At their current states, who would you rather build around, Melo or Lin?

[StateOfMind12]

Not starting out as rookies, but as of right now with how good they are right now and at their current states, would you rather build around Lin or Melo? You also have to deal with both of their current contracts as well so Lin's poison pill and Melo's max deal.

Who would you rather build around?

[TheAesirsFinest]

Melo. Can you please change your title so that the question mark turns into a period because this isn't even a question.

[niko]

Melo

I want Lin back badly but he's not a franchise talent.

[D12"Magic"]

Come on really? Melo, quite simple

[Zackmorris]

Melo.

[28renyoy]

Starting from scratch? Lin

I'll be a lottery team and get a top 5 pick as well as not being destroyed by a 20 mm per year contract.

Sign a bunch of terrible 1 year contracts. Tank for #1 pick+expirers, draft Nerlens Noel. Trade 2014 #1 overall unprotected for Luol Deng. Sign Harden to max deal. Sign Andrew Bynum to max deal after he leaves Orlando. Fill team with role players over the next 2 years with mid level players

Lin
Harden
Deng
Noel
Bynum

That's a dynasty assuming Noel develops into his potential

I don't see it possible to build a championship team around Melo with the current CBA. His contract is too high and he's too much of a team cancer(well not cancer, just not a championship #1 option). I think I would have a better chance at a title with Lin. However if I'm just trying to win 45-50 games a year? Obviously Melo

[AK47DR91]

Lin, easily.

$29M for 4 years vs $20.4M, $23.6M, $24.3M for each of the next three years?

The team would save $39.2M for the roster. You can get a Deron Williams and Dwight Howard for one season with that extra money.

[TheMarkMadsen]

The guy who can dribble left.

The guy who has put up 20 ppg seasons for the past 8 years.

I'll pass on the guy who had a good 35 games.

After 35 games, Brandon Jennings looked like the second coming of Allen Iverson.

Lin hasn't proven anything.

At this point in their careers i still think Melo has more potential, what is Lin's ceiling? At best he's an above average point guard.

At best Melo is a player who can lead a team deep into the playoffs when he has the right pieces around him.

I'm taking MarshMellow

[SilkkTheShocker]

Lin by far.

[AMISTILLILL]

Stupid question. The guy who has proven he can play well for more than a handful of games.

[Owl]

Not starting out as rookies, but as of right now with how good they are right now and at their current states, would you rather build around Lin or Melo? You also have to deal with both of their current contracts as well so Lin's poison pill and Melo's max deal.

Who would you rather build around?

Because you have to take contracts and Melo has a pre-CBA max I'd take Lin. I think it's very difficult to construct a winner around Melo (a star but not superstar level player, albeit with a superstar reputation/status/ego) on his current contract. Lin is likely to be good value his first couple of years and then even if he isn't he's not ruining your cap. The only year he's expensive he's an expiring contract and so still has value.

None of this is to say Melo is a bad player or that Lin is an exceptional one.

[DStebb716]

Melo. Let's not get stupid.

[StateOfMind12]

At this point in their careers i still think Melo has more potential, what is Lin's ceiling? At best he's an above average point guard.

Lin has more potential than Melo. Melo is not going to get any better than what he was in 2007 or 2010. He is done growing as a player. I seriously don't know what you expect him to get better in. He is always going to be this inefficient ball-stopper that does nothing to impact the game except for rebounding here and there.

Lin has potential to be much better than what he is whereas Melo is already in the decline and will only get worse from here on out.

Melo

I want Lin back badly but he's not a franchise talent.

Neither is Melo.

[Ikill]

Starting from scratch? Lin

I'll be a lottery team and get a top 5 pick as well as not being destroyed by a 20 mm per year contract.

Sign a bunch of terrible 1 year contracts. Tank for #1 pick+expirers, draft Nerlens Noel. Trade 2014 #1 overall unprotected for Luol Deng. Sign Harden to max deal. Sign Andrew Bynum to max deal after he leaves Orlando. Fill team with role players over the next 2 years with mid level players

Lin
Harden
Deng
Noel
Bynum

That's a dynasty assuming Noel develops into his potential

I don't see it possible to build a championship team around Melo with the current CBA. His contract is too high and he's too much of a team cancer(well not cancer, just not a championship #1 option). I think I would have a better chance at a title with Lin. However if I'm just trying to win 45-50 games a year? Obviously Melo

Melos good enough to be a 1st option but he might not be good enough to be the clear cut best player

[TheMarkMadsen]

Lin has more potential than Melo. Melo is not going to get any better than what he was in 2007 or 2010. He is done growing as a player. I seriously don't know what you expect him to get better in. He is always going to be this inefficient ball-stopper that does nothing to impact the game except for rebounding here and there.

Lin has potential to be much better than what he is whereas Melo is already in the decline and will only get worse from here on out.


Neither is Melo.

Even if Melo doesn't improve ( which i think he still easily has a chance to, IQ wise) he's still going to impact your franchise for the better than Jeremy Lin.

Outside of the media attention your team will be getting when people start wondering why you gave a run of the mill point guard all that money.