The "Linsanity" period, short-lived as it proved, was almost magical. Totally unexpected, it captured the attention of casual fans and with all due respect to the Jeff Van Gundy-coached Knicks teams (including one that went to the Finals), I think Lin generated the most hoops-related excitement at MSG since the Riley years.

More than that, folks who had NEVER cared about the Knicks or the NBA suddenly started paying attention and many became customers, in one manner or another. The MSG Network's nasty battle with a cable TV provider got settled largely because cable customers suddenly DEMANDED that they be able to see the Knicks --- because of Jeremy Lin.

But hey, at Madison Square Garden, no concern is bigger than what concerns James Dolan.

And now Houston gets to tap back into that revenue stream they lost when Yao retired.

I'm confused as to what you disagreed with in my post. Or if your merely pointing this out to me.

It's apparent to everyone that "Linsanity" was quite successful for the Knicks organization. I do not question the revenue he brought in. I question his ability to take them deep into the Playoffs.

I know they are having some salary cap issues and I think that's a part of the reason they chose not to sign Lin but the revolving issue is and will always be winning a championship. I think Felton gives them a better chance at that rather than Lin. I just think it was a mistake to let him go as a FA. That's all.

Furthermore, to publicly say, "Hey, we'll match whatever any team throws at him!" is a little preposterous.

Yes, but Jeremy Lin fills the coffers. Really, if New York matched, the added revenue Lin brings in would EASILY offset the luxury tax hit, and then some. Even if he's not as talented, in theory, as Felton.

He's worth it for that reason alone. Dolan made a big mistake... can we rename the Knicks to the Clippers? They've been acting far more Clipperesque than the real thing (silly renewing of Del Negro aside).

As a Knicks fan, I will hope that in reacquiring Raymond Felton, they are getting back the point guard who had brought out the best in Amar'e Stoudemire before Carmelo Anthony arrived and took over at MSG --- as opposed to the guy who had a terrible time and reportedly co-led (with ex-Knick Jamal Crawford) a mutiny against the Blazers' coach during his (Felton's) one season in Portland.

Because the Knicks not only need for Raymond Felton to regain his form as a successful point guard, but just as important, they have to find some way to rejuvenate Stoudemire as a player --- if such a thing is possible.

That said, I find it kinda ironic -- if not weird -- that the deal for a player (Felton) who had made himself a target of fans' criticism in another city helped to grease the skids out of town for a fan favorite (Lin) here in NY.

The real deal here is that Melo can't handle being second fiddle. We all saw how he sulked when he came back from injury and wasn't the number one guy during the height of Linsanity. So it was a question of Melo or Lin and I think Dolan went completely the wrong way. Melo is a selfish player that gets numbers at the expense of his team, Lin may not turn out to be Nash but I think he definitely makes his team better.

But then again I would actually rather have a team without Anthony than with him almost regardless of who the other player in question is. Based on how the Knicks played without him versus with him last season and how the Nuggets immediately improved by subtracting him, I would trade Anthony for some pylons and a smile, and the smile would be negotiable.

As for Nash and Allen it just bums me out how much the new Collective Bargaining Agreement has completely failed.

Wasn't the whole point of the lockout to make sure that there wasn't a two-tier league. I would have rather lost the year and had some parity in the league.

This, exactly this --- to which I'll add that Dolan's screw-ups where 'Melo is concerned began early on, with his meddling and insistence that 'Melo become a Knick.

Instead of calling the Nuggets' bluff, Dolan took over NY's end of the trade talks and caved in, but he got his superstar.

In doing so, he gave up more talent than he should have and diminished the power of GM Donnie Walsh -- aka The Man Who Rescued The Knicks -- until Walsh, his work done, finally was shown the door.

A player can always take less money to sign with another team. Which is exactly what Nash and Allen did. No CBA can prevent that from happening. All players have different motivations. Allen obviously is chasing the ring and didn't want to deal with Rondo anymore. Nash wanted to chase a ring and be close to his kids after his divorce. I don't see how the lockout would have changed either thing.

I mean hell the Knicks were the greatest beneficiary of the 'Early Bird's rights' case and they let Lin and Fields walk. No CBA can save a team from outside forces.

Thanks to Dolan, I need a basketball mistress. Maybe I should start taking the Nets' phone calls.

As I believe I've said before; there's still a part of me that will forever link me to the "New York" Nets and the Knicks. I grew up with the Nets and Dr. J, Dr. K and all those great championship teams and the not so championship ones. Played hoops with a red, white and blue ball too. Go ahead Kontrol and call the Nets and you can become the new Dr. K.

'Melo, while not nearly as bad as Starbury, is not the person to build your team around. Not if you want to play as a team per se. Lin doesn't fit with him, and A'Mare certainly doesn't. For a while it seemed the Knicks were actually heading into a good direction and then it all failed again. I just don't know what to say anymore...are we back to that whole Isaiah style of doing things?

You ARE in Spurs country now.

Heck, OKC is close enough, you could just go with them. I'd suggest Utah, but you sound like you've been tortured enough.

ahhh you have to be a Mavs fan. We have the coolest owner in the NBA. He I think may be a bigger fan than he is an owner but it makes our lives interesting and he isn't afraid to spend money on talent when he can.

Because my baseball rooting interests label me a Red Sox/Mets fan, I probably expose my brain to more words on Boston sports drama than I should, but I gather that Ray Allen, like Walter Mitty, was inscrutable to the last.

Apparently no one saw it coming that he would exit the Celtics (much less go to a bitter rival) -- largely because of the way he had handled some stuff -- being benched and nearly traded -- that might have sent somebody else, future Hall of Famer or not, over the edge.

Avery Bradley opened some eyes and took over as the starting shooting guard last season, but then he got hurt and due to surgery, is expected to miss the start of next season. Allen handled that situation with quiet class -- again, more so than another player of his stature might have -- and that lack of fuss may be one thing that led to a miscalculation by the Celtics of where Allen would want to play next season.

From what I understand, Ray Allen had been advised, shortly before it was due to happen, that he was going to be traded (for O.J. Mayo) but after the deal with Memphis fell apart in March, little or no effort apparently was made in Boston to heal whatever wound that inflicted. So they miscalculated that, too.

The stuff with Rondo now seems to be a lesser factor, as I've heard that Rondo apparently has trouble at times in getting along with everybody --- the best example given being Kendrick Perkins, described as Rondo's best friend on the team when he played for the Celts. Even so, Perkins had his share of rocky moments with the guy.

Mikhail has heard you and somewhere, Mikhail is smiling.

Maybe the best thing about the ABA was that I could be a Knicks and Nets fan without a problem.

The new CBA WILL make it a more level playing field. But gradually over the course of the next few years.

The Luxury Tax amount will increase over this period (every year). So every year, being $1 over the tax will cost teams more and more. I think this year its every $1 over the cap = $2 in luxury tax. This will increase over the next few years.

That's why you're seeing some teams structuring contracts to combat this already. For example, Kris Humphries deal is the one that sticks out the most. The Nets gave him 2 years, and it puts them over the threshold for the LT. Now if they don't think they can take the hit next year, he'll be a valuable trade tool because it'll be a $12M contract that will come off the books for whoever takes him.

Jeremy Lin is another example. It's backloaded so the Knicks couldn't match it (or suffer the stiff LT penalty in the final 2 years).