Lee is a more sound player fundamentally in more phases of the game... Balk has an athleticism advantage over Lee, but Lee's not exactly a slouch either in that department... i choose Lee.

Right now, you have to go with Lee. I wouldn't be surprised, however, to see Balkman make a Lee like jump into his second year.

Until Balkman can hit his foul line shots and get more rebounds it is going to be Lee. However Balkman can play defense and Lee can't.

Keep Lee. The Knicks continue to need one Caucasian player to balance out the roster.

Posted by crzymdups:

I want'em both.

I agree- Balkman can bring the ball down in traffic, push it up court and score- Lee has a nose for the ball, has a great court sense of being able to make timely passes.

Both are untouchable in my book.

keep the both. Let Artest force his way here.

Balkman didn't play enough minutes for us to be able to answer this question. Isiah was too concerned about justifying the Jeffries signing.

Posted by JohnWallace44:

You know what I always think when a NFL team drafts a white linebacker?

The guy's going to make the all rookie team, but he'll be washed up by his 4th year.

Based on this "Trev Alberts hypothesis," I think that while I like Lee at the moment, he is unfortunately predestined to have a bunch of injuries that take his athletic skills away....Balkman is my pick.

Trev Alberts--give me a break:) tell that to Teddy Bruschi Jack Lambert or Dick Butkus. Athletiscm is over-rated at the linebacker position. Toughness and technique with emphasis on toughness. David Lee is athletic for 6-9 but he's not Dwight Howard. He's got a great quick lift but if you go back and check is scoring in the combine results--nohing that good. He's not 5 feet off the ground like Nate Josh Smith or a Gerald Wallace. He just had one awkward sequence and hasnt healed from it yet.

Posted by JohnWallace44:

New England goes through like 8 white linebackers a season.
Dan Morgan? Great when he's on the field but always injured.

Lee's going to get overpaid by someone in another year. We might as well be grooming Balkman now.

Pac Man Jones great on the field-- Zach Randolph great on the court

Posted by CrushAlot:

Lee. He was projected as a lottery pick out of high school. I love Balkman but I don't think there is anyway that you could take him over Lee.

I take Balkman. I think he has better upside, same hustle, more athletic, plays better defense, is younger, plays better defense (guarded 3 positions last season) and he is a better shot blocker. IMO Balkman will hold the advantage over Lee until he shows that he can handle the PF position or play effective defense at the SF position. Mentioning Lee was projected as a lottery pick blew my mind since he was the last pick of the 1st round. I mean that's like saying Taft is better than both of them because he was projected to go number 2 the same year he was drafted in the second round. How did that one work out.

If Balkman develops a jumpshot, I think he will be the better player because he is a vastly superior defensive player, but for right now, Lee is more valuable to this team. Matt4281 bringsup a good point regarding Chandler. Chandler might make Balkman expendable if he can play defense and rebound at a similar rate. He supposedly already has a better jumpshot than Balkman.