Warriors Rumors: Jeremy Lin Didn't Get CBA Clearance in Time to Sign Contract

Jeremy Lin won't be returning to the NBA this season after all.

According to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic, the former New York Knicks star did not receive a Letter of Clearance from the Chinese Basketball Association in time for him to make his deal with the Golden State Warriors official.

Charania noted Golden State will instead sign-and-waive rookie Elijah Pemberton, assigning him to the team's G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.

Lin only agreed to a deal with Golden State on Friday, giving him a short window to receive the LOC. He would've been waived and assigned to Santa Cruz had the deal gone through.

The 32-year-old guard has been out of the NBA since completing a 23-game stint with the Toronto Raptors in 2018-19. That led him to the CBA, where he joined the Beijing Ducks for one season. Afterward, he sought a return to pro basketball in the United States.

A native of Palo Alto, California, the agreement with Golden State would've brought Lin back to the NBA organization that first took a chance on him as an undrafted product out of Harvard.

Lin spent the 2010-11 season with the Warriors, appearing in 29 games while averaging 2.6 points, 1.4 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per contest.

A year later, he became the center of New York basketball as Linsanity gripped Madison Square Garden and Knicks fans everywhere.

The guard may find himself back in the NBA eventually, but it won't be happening this year.