Jeremy Lin: Move from Knicks to Rockets Would Mark End of Linsanity

No final decision on Jeremy Lin's future has been made by the New York Knicks as the deadline to match an offer sheet from the Houston Rockets approaches, but if the breakout point guard heads south, it will mark the end of Linsanity.

Although Lin's surprisingly terrific play last season played a part in the massive amount of attention he received, the fact it was happening in New York City while playing for one of the NBA's most popular franchises played a much larger role.

If the circumstances would have been identical in terms of production but the city was Houston or Milwaukee, the national media's response would have been far different. The bright lights of the Big Apple was key in his rise to fame.

It also helped the Knicks. The wide-ranging exposure of their newest star allowed the team to sell a crazy amount of Lin-related merchandise as fans jumped aboard the bandwagon and enjoyed what turned out to be quite a wild ride.

Things have obviously slowed down during the offseason, but they are in danger of grinding to a complete halt if Lin joins the Rockets.

While he would still receive plenty of attention heading into next season, slowly, but surely, he will just become another piece of the sports landscape. The 24-hour news cycle would no longer be dominated by Lin coverage.

In order to get the same amount of attention in Houston that he did in New York, the 23-year-old guard would have to play like an MVP candidate. Even though he did show some flashes of brilliance last season, he's not on that level.

He can still be a valuable contributor to the Rockets and even has the potential to earn every dollar of his new deal, but he will no longer be wrapped up in the worldwide phenomenon known as Linsanity.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course. Maybe getting out of New York will allow him to focus purely on basketball and make sure now that he's been given this golden opportunity that he doesn't let it slip away.

With that said, it would also mean his marketability takes a hit. It's a lot easier to pitch products while spending most of your time in Manhattan than it is in Houston.

For example, Matt Schaub is a much better quarterback than Mark Sanchez. But Sanchez is more marketable because he plays in New York. Furthermore, while Tim Tebow was always a popular target for companies, moving to the big city helped him in that area as well.

That's why the Knicks' decision goes far beyond basketball.

Lin's team won't make much of an impact on his on-court game, but it will ultimately decide whether Linsanity survives or becomes a thing of the past.