Jeremy Lin Must Justify Houston Rockets' Faith with More Efficient Season

Year 1 of the Jeremy Lin experiment with the Houston Rockets was not a disaster, but it was also far from a success. 

The 24-year-old point guard played in all 82 regular-season games for Houston last year while averaging 32.2 minutes per contest. He averaged 13.4 points and 6.1 assists a game, which helped the Rockets squeak into the playoffs at 45-37. 

Considering the massive hype train of Linsanity that shuttled Lin to the Rockets and the three-year, $25 million contract it took for Houston to pry him away from the New York Knicks, this was a fairly pedestrian year.

Looking deeper into Lin's numbers, a couple of problem areas arise. He hit just 44 percent of his shots from the floor and coughed up 2.9 turnovers per game. 

There were long stretches last season when Lin looked miscast alongside fellow guard James Harden.

Lin is at his best when he is creating by taking the ball to the rim. Combine this with the fact that he hit 33.9 percent from beyond the arc, and it is clear that Lin needs the rock in his hands to maximize his value. 

However, the Rockets didn't give James Harden a max contract not to have the ball in his hands. 

Harden thrives in isolation settings while aggressively looking for his own shot. Last season, Harden led the NBA with 10.2 trips to the foul line per game. 

This conflicting skill set between these two guards has led many to speculate that the Rockets would attempt to move Lin this offseason. There were reports that indicated this is exactly what the Rockets were looking to do: 

It now appears Lin will get another season to prove his worth in Houston:

Dwight, of course, would be the Rockets' prized offseason acquisition—Dwight Howard. 

So, with Lin now sharing the court with Harden and Howard, there is going to be even less of a demand for Lin to play with the ball in his hands. 

However, Howard's arrival also means it will be easier for Lin to get to the rim. Defenses can't help off of Howard, or they run the risk of a rim-rattling dunk for an easy two points. 

This could be the foundation of a nice three-headed monster on offense. But for that to happen, Lin has to evolve his game. 

There are two big keys for Lin. One will be to improve his outside shooting. Floor spacing will be vital for Houston next year. As we saw in Howard's run to the NBA Finals with the Orlando Magic, the explosive center is at his best on offense when he is surrounded by players he can pass to who can drain shots. 

The other important factor will be for Lin to do a better job of taking care of the ball. 

Lin is not going to be in a position where he is asked to force the offense on many occasions. His main priority will be to help put Harden and Howard in a position to succeed. Houston, and any other team, can't afford to cough up the ball before it even gets to the focal point of the offense. 

If Lin can accomplish these improvements through hard work, there is little doubt he will do so: 

Harden and Howard seem to believe he can function well in this setting and consequently, the franchise appears to be on board. 

All that is left now is for Lin to prove he can be a vital part of this team.