What Does Mike D'Antoni's Exit Mean for Jeremy Lin?

For those who haven't heard, Mike D'Antoni has stepped down as the New York Knicks' head coach. After the Knicks' talent and ego-laden unit dropped their sixth consecutive game and fell to 18-24 on the season, the change was expected. However, after news broke that D'Antoni had lost control of the locker room, that change was imminent.

Despite the consequential relief brought by D'Antoni's resignation, the Knicks are now left with even more questions than before. For instance, what's to come of Jeremy Lin?

While the second-year point guard's talent is undeniable, the system he has thrived in is far from orthodox. Should the Knicks bring in a head coach that emphasizes a slow-tempo, half-court offense, Lin could be left in limbo.

Lin scores his points as a penetrating point guard who thrives in transition. His play in the half court, however, has a direct correlation to his 38.8 percent shooting over the past 10 games.

The change in pace and leadership could potentially help Lin cut down on the turnovers, though, of which he currently averages 3.6 per contest. It's unclear, however, whether or not it will help his chances of remaining above Baron Davis on the depth chart.

So what happens to Linsanity?

With a new coach headed to town, the balance of power amongst Lin, Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith is likely to cause conflict. If the Knicks get the appropriate head coach, it's also likely to be dealt with in a swift and powerful manner.

So who survives?

While Lin dazzled fans with his ability to score and facilitate early on, neither of those qualities have been up to par ever since the Knicks' loss to the Miami Heat before the All-Star break. In fact, Lin has reached double-digit assists just twice since that game and scored more than 20 points just two times. He's also shot worse than 40 percent in four of those seven games, including a 5-of-18 shooting performance in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

For all the negative attention D'Antoni's tenure as the Knicks head coach has received, it's important to remember one thing: No one else took the chance that D'Antoni did in starting Jeremy Lin. In fact, you could even call D'Antoni and his fast-paced system the driving force behind Linsanity!

At this point, all you can do is wonder.

If Anthony had never returned to the Knicks lineup, would Linsanity have continued? And maybe more significantly, would D'Antoni still have a job?

Those questions may never be answered, but something else will be in the very near future: What's next for Jeremy Lin?