POLL: Would you rather have Lin or Dragic?

[K_ick_God]

Right now would you choose to keep Lin or undo that contract and get Dragic back?

[texasholdem]

Contract is not really a factor, they earn about the same,

Lin is owed 5.2 million next year then 14.9 million the year after that
Dragic is owed 7.5 million a year for the next 3 seasons.

So Lin's total 3 year deal was worth about 20.1 million/3 years = 6.7 mil a year
Dragic's deal is 4 years for 30 million/4 years = 7.5 mil a year

[moofs]

Goran is a bit better, costs less (averaged over 3 years. Costs more this year), is 3 years older, and is less marketable.
It all depends what you want to do. Neither is a bad option.

I guess I'd pick Lin for the marketability and age, cause neither of them is going to be a key piece that could put us over the top.
Really though, I wish we still had Lowry, but it is what it is.

edit: that's right, his contract ends at 30 after a fourth 7+m year. Less flexibility, more risk. Definitely Lin.

[madbucky]

Goran is a bit better

They're close, but I wouldn't say that Dragic is better. Lin's stats are slightly better than Dragic's. Dragic only has a higher ppg and apg, but keep in mind that Dragic is the #1 option for PHX, whereas Lin is the #3 option for the Rockets. And this is Dragic's 7th year in the league, so he's pretty much reached his ceiling. Whereas Lin is in his 3rd year and has not reached his ceiling.

Dragic: 43.3% fg, 30.6% 3pt, 73.4% ft, 14.0 pts, 6.9 ast, 2.5 to, 1.6 stl
Lin: 43.8% fg, 32.5% 3pt, 79.3% ft, 12.8 pts, 6.1 ast, 2.9 to, 1.8 stl

[spolgar]

We got Lin before we got Harden, so that should factor into this revisionist process.

Dragic's outside shooting would have been nice to have with Harden's ability to penetrate, and I would dare say that Dragic is slightly less turnover prone than Lin. But we had to get Lin because Dragic left, and we should've extended Dragic last season but we needed the cap space to go after Howard... It wasn't Lin or Dragic at the time. We outbid New York because we wouldn't otherwise have had a point guard -at all-.

I don't know anything about Goran Dragic as a person, as he doesn't make news and he doesn't make quotes. I'm not sure how to gauge his 'intangibles'.

Offensively, Dragic would be the choice over Lin. Defensively? Dragic has always underrated as a defender because he was compared to Lowry while he was here. And now that he's on the Suns where they don't even know how to play team defense, it's not an apples to apples comparasion.

But Lin works, and works well right now.

[Sasaki]

We got Lin before we got Harden, so that should factor into this revisionist process.

Dragic's outside shooting would have been nice to have with Harden's ability to penetrate, and I would dare say that Dragic is slightly less turnover prone than Lin. But we had to get Lin because Dragic left, and we should've extended Dragic last season but we needed the cap space to go after Howard... It wasn't Lin or Dragic at the time. We outbid New York because we wouldn't otherwise have had a point guard -at all-.

I don't know anything about Goran Dragic as a person, as he doesn't make news and he doesn't make quotes. I'm not sure how to gauge his 'intangibles'.

Offensively, Dragic would be the choice over Lin. Defensively? Dragic has always underrated as a defender because he was compared to Lowry while he was here. And now that he's on the Suns where they don't even know how to play team defense, it's not an apples to apples comparasion.

But Lin works, and works well right now.

Dragic is actually worse at 3 point shooting than Lin this season. Obviously some of that must be attributed to Lin getting looks from Harden, but I hardly think Dragic would be a major improvement in that area.

I'll go with Lin. Younger, better potential, signed for shorter period of time. Dragic is probably slightly better, but only slightly.

[K_ick_God]

Wrote this up earlier for our board:

Dragic v. Lin. Granted their numbers are quite similar across the board ... but

Lin has better percentages in the big three: FG%, 3PT%, FT.

Despite playing a little less time than Dragic, Lin has more rebounds and steals per game.

As you say, Dragic is their best scorer but it works the opposite way of what you're implying because Dragic is doing quite poorly in that role. There is way more opportunity for Dragic and yet he's only averaging 1.2 more points per game than Lin (with a little more MPG). Lin has Harden ahead of him at 26 PPG AND Parsons at 15 PPG.

Assists are a similar story. Lin is leading the Rockets in assists at 6.1 per game but they're only that low because Harden has the ball so much and is almost even with Lin at 5.9 assists per game. (Even Parsons gets 3.6 APG.) Dragic is the best assist man in Phoenix at 6.9 per game, only 0.8 higher than Lin, but unlike Lin, he's clearly the ONLY real assist man in Phoenix. Next guy is Dudley at 2.7 APG. Again, more opportunity for Dragic but he's not really capitalizing on that greater opportunity.

And Lin has less NBA experience than Dragic and is two years younger to boot. Plus Lin's team is winning and the Suns are bad -- that one is more complicated I admit, but deserves a mention

[Mr. E]

I wouldn't change anything. I'm happy with Lin moving forward.

