Forget trades salary cap 2010 etc.. this guy is a changed evolving player. His stats used to be a lot of put backs over other players missed shots on offensive rebounds--a kind of player you could replace--they are out there. The new David Lee is a guy who can take it with the dribble from the foul line and finish with either hand with nice touch. The new David Lee has a 12 foot jumper that looks as good as any big man in the league. The new David Lee can dribble the basketball after a rebound distance to start and finish breaks. Forget the system for a minute--I know Lee is not a shot blocker but he is becoming a very nicely skilled 6-9 240 pound player who seems to be able to get what he wants nearly at will. We always talk about potential but the player I was watching last night is a guy who not only is a big time producer BUT still is not at his peak playing potential. Again unless we get a blow away offer--and that does not mean Linas Kleiza and two late picks--I think we should concentrate on trading Nate and Jefferies instead and keep Lee long term.

I want Lee to stay. I Always loved his game.

Posted by BasketballJones:

Wait a sec. Last I heard, you wanted to send him to Utah.

that was yesterday. And maybe some time next week too.

He gets routinely murdered on the other side of the ball. His jump shot appears once in five games. His stats will earn him at least 10M starting salary probably MORE! Unless you're putting Shaq or Duncan in their primes alongside him your chances of going deep into the playoffs are a serious question mark. If you sign him, you do not get 2 max FAs in 2010 nor 1 in 2010 and 1 in 2011.

So what you're saying is you consider Lee to be almost worth one of those potential signings.

So then what do we end up with?

Diaw
Lee
LeBron
Nate
Duhon

????

Or

Bosh
Lee
Chandler
Nate
Duhon

???????????

Or

Amare
Lee
Chandler
Nate
Duhon

????

Or

Diaw
Lee
Chandler
Wade
Duhon

??????????????

Something like that?
These teams going anywhere? No, they're not.

Re-signing Lee is a feel good thing and if it comes at more than a 6M a year price we're screwing ourselves right back into guaranteed mediocrity.

Better hope Gallo turns into Dirk and the 09 draft pick turns into a star as well otherwise re-signing Lee will guarantee our downfall.

Posted by martin:

I like DLee's play, especially on the offensive end of things. He does the little things - lots of screens and keeps the ball moving too. Never needs shots like Harrington and can get by on broken plays and pick-n-rolls.

Are these good stats on a bad team? I mean, he hasn't at all impacted the bottom line right?

I have seen David add an offensive skill every year - FT after first, 10-12 foot jumpshot, and now we are seeing the pick-n-roll and finish nicely with both hands.

Now, as far as I can tell, IMHO, David hasn't gotten better on the defensive side of things since day 1.

Good post Martin.

I think it's imperative that Lee gets better defensively if he wants to get paid more than an 8mill/year contract, he should never get a dollar more than that if he doesn't sure up that end of his game.

Overall though, I just honestly think that MikeD's system throws all offensive stats out of whack. I'm not sure David Lee is having this kind of season on a team say like the Wizards right now.

Posted by martin:

I like DLee's play, especially on the offensive end of things. He does the little things - lots of screens and keeps the ball moving too. Never needs shots like Harrington and can get by on broken plays and pick-n-rolls.

Are these good stats on a bad team? I mean, he hasn't at all impacted the bottom line right?

I have seen David add an offensive skill every year - FT after first, 10-12 foot jumpshot, and now we are seeing the pick-n-roll and finish nicely with both hands.

Now, as far as I can tell, IMHO, David hasn't gotten better on the defensive side of things since day 1.

I don't know where to place Lee in terms of the "bad stats on a good team?" theory. It's tough to say. I think he can do this on any team really. However, given we're a bad team, and he's arguably our best player, what does that say? Again, I'm not sure.

I like Lee but unless he's next to a stud in the front court he's going to give back a lot on the defensive end. So much so that what is the NET at the end of the game? Is he a star or a mediocre player?

A lesson from the Isiah era: You don't take a player who is great at one thing and stinks at another and say "Well, if I can just find a player to mask his weakness everything will work out!" because it just doesn't. You need well rounded players to win.

In all of this the greatest concern is his stat lines earn him a ridiculous payday. That payday if we give it to him prices us well out of the "if only we get rid of jeffries we can sign 2 max fas!" universe. So then, is Lee worth costing us a max FA? Do we put that much trust in the other players growing, role players being good enough, the 09 pick and Gallo being great, to say we dont NEED two max FAs? So then you sign Lee?

Honestly...it's a real tough call one I wouldn't want to have to make. If we sign Lee to a big deal, of which he WILL command, and the other things don't fall into place, LOOK OUT 'cause here come the torches and pitchforks and deservedly so.

he's outplayed 75% of the lotto picks in 2005 and of all the lotto picks in 2005, only 3 have contributed to winning teams (deron, paul, bynum). defense or no defense, the guy is putting up big #'s. he's playing his way to $10 mil a year. only reason he doesn't have it yet is b/c of 2010. and looking back at that draft, there's about 5/6 players better than him. (bogut, deron, paul, bynum, granger, and milsap is debateable).

[Edited by - djsunyc on 01-03-2009 1:42 PM]

Posted by djsunyc:

he's outplayed 75% of the lotto picks in 2005 and of all the lotto picks in 2005, only 3 have contributed to winning teams (deron, paul, bynum). defense or no defense, the guy is putting up big #'s. he's playing his way to $10 mil a year. only reason he doesn't have it yet is b/c of 2010.

He's playing his way to 14M a year with some of these stat lines and that's a problem for our big plan. If you give it to him and fail to round out the roster with talent that can push you deep into the playoffs then you've just locked yourself into mediocrity for another 5 seasons. It's tricky...very tricky here. We essentially have to bank on other teams being unwilling or unable to offer him more than 7M a year so we can get him for 8M a year.

Posted by djsunyc:

i think if you have a coach that puts an onus on defense, players will get better defensively...especially guys that aren't good on defense nor have the instincts. isiah didn't focus on it and looks like d'antoni's the same.

Yes, but at some point that player must possess some defensive skill and desire. A coach may encourage it, but I don't think guys like Curry, Vince, Michael Redd would improve much under a defensive minded coach.

Everyone talks about what Lee cant do. He is playing the five he should be a four. Since the trade the perimeter players are the ones going crazy. Melo, Jack, Gerald Wallace to name a few. How many centers have just killed Lee in the last twenty games? WHo leads the teams in steals the last twenty games? Who is top 6 in the league in rebounding? No one on this team can defend if you put Lee with a Bosh they would be a top frontcourt in the league. No doubt Lee has to improve on defense but his isnt any worse than Duhon and Robinson and Harrington.