New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin Must Now Adapt to Carmelo Anthony-Led Offense

The New York Knicks will enter the 2012-13 season with as much uncertainty as the one before. The burning question is: How will Jeremy Lin adapt to this current Knicks team?

After emerging as a star in Mike D'Antoni's uptempo system, Carmelo Anthony was forced to answer questions about how his game could fit alongside Lin. The tables have now turned. 

Mike Woodson is now the head coach. Lin will now be asked to adapt to a system that will largely feature Carmelo Anthony.

Will Lin be able to adapt to a system featuring Carmelo as the focal point? I can't answer that, at least not yet.

Instead, I will explain the reasons why I think Lin must now acclimate his game to the current system in place. 

Uptempo vs. Heavy Isolation

Mike D'Antoni's system featured a whole lot offense, with little defense to show for it. Under Woodson and Tyson Chandler, the Knicks made huge strides on the defensive end. 

The reason for the turnaround has a lot to do with effort, but the shift on offense should not be discredited. Rather than run-and-gun, the Knicks played in a more heavy isolation offense under Mike Woodson. 

This was the system Woodson ran while coaching in Atlanta. Joe Johnson played the "Melo" role before Woodson was fired by the Hawks' brass.

The offense eventually soured in Atlanta, and the same could happen with Carmelo and the Knicks. Of course, this is a different issue for another time. 

How does Lin fit in this equation? It's simple. Lin was the missing piece to D'Antoni's uptempo system. D'Antoni needed a point guard who could distribute and start the breaks. 

Lin was excellent in that role, but it was at the expense of Melo. Carmelo thrives in a offense that isolates him around the mid-to-low post area. 

With Lin, Melo would not receive the touches he rightfully deserves and expects. Lin will need to develop his outside shot and should focus on becoming a better half-court player. 

The Knicks will only go as far as Carmelo Anthony takes them. 

Melo's Price Tag

Jeremy Lin could become a hot commodity in the free-agent market this offseason, but expect the Knicks to negotiate an extension with their international superstar. 

Carmelo Anthony signed an expensive three-year extension with the Knicks after having been traded from the Denver Nuggets.

In addition, the Knicks gave up major pieces in their pursuit of Carmelo Anthony. While some may want to trade Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks will not find fair value for the former Syracuse product.  

The Knicks were praised for their aggressive move to acquire Carmelo Anthony, but the decision was rushed. The Knicks thought more alongside the business angle rather than playing style. 

Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire have not become the lethal combo many Knicks fans had come to expect. Add Lin to the equation, and you have a mess. 

The Knicks will want to move Amar'e, but that is impossible at this point. Melo will also likely stay.

While it would be an unwise business decision to let Lin test the market, it is a smart basketball move. 

Inopportune Absence(s)

The NBA and its fans live in the moment. Knicks fans will last remember their team in a battle against the vaunted Miami Heat, without their point guard, Jeremy Lin. 

Lin was injured, but his presence was sorely needed. Actually, any point guard with a pulse would have sufficed.

The Knicks were embarrassed by the Miami Heat, in large part because of issues at point guard. 

Lin is a media darling, but this particular injury with his knee was peculiar. Some expected him back toward the end of the season, while others predicted sometime in the first round. Both never occurred. 

The concerns with his injury may have been off-putting with Knicks fans. 

I'm not going to judge his injury, but it came at a critical juncture of the season.