NBA Trade Deadline: The New York Knicks and the Emergence of Jeremy Lin

The ball left Jeremy Lin's hands as the shot clock expired, careening slowly, inexorably toward the basket, and banked itself in for a three-pointer.  The crowd in Madison Square Garden erupted, paying their respects to their new starting point guard.

We are watching the emergence of Jeremy Lin.

The 2012 New York Knicks are about superstars.  Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler lead this team, and it will live or die by their ability to successfully play with one another. But the Knicks' ability to field a flowing, unselfish offense that involves their stars is dependent on having a hard-working point guard with excellent court vision.  

A week ago, the Knicks were floundering, and no one saw a player like that on their roster.  Now, they have Lin.

Is Lin a myth? A two-game star who will fade? Or is he the real deal and the solution to the Knicks' biggest problem this season?  Based on his skills and play, he could be a very real answer to fans' prayers.

Lin's recent two-game spurt is impressive: 28 points, 8 assists, and 2 steals tonight and 25 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals on February 4th.  But Lin's outbursts came with an increase in minutes. He was actually playing extremely well on a per minute basis dating back to his rookie season last year.  On January 28th, he posted 9 points and 6 assists in 20 minutes against Houston.  Last season, he got the opportunity to play 24 minutes for Golden State against Portland and posted 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.  

He always adds a good measure of defensive tenacity to the mix, so Lin has actually produced in all of his real opportunities dating back to last season. 

Can he keep up that performance as the starting point guard of the New York Knicks?  That is another question, but he does not seem to be bothered by the pressure.  Since he can play both backcourt positions, he seems likely to fill a critical hole at starting guard for New York.

Will this change the Knicks' decision making leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline?  Maybe.  If Baron Davis comes back healthy, the Knicks may have a competent backcourt without making a trade.  But considering Davis' injury history, the Knicks should still look at acquiring another player before the deadline, perhaps by trading for Ramon Sessions or acquiring Andre Miller or Steve Nash.  

Either way, we are watching the emergence of Jeremy Lin.  It's going to be a fun ride.