Sorry if anyone already pointed this out.
Last year was Ray Allen's second worst year statistically and those numbers are still better than anything Lee has ever done.
The Lee is better talk is all just rationalizing.
Ray just turned 37, Lee will turn 27 in October. Nobody is arguing that Lee's career to date even comes remotely close to what Ray Allen has accomplished for his career. I don't think anyone is even arguing that they expect Courtney Lee to ever approach being the kind of player that Ray Allen was in his prime.
The issue is whether or not Ray Allen having the worst statistical season of his career was a fluke or whether we can expect him to slowly keep regressing at his age.
I think it's fairly reasonable to assume the latter. It's no knock on Ray, but if he dips slightly statistically this year from last, and Lee improves slightly, then there's a good chance that Lee will be the more productive player for the 2012-2013 season.
I'm guessing that once the season starts, Ray Allen and Courtney Lee's respective value to their teams will become even more hotly debated. I'm thinking it will probably be close from an individual production standpoint. I know I'll be rooting for Courtney, though.