Suddenly, Jeremy Lin is becoming one of the most sought-after player as the NBA gears up for the wild and wacky NBA Free Agency set to start this coming July.
Lin was someone who many felt would have a hard time latching to any team in the coming season, with tons of free agent guards and incoming rookies who could be a better choice.
However, all that talk didn’t include the salary cap constraints that many have to address as they go for the high profile players like LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan or maybe even Kevin Love.
Pushing it a bit forward, Kevin Durant is another prospect for next year which would require teams to prep their budget come the 2016 NBA Free Agency period.
With all those things in mind, Lin suddenly becomes a logical choice. Not that teams can low-ball the Asian-American standout but rather get him at perhaps a mid-level salary that could allow them more flexibility as far as recruiting other players into the mix.
There are at least eight teams where Lin could land where two are former teams of his – the Houston Rockets and the New York Knicks. The rest are the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns.
The aforementioned teams of course need something in common – a point guard that would not ask for the stars.
Lin has just finished a three-year $25, 123,938 contract which he signed with the Houston Rockets back in 2012-2013. Heading into next season, critics believe that Lin’s next salary could range somewhere along the $4.5 to $5.5 million mark.
With that reasonable salary scale, it may all boil down to which team that Lin would be comfortable playing for. Between the Rockets and the Knicks, it is obvious that New York is a place he has grown accustomed to.
However, that would depend if Phil Jackson is open to the idea since the Knicks were the last to be inserted in the list of teams interested in the Harvard University standout.
The Rockets can of course recall Lin as they are in dire need of a point guard. Pat Beverly has spent a lot of time in sick bay so a Lin return makes sense.
As for the other teams in the mix, a backup point guard for a reasonable price seems to be the reason behind their interest. Of course, Lin could easily be placed on the starting lineup if he proves his worth, a role he has proven to be effective when you think about the ‘Linsanity’ in New York.