For NBA fans, the trade deadline is a time of unpredictability and excitement.
It's a chance for teams to change their fortunes with one magic deal, the way the Knicks did in 2011 when they landed superstar Carmelo Anthony during the trade deadline in a deal with Denver that solidified them as contenders in the East. Or how the Pistons did in 2004 when they landed Rasheed Wallace in a deadline trade that helped them win the 2004 NBA championship.
But for some players, it's a sad time where they say goodbye not to teammates, but to friends and foxhole buddies, guys who they've gone to war with for months, sometimes years.
And while Jeremy Lin has only been a member of the Houston Rockets for a half-season, even newcomer Lin had a tough time dealing with some of the trades made by Houston Wednesday night that dealt several key players on the Rockets away to different NBA teams.
The Rockets traded away starting power forward Patrick Patterson along with key subs Toney Douglas and Cole Aldrich to Sacramento in exchange for rookie power forward and 2012 No. 5 NBA draft pick Thomas Robinson, while dealing another valuable support player, Marcus Morris, to the Phoenix Suns for a draft pick.
To some fans, those were just names. To Lin, who was in shock after finding out on Wednesday about the trades, they were friends.
"That was just pretty much the worst thing," Lin told CSN Houston on Wednesday night. "It sucks because we were a close-knit team and we actually really, really care about everybody that got shipped off and it was just really emotional for me. I mean, to be honest, I was like, 'I don't really even want to play. I don't want to play tonight.' Yeah, it was really emotional, so I wish them the best. It just sucks to see them go, but I guess it's part of the business, but that's the tough part for me.
"It means a lot to get a win, but to be honest, it hurts," he said. "It's bittersweet. Tonight (Wednesday night) is definitely going to be bittersweet. We shipped off four guys and they're all a big part of our team and I'm going to miss playing with them. So yeah, I'm happy we won, but it really just sucks, to be honest."
Lin still managed to shake off the shock of the trades and put up a fine performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring 29 points with eight assists and six rebounds, backing up James Harden's 46-point explosion as the Rockets beat the Thunder 122-119 at home in Houston.
On Thursday, with the Rockets preparing to visit the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, Lin was feeling a little better, although he admitted it would be "weird" not being able to talk to Douglas on a flight to a game.
"It's tough. We're kind of just trying to figure it out on the fly right now. And welcome to our new power forward, Carlos Delfino, so we'll see what he has on the block," Lin said in jest, before getting back to the subject. "So we're just going to go out there and improvise and just play hard. We're explosive and we're young and we have a chance. And I think we're learning more each and every game. I also think we have guys who haven't been able to play as much, but are capable."
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
