Should the Knicks’ Jeremy Lin play in the All-Star game? [Poll]

New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin is one of the NBA’s biggest stars, but he is not an All-Star. That’s what happens when a meteoric rise to superstardom takes place mere weeks before the All-Star game, which will be Feb. 26.
Should the NBA figure out a way to get Lin into the All-Star game? Writers from around the Tribune Co. will discuss the topic. Check back throughout the day for more responses and join the discussion by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own.

Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times

If David Stern can nix the Chris-Paul-to-the-Lakers trade for “basketball reasons,” he can surely come up with an excuse to send New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin to Orlando.

And don’t just put him in some lame skills challenge, either. Let him play in the All-Star game and say it’s for “humanitarian reasons.”

PHOTOS: Absolute Lin-sanity

Lin would turn a ho-hum event into a Linernational phenomenon, generating interest across the globe. By the way, he might also make a more worthy starter for the East than Knicks teammate Carmelo Anthony, who was sidelined for most of New York’s return to respectability under Lin.

Getting Lin to Orlando? Lin-genious.

Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel

Jeremy Lin has been with the Knicks, for, what, two minutes? Now we want to change All-Star weekend rules for him?

There’s a push to add him to the dreadful rookie-sophomore game in Orlando.

PHOTOS: New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin

If he were playing for Memphis, would anybody hold a write-in campaign? I mean, we’re treating him like he’s Tim Tebow in shorts.

I know the All Star stuff is all an exhibition, but if the NBA accommodates Lin, we’d have chaos and free-thinking, and David Stern loathes chaos and free-thinking. He’s already quelled the Chris Paul rebellion, so don’t make him crush Linsanity (although the league has to froth at all the All-Star marketing possibilities.)

I’ve got an idea. Lin can play if the All Stars agree to play defense in the actual game.