NBA Rumors: Jeremy Lin Is Luxury Signing New York Knicks Cannot Afford

The New York Knicks need a starting point guard, but that point guard is not Jeremy Lin.

Let's look at the simple facts here.

Linsanity thrived without Carmelo Anthony on the court, but floundered with him on it. The Knicks' defense was atrocious (outside of Tyson Chandler) with Lin, but was significantly better without him. Coach Mike Woodson got the most out of Carmelo Anthony while eeking what he could out of Lin.

The overnight sensation saw his minutes cut by nearly four a game under Woodson, and he averaged six less points. The New York offense ran through Carmelo, not Linsanity.

It remains to be seen whether the Knicks will bring Woodson back or not, but regardless of who is on the sideline Lin is a luxury the Knicks cannot afford in more ways than one.

The point guard is a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Knicks can match any offer another team gives him.

According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com, there is an interesting loophole that could cost the Knicks way too much money for Lin's services should they choose to match:

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A team with salary cap space could make things interesting by increasing Lin’s salary in years three and four of his contract and paying him the average salary of the four-year deal. However, if the Knicks match a back-loaded offer, they’ll have to pay the actual salary that he’s due for each season.

That means if Brooklyn offers Lin $12,628,613 and $13,146,387 in the final two years of his deal, they’ll have to pay him $9,000,000 per season. However, if New York matches, they’ll owe Lin $5,000,000 next season, $5,225,000 in year two and then $12,628,613 in 2013-14, when they already owe Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler $60,632,000.

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If the Knicks were to match such an offer, four of their starting five would cost approximately $73 million—four players, mind you, that have yet to prove they can co-exist.

The Knicks have no need for another superstar on this team. Say what you will about Lin's abilities on the court, he's a superstar simply in the fact that he draws attention even when sitting on the bench. In essence, he's another Tim Tebow.

New York's postseason shortcomings were directly tied to injuries and the team's inability to play together as a cohesive unit. The only time the Knicks ever did that was with Lin running the point and Carmelo out with an injury, but Carmelo isn't going neither anywhere—neither is Amar'e for that matter.

The Knicks don't need another guard who can create his own shot; they have that in J.R. Smith and, if and when healthy, Iman Shumpert. What they need is someone who can distribute the basketball, defend on the perimeter, not cost the Knicks too much money and put both Melo and Amar'e in the best position to succeed.

Lin doesn't do any of that.

He's a gifted player and likely starter in this league, but he doesn't fit the New York Knicks' needs with the lineup they put on the court.

If Lin comes cheap than maybe it is a different story, but there are too many teams looking for a dynamic guard and not nearly enough available players on the market.

Dallas, New Jersey, Toronto, Golden State and Portland, as Kennedy points out, all have need for a Jeremy Lin, and some of them have the money and market—Dallas and New Jersey most notably—worthy of offering a backloaded deal.

Should that be the case, New York needs to wash its hands of Jeremy Lin and look elsewhere for point guard help.