[Vator]

If you would have asked earlier in the season i would have said Dragic hands down, but now I've had a change of heart. I think if I objectively look at both of these guys at similar stages in their career, Lin is clearly ahead of where Dragic was. When Dragic first came to Houston, he was playing like a straight scrub and blossomed. Dragic may be slightly better right now, but the difference isn't enough to really cry about and the potential for Lin to be better is clearly there. I think Lin's upside is what makes him so frustrating. Anytime you see a guy capable of dropping a 30 point 10 assist game turn around and give you a 9 point and 4 assist game the next night it drives you crazy. I just don't feel like he is consistently aggressive. When he looks for his own offense more, he plays better and then we see the crazy no look passes and the steals that turn into highlight reel fast breaks. I voted for Lin...never thought I'd say that back in Novemember when I pretty much felt like Lin was the worst starting PG in the NBA. I'm really seeing his improvement. Part of it is learning how to play with another ball dominant player. That was even a concern of his in NY if I understand correctly. He is getting better so I'm happy with that.

[BaYBaller]

Even if everything was equal you would rather have Lin's contract. How the team's salary is currently distributed the extra year on Dragic's contract is much more burdensome than the slightly higher average salary/year you're paying Lin. Throw in Lin's potential and youth and it's no contest.

Lowry is obviously better than both but everybody forgets that if Lowry was here Harden wouldn't. Lowry vs Harden... well that's a no brainer.

[TMU]

Given how this roster has turned around and the team's record, not sure how this is debatable at this point. Dragic has the green light but hasn't been able to seize the team even from a statistical perspective. To me, that's the most disappointing thing about his situation. Lin, on the other hand, has been progressing by the month.

[Vator]

Yeah Dragic has the freedom to pretty much do whatever he wants and still his stats aren't really better than Lin's and their team is laughable. He clearly isn't as big of an impact player as I once believed him to be. I still like him, but I'm no longer losing sleep over him being gone. I definitely don't miss Lowry either. I happen to think he is overrated as hell around here and clearly needs to work on his attitude.

[Zubby]

I don't really know if Dragic has a green light, I don't know much about the Suns except Dragic & Scola both look no where near as good with them as they were here.

I mean we know Dragic is a good shooter, all we heard last year was how he was the best shooter on the team... I don't know why he can't in PHX, but even so he does still have a higher PER than Lin all the other advanced stats are close only difference is TO% and Assist% which Dragic is also better.

I believe Dragic/Harden would work a lot better than Lin/Harden, as Dragic can switch seamlessly between being an on/off ball guard, and this team would have more wins simply because they would of messed better/quicker than our current backcourt.


IIRC Morey/McHale main FA target this past year was Dragic, they both even flew overseas to visit him... but Dragic wanted an extra year or player option I forget sooo **** his bitch ass.

Lin over Dragic


What now Dragic!?! You happy with that extra year playing for that trash ass team?



Now if you throw in Lowry its a different story.
Lowry > Lin > Dragic

But we all knew Lowry was gone.
Morey likes to trades away guys before they are due for a big pay day(Landry, Budinger, Patterson)

[tha_rock220]

edit: that's right, his contract ends at 30 after a fourth 7+m year. Less flexibility, more risk. Definitely Lin.

That's why Morey didn't sign him.

Dragic is the better player. He isn't a guy who is going to excel as a team's leading scorer. If he had the luxury of playing along side Harden he'd look a lot better.

Still, I'll take Lin. He's a guy who puts money in Les Alexander's pocket which makes Les more likely to be willing to spend money.

[HTown_TMac]

Lin.. he has the leadership quality also

[K_ick_God]

I think this kid is quite a bit better than even you guys realize.

He's got the "it" factor. He's better than Rubio, as we saw tonight.

[Guy986]

He hit some huge huge momentum changing 3s tonight against the Wolves.

Lin was kind of a disaster his first month with the Rockets. But to his credit, he's played better every month. He's shot the ball better as the season progresses.

He's learned how to pick his spot better playing through the James Harden offense. He was passive to a fault in the beginning. Now he's starting to attack the basket consistently, beating other guards off the dribble ala Linsanity in NY.

I'm happy with with performance so far.

[MKL]

Considering the similar price and performance. Lin is a bit younger and more marketable.

Lin has the edge.

[K_ick_God]

He hit some huge huge momentum changing 3s tonight against the Wolves.

Lin was kind of a disaster his first month with the Rockets. But to his credit, he's played better every month. He's shot the ball better as the season progresses.

He's learned how to pick his spot better playing through the James Harden offense. He was passive to a fault in the beginning. Now he's starting to attack the basket consistently, beating other guards off the dribble ala Linsanity in NY.

I'm happy with with performance so far.

He's gotten healthier physically and mentally adapted to the new situation. He's clutch and has a brilliant mind for the game.

[Vator]

Just my opinion...put Lin in Dragic's situation without another ball dominant guard and his stats surpass Dragic's. I'm thinking 17 points and 8 assists easily. Harden averages 6 assists per game and so does Lin. Imagine how many he would get in this offense if he were able to be completely ball dominant like Dragic and Lowry were allowed to be last year. Lin pisses me off at least a couple times per week, but overall he has won me over. Like I said, after the first month I was convinced that he was the worst starting PG in the league hands down so winning me over was no easy task. He just needs to be in attack mode at all times. James Harden knows how to get his. Jeremy needs to have the same mindset and when I say get his I don't mean just scoring. It's just a mindset. He clearly plays better when he feels relied upon to do more, but looks bad when he is passive and deferring too much.