reelsgm wrote:bws94 wrote:Starter/farter, bench/wrench, I feel Lin needs to get a role where he feels his skills are utilized so he doesn't waste them. Yeah, mostly that's through starting, but it doesn't have to be. Only pertinent thing is does he feel this can be done in Charlotte with others looked on to score or facilitate more? I think the answer is, he doesn't see that. And it would be tough for Charlotte to give him that expanded role at the money others will likely offer him. So unfortunately, one of the major contributors (and I don't want to hear about stats, Lin was a major contributor on last year's team) will need to be replaced. It's going to be hard to find the same combo of qualities Lin gave the Hornets, but, maybe other qualities can be added to the mix that Lin doesn't have (like 3 point shooting or more size or something along those lines).
That said, if other teams offer the role Lin has and he doesn't care for teams offering a starter role, he may just come back to the Hornets for a year or two. But I don't think that's likely at this time. Not a prediction, just a feeling.
Farter/wrench? Fun to dismiss the seriousness but I'll bet Lin is treating the selection of Starter vs. Bench very seriously.
Aside from the obvious multitude of advantages that come with starting, there is the fact that starters could over the course of a career make 1000s of percent more in earnings than bench players and this will be the case again after salaries plateau.
Lin meets with 3 possibly up to 6 teams, the ones offering a starting role are most likely who he talks with at midnight EST. Bench offers pushed back to when available.
When it comes to Lin and money, it almost doesn't matter because of LIn's status worldwide and the money he makes in endorsements.
It may just boil down to is Lin happier winning and going to the playoffs and seeing how far his team can go, or if he's offered a starting position for a more rebuilding team or one that at least had a not great record last season.
Anyway, it's all about if this becomes a Lin appreciation thread or not, and for those on the board, how to try to fill the functions Lin served for the team. You'll find someone else to cover so well for Kemba or Batum, close games when needed, be that 3rd facilitator and responsible for one of the best benches leader Lin is, be the late-game OT scorer when needed, block shots at the guard position, draw fouls with regularity helping to get the opposing team into the penalty, play D in two positions and hustle and have the energy that Lin brought to the team. He did a lot of good stuff for the Hornets, at times, was the 2nd or 3rd best player on the floor for the team IMO. Overall, I think he was one of the team's top 5 players.
