Jeremy Lin Rumors: Star PG Needs Knicks to Step Up

Jeremy Lin has a big decision to make in the coming days, though his choice will be much easier if he can get the New York Knicks to step up their efforts to keep him. 

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Houston Rockets have an offer on the table for Lin and it includes a lot of backloaded money that could hurt the Knicks' chances of keeping him:

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The Houston Rockets have given Jeremy Lin a multiyear offer sheet, and the New York Knicks free-agent point guard was mulling over whether to accept it, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Houston's multiyear offer to Jeremy Lin includes back-loaded money designed to hit the Knicks hard on the luxury tax, sources close to Lin said. "

Lin has to capitalize on this golden opportunity, but he has to determine the best place for him to play. 

It is actually a lot more clear-cut than you might think. Even if the Rockets can offer more money, or at least enough to kill the Knicks' payroll flexibility, New York the best spot for him and what he can do on the court. 

The New York market has made him into a much bigger star than he is likely to be. 

We have no idea what kind of player Lin really is. He was essentially a D-League player in his first season, added nothing in the first month of the season with the Knicks, then had a month-long stretch where he became the biggest star in the sport. 

But at the end of March, Lin got hurt and wasn't able to play the rest of the regular season or playoffs. He is going to get a huge contract from someone for five weeks of performance. 

Going to Houston would end the Linsanity that swept the nation last season. He would still be a star but not nearly at the level he would be in New York. 

The best move for Lin's career, on and off the court, will be to convince the Knicks they need to keep him. 

Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said in May that Lin will definitely be back with the team, so it certainly sounds like they have plans to do whatever it takes to keep him. 

Whether that is the right move for the Knicks remains to be seen. For Lin, staying in New York would unquestionably be the right move for him. He just needs them to figure out what they want to do soon.

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