NBA Rumors: Why New York Knicks Don't Need Jeremy Lin to Make a Playoff Return

ESPN is reporting that there is a possibility that Jeremy Lin is eyeing a Game 4 return for the New York Knicks in their first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat.  

I hate to break it to you, Lin, but Linsanity is all but over in New York City, and the last thing the Knicks need from you is to try and return before you're ready to return.

I mean, Lin, didn't you see what happened to Derrick Rose and his ACL this weekend when he made his playoff return?

While what happened to Rose this weekend was certainly unfortunate, it's a clear lesson to players around the league of what can happen if you return from any amount of injuries before your body is ready, and Lin needs to take that into account.

Only Lin and his trainers know whether he's ready to return or not, but even if Lin is physically ready to return, the Knicks absolutely need him to stay on the bench, and here's why.

Even with Jeremy Lin, the Knicks are going to get crushed by the Miami Heat 

Take a look at Lin's stats the one time that he faced off against the Heat while he was healthy.  Keep in mind this matchup with the Heat was when Linsanity was in full force, with the Knicks winning nine of their past 12 games.

Jeremy Lin vs. Heat (2/23): Eight points, 9.1 FG%, six rebounds, three assists and eight turnovers.

While that is only a one-game sample, it's the only matchup that we have to assess just how effective Lin can/would be against the Heat in this first-round playoff series.

If Lin couldn't help the Knicks overcome the dominance of the Heat when he was healthy, what leads anyone to believe that he could help the Knicks beat the Heat in his first game back in over a month?

If the Knicks are heading into Game 4 with the Heat down three games to none, the last thing the Knicks need is for Lin to come back to the court before he's ready and do any more damage to his surgically-repaired knee.

Jeremy Lin needs to think about his future, not the playoffs

If you haven't heard, Jeremy Lin will be a free agent at the end of the 2011-12 NBA season, and Lin needs to focus more on what his future in the NBA is going to look like than trying to help the Knicks overcome an insurmountable foe in the Miami Heat.

While the Knicks would be foolish to let Lin go to another team at this season's end, there's no doubt that Lin will be a highly-sought-after free agent.  

Lin's market value has slightly decreased since missing the final month of the regular season, and he can certainly continue to decrease his value if he comes back to the Knicks before he's ready and either hurts himself further or plays atrociously.

The best thing for Lin to do, in terms of helping his own future in the NBA, is to bank on NBA general managers remembering him as Linsanity instead of the guy who came back too early from a knee injury.

While it's harsh to say that Lin needs to forget about the Knicks' playoff hopes, it's the truth, because there is no feasible way that the Knicks are going to be able to come out of the first-round against the Heat.

The only way that could happen is if a 26-year-old Patrick Ewing finds his way back onto the court for the Knicks, and I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen.

Jeremy Lin needs to ride the bench for the next few games and forget about trying to be the hero he once was in New York City, because frankly, it's time for him to focus on his own future.