guard, than I have seen Bayless perform well in that role ... Not sure Lin would be as effective in a bench scoring role, where the minutes may be more unpredictable.

Who knows - maybe Bayless can do really well in the coming season and change some minds about his ability to run the show ... he still has something to prove.

I don't have the stats to backup this statement, but if memory serves me well, Bayless was pretty awful coming off the bench. The only time he looked like an NBA player was while starting.

[Brasky]

Lin all day. He possesses superior skills and has a much better feel for the point guard position. He's also essentially only coming off his rookie season and so has much more room to grow. He deserves at least a Calderon level contract.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Lin all day. He possesses superior skills and has a much better feel for the point guard position. He's also essentially only coming off his rookie season and so has much more room to grow. He deserves at least a Calderon level contract.

$10M per season??? That's crazy talk!

[NoPropsneeded]

..and I'd take Lin. In the long run, Bayless would probably be cheaper in terms of salary, but when was the last time the Air Canada Centre was packed to see Jerryd Bayless? The exposure the Raptors would get with Lin on the team would be ridiculous - and there would be a lot more people at the ACC, creating more of an atmosphere. It doesn't hurt that Lin is a solid player. It's really a 2-fold thing.

Who cares about that? the NBA is not a popularity contest. I'd rather win than overpay a player that had 25 good games and turns the ball over a million times just for a bit of recognition around the league.

[NoPropsneeded]

Lin all day. He possesses superior skills and has a much better feel for the point guard position. He's also essentially only coming off his rookie season and so has much more room to grow. He deserves at least a Calderon level contract.

no he doesn't and no he shouldn't

[NoPropsneeded]

This thread is forgetting one important point: Bayless is NOT a point guard.

I guess Lin isn't either than since he is worse at it than bayless. Bayless is actually good when starting

[Apollo]

This thread is forgetting one important point: Bayless is NOT a point guard.

I'm pretty sure I watched him play PG far more than any other position.

[MangoKid]

Who cares about that? the NBA is not a popularity contest. I'd rather win than overpay a player that had 25 good games and turns the ball over a million times just for a bit of recognition around the league.

How's that eastern conference semi finals series that Bayless is leading us to working out ? Are we winning?

If the salaries worked out to are somewhat similar - I understand that Lin will be overpaid by a million or two, then why wouldn't you take Lin over Bayless? They have the same skillset, bring the same thing to the table, but Lin is going to bring people out to the game. Ask any general manager, and they'd tell you that if they can get a guy that can perform on the court, and bring up season seat sales , they would be foolish not to kick the tires.
You're fooling yourself if you believe that general managers and owners don't think about the monetary aspect and exposure in addition to on the court performance. It plays a massive role.

Besides, what does Bayless bring to this team that Lin wouldn't? You haven't even addressed that.

However, with all that being said, I wouldn't give him Calderon type money. I can live with 5-6 million per season on average.

[Nilanka]

I'm pretty sure I watched him play PG far more than any other position.

The same is true about Bargnani and the centre position, but that doesn't mean he's a centre

[Nilanka]

I guess Lin isn't either than since he is worse at it than bayless. Bayless is actually good when starting

How is Lin a worse PG than Bayless? (You don't need to mention turnovers, which have already been exaggerated by many).

[Brasky]

I guess Lin isn't either than since he is worse at it than bayless. Bayless is actually good when starting

Bayless is pretty good as a starter, but Lin had an incredible month and a half run before Melo came back and messed up the team chemistry with his excessive chucking. Not only was Lin putting up epic numbers, he was securing crucial wins for his team practically on his own, and all this as a rookie. He's nashesque the way he probes the defense and hits big time clutch shots. Bayless has never shown the same kind of awareness.

[mcHAPPY]

Does the knee injury concern anyone?