NBA Free Agency 2012: Houston Rockets Reportedly Will Offer Jeremy Lin Contract

It appears the Houston Rockets see the error in their ways after cutting Jeremy Lin last December, and in order to prove it to the restricted free agent, the team will reportedly offer him a back-loaded contract, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.

The reported deal could be worth about $30 million for the New York Knicks star point guard, with most of the money being paid out in the final two years of the deal. The first two years would pay around $5 million each and then would increase to as much as $10 million per year over the last two years.

"Jeremy Lin's an excellent player," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said in an interview with the Post. "We got to know him firsthand when he was with the Rockets early this season. We think he'd make a fantastic addition to our team."

Houston's offer could make the Knicks shy about matching it. However, the reported $30 million offer isn't as much as the maximum that can be offered to Lin, which would total $40 million over four years.

ESPN's Chris Broussard reported that New York would be hesitant to match such an offer in order to avoid the NBA's new CBA luxury tax set to kick in for the 2013-14 season. But that was in regard to the potential $40 million offer that might come from the Toronto Raptors, per the same report.

However, Berman's report also stated that New York's general manager, Glen Grunwald, will match any offer Lin receives.

As it stands now, the Knicks can offer Lin a four-year, $24 million contract, which is roughly $6 million less than the Rockets' reported offer.

The Knicks must do what it takes to sign Lin, especially if there is only a $6 million difference in the two offers. It's one thing to balk at a potential $16 million more, but it isn't nearly the same to balk at an extra $6 million.

He could very well be their future at point guard, and even if they sign Steve Nash, the Knicks will still have the opportunity to groom Lin as their future starter when the 38-year-old hangs up his jersey for good in a few seasons.

In the end, there's no amount of money that is too much for the global phenomenon that is Linsanity. Whatever extra money the Knicks have to shell out now, they could certainly receive tenfold in return just by keeping Lin on their team.