5 NBA Teams That Could Have Used Jeremy Lin This Season

For those who do not know by now, Jeremy Lin (No.17 pictured) has breathed new life into the New York Knicks.

The Knicks were struggling before head coach Mike D'Antoni decided to give the second-year undrafted point guard from Harvard an opportunity.

And, as a result, D'Antoni, the Knicks and Lin have benefited from it.

Lin averaged almost 27 points and eight assists a game last week, leading the Knicks to a season-high five-game winning streak. New York was 8-15 before Lin asserted himself as a player. Now, the Knicks are holding the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

The play of Lin has everyone (fans, media, players and insiders) wondering where he came from. Two teams—the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets—cut Lin in the preseason before he landed in to New York.

Questions many teams are asking themselves now is, could we have really used Jeremy Lin?

Here are five NBA teams who could have really used Jeremy Lin this season.

Enjoy!

5. Orlando Magic

It is obvious, folks, Jameer Nelson is not the same player he was four seasons ago.

Nelson has struggled all season long; currently he is averaging 8.8 points and five assists a game. He is  out with a concussion and his status is day-to-day.

Although, Nelson had a decent game (15 points and a season-high 12 assists) in a 107-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the eighth-year guard has been a major disappointment for the Magic.

Orlando (17-11) has a firm grip on the sixth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With rumors of trade talks of superstar center Dwight Howard increasing, the Magic's postseason hopes rides on the play of Nelson.

Lin could have really helped Orlando in many ways. He is much younger (23) than Nelson (30). Can you imagine Lin and Howard hooking up for some serious alley-oop dunks?

Could've, should've, would've is what the Orlando Magic are saying to themselves right now.

4. Phoenix Suns

Even though Jeremy Lin would not have supplanted Steve Nash as a starter, can you imagine Nash tutoring Lin as his successor?

The 38-year-old Nash is definitely not the player he was seasons ago, but he is not chopped liver either.

Nash is averaging 14.3 points and leads the NBA with 10.3 assists.

Many observers who have seen Lin play are comparing him to Nash; although Lin is not on Nash's All-Star level yet, he would have been groomed by one of the great point guards in the history of the game.

Phoenix (12-15) would have found its future point guard if it had picked Lin up.

3. Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are one team who could have used Jeremy Lin.

Yeah, starting point guard Mike Conley has posted decent numbers (12.8 ppg and 6.9 assists a game), but there is no quality backup on this team. Jeremy Pargo and rookie Josh Selby are the two backups, and Lin would have been an upgrade over the two.

With no capable backup lead guard, Memphis struggles when Conley has an off-night. Five times this season Conley has failed to reach double-digits in scoring; three of the games resulted in a loss.

Memphis may not want to admit it, but Lin would have been a major addition.

2. Detroit Pistons

Anytime a team is ranked 27th in team turnovers, that is a team with problems at point guard.

The Detroit Pistons are that team.

Detroit (8-21) is one of the worst teams in the NBA and much of the blame falls on the ball-handling. Rodney Stuckey (pictured with the ball), along with rookie Brandon Knight, both share time at the point; that experiment has failed.

The Pistons averages 16.3 turnovers a game; only Minnesota, New York and Oklahoma City turned the ball over more.

Offensively, they are 24th in team assists (18.8). Stuckey leads the team in that department (4.1).

Jeremy Lin's ability to keep his dribble alive would have helped the Pistons out considerably. Plus, Lin is a cerebral guy (Harvard graduate), so having him would cut down on the turnovers.

Detroit is a franchise that has always had great point guards: Dave Bing, Kevin Porter, Isiah Thomas and Chauncey Billups. It is obvious that the Pistons need help at the point.

They have one of the NBA's best young big men in center Greg Monroe. Monroe's game would really flourished if he had a steady, intelligent point guard.

Lin could have been the answer.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers' point guard Derek Fisher (37) is showing his age.

Fisher, no longer a defensive menace, was embarrassed by Jeremy Lin last Friday night. Lin scored a game-high 38 points and delivered eight assists against the Lakers.

Lin broke Fisher and every other Laker defender down off the dribble; he converted 5-of-7 attempts at the rim.

While the rest of the NBA's best teams are getting younger at the point guard position, the Lakers have remained faithful with Fisher. Fisher has had his problems the past three seasons with the more elite point guards: Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Derek Rose and Russell Westbrook. Both Paul and Westbrook are in the Western Conference, and Los Angeles will have to get Fisher some help.

Lin would have been better option over backup Steve Blake. Although the Lakers run their offense through Kobe Bryant, having a point guard like Jeremy Lin would have freed Bryant up to do what he does best: score.

If only Los Angeles would have known just how good Lin would become, they would have jumped at the chance.