The Knicks Should Match the Offer For Lin- Bruce’s Thought Of The Day

The prevailing opinion seems to be the Knicks should allow Jeremy Lin to exit stage right and head off to Houston. That the contract offer from the Rockets is absurd. That the Knicks don't need Lin. My short view-Wrong.Wrong and Wrong!

Let's start at the top. The Knicks are a better club with Lin. No one can dispute that. He is a good player now with plenty of upside. Right now the point guard position will be manned by the drunken embarrassment known as Jason Kidd. I would cut him in fact after his pathetic arrest over the weekend. Also the newly acquired Raymond Felton who is back with the Knicks. Neither is the shooter that Lin is to begin with. Felton has some weight issues but I like him as a player.

What many fail to grasp is that Lin is a cultural icon and GREAT for business. Not tickets so much cause the Knicks sell tickets but for every other business reason. It was Jeremy Lin who ended the stalemate between MSG and Time Warner  this past year. No player-NO PLAYER has that kind of juice. That stalemate caused a few million all over New York, including where I live in Albany and even downstaters to miss some Knicks games. Tha doesn't include the huge Asian markets out of the USA. It is good business to have Lin with the Knicks.

The Knicks not needing Lin is laughable. NY was 20-15 with Lin in the lineup last year. he averaged 17 ppg and 7 assists.. Kidd tallied 6 and 5. No contest. Kidd the drunk is 39 and soon to be 40. Lin is 23. Felton is young and productive but got a little lazy last year. Lin is the furthest thing from lazy.

Now to the most contentious point, that the contract is absurd. Not so. The 1st years are more then reasonable at about 5 mill per year. the 3rd year is 15 mill and that's steep..However we don't know what Lin will be. My money is on vastly improved thus making it not so ridiculous. Even if it is steep at that time you aren't locked up for 4-5 years at 15 million per, just 1 season. The Knicks can't all of a sudden say they are frugal. They have spent more to lose games then any 3rd world country's GDP. Save the Knicks can't afford the luxury tax pap. Also the cap very well could be raised by then thus not hurting the cap number as bad as it may now.

The Knicks players-Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith should put  a sock in it about ridiculous contracts. You can say that about many many contracts.

So ask yourself this-from a business standpoint are the Knicks or whomever gets Lin going to make back the money- Easy YES. Are the Knicks better with or without Lin- Easy yes. Ok then you have your answer.

Grow up James Dolan. You allowed Lin to test the market. He did. the Rockets backloaded the deal to their benefit. You have to match the offer and stop crying!

The Knicks have until Tuesday to match the offer. Don't mess this 1 up Dolan you buffoon. Match the deal and Kepp Lin-sanity where he belongs in New York!