NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets Would Be Wise to Sign Jeremy Lin to Big Offer Sheet
Just about a week ago it seemed like a pretty safe bet that point guard Jeremy Lin would be back with the New York Knicks next season, but suddenly things aren't so clear. The Houston Rockets have interest and signing Lin to a big offer sheet would be a win-win situation.
According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, the Rockets plan to bring Lin in for a visit on Wednesday. The Knicks have the right to match any offer since Lin is a restricted free agent, so if the Rockets are truly interested in the rising star, then there is no reason for them not to make an offer.
The Rockets have flirted with trading current point guard Kyle Lowry, and signing Lin would pretty much guarantee his departure. If Lin signs the offer sheet and the Knicks match, then it doesn't hurt Houston in the least. In fact, the Rockets could back load Lin's contract and damage the Knicks' cap flexibility down the line if they ultimately match.
Essentially the worst possible outcome is that the Knicks are stuck with a big contract, and that has to be enticing from Houston's point of view. It remains to be seen whether Lin will be able to put up similar numbers to what he accrued last season as a starter over a full year, but Lin has a ton of potential and has piqued the interest of the Rockets.
Interestingly, the Rockets cut the 23-year-old Harvard graduate prior to this past season after claiming him off waivers. Houston had a crowded backcourt with Lowry, Goran Dragic and Jonny Flynn at point guard, so there really wasn't any room for Lin. Apparently the Rockets brass feels as if it made a mistake, though, and it could very well rectify that blunder.
Lin took over the Knicks' starting point guard spot in February after playing sparingly over the first month of the season. Both Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas were ineffective as starters and Baron Davis was injured, so Lin was afforded with a golden opportunity. He took it and ran with it as he ended up averaging 16.2 points, 6.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game on the season.
Some of that had to do with the up-tempo system of former head coach Mike D'Antoni as Lin's numbers dipped when Mike Woodson took over. Lin also got injured late in the season, however, so that may have been the biggest culprit in his slight decline. Whatever the case, Lin showed some amazing potential last season and in the right situation he could possibly flourish.
The Knicks seem to believe that the perfect situation already resides in New York, so every indication is that they will match. With the Toronto Raptors offering guard Landry Fields an offer sheet, though, the Knicks are going to have a lot of money tied up moving forward. That won't prevent them from signing Lin necessarily, but it could give them some pause and result in Houston landing him.
Nobody knows for sure what type of player Lin really is yet, so any big contract is a risky one. It is quite sensible for an outside team to make an offer, though, since the Knicks will have to pay if they match. The Rockets are in a very advantageous position when it comes to the Lin situation, so they might as well make the most of it.
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