Jeremy Lin: Why PG Will Regret Leaving Big Apple

When Jeremy Lin left New York, he threw away the opportunity to become a star in the NBA.

In 35 games last season, Lin became the talk of the league before getting hurt. 

Last week, ESPN's Ian Begley confirmed the New York Knicks would not match the Houston Rocket's offer for the point guard. 

For the Knicks, it was the right move for the team. However, Lin made the wrong decision but will get paid.

The Knicks brought in Jason Kidd to help Lin, but they traded for Raymond Felton when they decided to move on from Lin. Felton has already proven himself in New York and will fit in with the team.

Market

After playing in New York last season, everything Lin did made headlines. When he came out of nowhere and entered his first game, there were no expectations. He quickly made a name for himself and created a media frenzy.

Houston is not a small market, but nothing compares to New York. Linsanity was fueled by the Big Apple, and it will not come close to repeating itself this season.

Although he captivated the nation last season, he is not on the big stage anymore.

On top of being in New York, the Knicks are one of the most storied franchises in the league. Expectations are always high, and the team is constantly under a microscope.

When he left the city, he saw it as an opportunity to receive more playing time. However, it will not help him become a high-profile star. After sitting out in the playoffs, Lin showed he was preoccupied with being a star rather than helping his team.

The Knicks were on their way out of the postseason, and their point guard decided not to play to eliminate the chance of further injury.

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports Lin now has a different reason for sitting out, but it is irrelevant at this point. Whether or not his teammates told him to sit out, Lin should have wanted to make an impact in the playoffs.

Chance to Learn

It is not often for one of the best point guards of their generation to be willing to be a backup. But Jason Kidd came to New York to do exactly that.

The New York Post's Fred Kerber ran a story featuring Kidd and managed to get the reason why Kidd signed with the Knicks.

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“I would love to start. I mean, my job is to make Jeremy better at practice and stuff like that...To have the chance to mentor a very good player, to be able to share what I’ve learned the last 18 years, is something I’ve been looking forward to" -Jason Kidd

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Had he stayed with the team, Lin would have been able to learn from a great player. Now he is forced to play with a team lacking any veteran presence at point guard.

Lin likely would have been the starting point guard for the Knicks, and he had a chance to continue to add to his legacy in New York.

In the end, money won. He decided to chase the money with the assumption the Knicks would match any offer. Instead, the team went for a cheaper option.

Team

Last season, the Knicks made the playoffs but were eliminated by the Miami Heat. With an improved squad, they have a chance to challenge the Heat in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks are loaded with stars. Kidd, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler lead the way in the Big Apple.

In Houston, they are in the middle of cleaning house and will struggle in the Western Conference.

The team has traded away players like Chase Budinger in order to clear cap room. ESPN's Marc Stein reports the Rockets are interested in acquiring either Orlando's Dwight Howard or Andrew Bynum from Los Angeles.

Unless they are able to get one of those centers, the Rockets will finish near the bottom of the league in the 2012-2013 season.

Lin had the opportunity to make the playoffs for many years to come, but he will now find himself on a struggling team. The Rockets have a depleted roster, but they were able to have multiple first-round draft picks.

The Western Conference is more competitive than the Eastern Conference, so Lin will be watching the Knicks in the postseason this year.

Conclusion

Lin has a chance to be a scorer on his new team, but he will no longer be hyped the way he was last season. With Kevin Martin being the only proven player on the team, Lin will become the focus of every opponent.

He had the opportunity to become a star playing in New York and in the postseason, but Lin now begins another stage in his career.