2012 NBA Free Agents: Jeremy Lin to Rockets and 5 Most Shocking About-Faces

The pivoting of one's position on a subject happens all the time in the sports world.  

Sometimes it's based on a change in circumstance and sometimes players, agents and teams simply lie straight to our faces.  And considering we're talking about negotiating multi-million (and sometimes billion) dollar deals these 180-degree pivots can be understandable.

Other times, it's downright shocking.  And this NBA offseason has been filled with shocking turns of events that often leave pundits scratching their heads.

But do any of those rank in the top five for this young decade?  Read along to find out...

2012: The Knicks Refuse to Match Jeremy Lin's Offer Sheet

After making it seem that they would match any offer sheet for Lin up to "$1 billion," the New York Knicks had a change of heart and will allow Jeremy Lin to move onto the Houston Rockets.

Lin became a household name this past season after bursting on the scene, putting up 23.9 points per game and 9.2 assists per game in an 11-game stretch where he almost single-handedly saved the 2011-12 Knicks season.  

Lin struggled more as the season wore on though, leaving many to wonder whether his brilliant early run was simply a flash in the pan.  His run was enough, however, to make the Rockets give Lin a three-year, $25.1 million offer sheet.  

And if the reports are correct, it seems we've found a new definition of the word billion.  

2012: Steve Nash Goes to the Lakers Via Sign-and-Trade

On June 25, Steve Nash told Stephen A. Smith the following on his ESPN New York 98.7 radio show, via ESPNNewYork.com:

"

The truth is I'm a bit old school. For me, it would be hard to put on a Lakers jersey. That's just the way it is.  You play against them so many times in the playoffs, and I just use them as an example, and I have the utmost respect for them and their organization.

I kind of have that tendency (to try to beat the best teams), so it is strange, but as a free agent you're free to go where you want, so I'd have to consider everything regardless of the past or the future.

"

By July 2, Nash was negotiating with the Lakers and by Independence Day he was a Laker.  After being a rival to Kobe Bryant for much of his prime, it came as a shocker to most who considered Nash a lock to sign with the Knicks or Raptors.

But Nash chose family and championship hopes over old rivalries and foolish pride, proving once again that Steve Nash is a better person than you or I.

2010/2012: Celtics Keep Trying to Expand "Big Three Era"

Despite consistently saying that he would not keep the original Big Three together past their usefulness in Boston, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has refused two different opportunities to blow up and start over.  

After losing in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers, some thought that the heartbreak of losing would cause free agents Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to abruptly end the experiment.

However, Ainge offered fat new contracts to Allen and Pierce and the (now) Big Four went about trying to capture their second championship. 

2012 was supposed to be the year, though.  With power forward Kevin Garnett and Allen on the free agent market and the Celtics looking battered at the mid-season point it finally looked like the end for the Big Three in Boston. Ainge dangled Pierce and Allen at the trade deadline, but didn't get an attractive enough package to pull the trigger.  

But a magical run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals changed everything, and these old Celtics looked to be on the verge of extending their run even farther.  

Garnett re-signed for three years and the team offered Allen more money than any other suitor.  Alas, it wasn't totally meant to be as Allen left for Miami and the Celtics replaced him with guard Jason Terry.

2012: Dwight Howard Opts into the 2012-13 Season with the Orlando Magic

We've known for the better part of two years now that Magic center Dwight Howard wanted out of Orlando and specifically wanted to be a Brooklyn Net.

Luckily for Howard, all he had to do was play out the 2011-12 season and he would be free to join point guard Deron Williams in Brooklyn without Orlando receiving any compensation.

That was until Howard inexplicably waived his early-termination option and opted in to his $19.2 million salary for 2012-13.

But a complete management overhaul this offseason wasn't enough for Howard and he still wants to be traded.  His primary destination moved on and re-signed incumbent center Brook Lopez, leaving everyone wondering why Howard would make such a baffling choice.  

2011: David Stern Blocks Chris Paul Trade to Lakers, Approves One to Clippers

On Dec. 8, the world thought the Los Angeles Lakers had acquired star point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets in a three-way deal that would have sent Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets and a plethora of assets back to New Orleans.

By the next day, NBA commissioner David Stern (acting as de facto owner of the Hornets) vetoed the trade, citing "basketball reasons."

A little less than a week later Stern finally approved a trade that sent Paul to Los Angeles, only this time to the Clippers for guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and a first-round draft choice.  

Stern's Laker veto is not unprecedented as owners veto trades all the time.  But doing so from the seat of the commissioner's office, after consistently saying there was no conflict of interest involved with the league owning the team, was questionable at best.