NBA Free Agency 2012: Why New York Knicks Must Re-Sign Jeremy Lin

The New York Knicks experienced a phenomenon last season with their point guard Jeremy Lin.

The restricted free agent brought an excitement to New York that hadn’t been seen in quite some time.  He carried the team while Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony were injured, and Lin became the star of the Knicks.

Now, Lin could sign with the Houston Rockets (according to Marc Berman of The New York Post , the team made an offer in the neighborhood of four years and $30 million yesterday), but the Knicks could match that and re-sign Lin. 

Correction, they desperately need to re-sign Lin.

The Knicks have constantly retooled themselves with new players and different starting lineups in the past two years. 

Their most notable trade was sending Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton and Wilson Chandler to the Nuggets for Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Anthony and Billups solved the issues the Knicks had, but after the Tyson Chandler deal, Billups was gone. 

They needed a point guard, and they thought Mike Bibby and Toney Douglas were the answers. That wasn’t the case.

Lin got his shot, and “Linsanity” ensued. He handled the spotlight with ease, and he was able to bring the Knicks back from mediocrity.

Lin even sparked long-shot talks from fans of an NBA title finally returning to New York. 

He became an overnight sensation from his first start with the Knicks, defeating the Nets and matching up with All-Star guard Deron Williams. 

Last season, Lin averaged 14.6 points per game and 6.2 assists per game. He filled the hole at point guard, and now, the Knicks could lose that again.

The Knicks need to re-sign him and stop mixing the rosters again. They have the answer at point guard, so why retool now?

The Knicks have not just a point guard, but also a rising star. It may be too much to say, but it isn’t that far-fetched.

The Knicks also cannot afford to let Lin go. They failed bringing in Steve Nash, who was traded to the Lakers, but Lin can make a new “big three” with Anthony and Stoudemire.

Other point guards are available, such as Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton. However, Lin is the best option for a long-term solution.

If the Knicks are serious about winning an NBA championship in the near future, they need to re-sign  Lin. He stepped up and made the Knicks into a better team, and with Lin at point guard for a regular 82-game season, he’ll make the team even better.

Lin on the Knicks makes them more of a threat than without him.    

*Stats are from basketball-reference.com.