Brooklyn Nets: Will Jeremy Lin Find a Permanent Home in Brooklyn 农业户2016-10-30 23:57:43
The Brooklyn Nets‘ new starting point guard, Jeremy Lin has impressed fans on and off the court in the early part of his Nets tenure. The 6-foot-3 point guard from Harvard is averaging 17 points and 7.3 assists per game so far this season.
The Brooklyn Nets are Lin’s sixth NBA team in his seven year NBA career. His current contract with the Nets is the largest contract he has ever received. The deal Lin signed in July 2016 with the Nets was for three years and worth $36 million.
Lin went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, but began his career with his hometown Golden State Warriors. After having a cup of coffee with multiple D-League teams, he became a free agent in the summer of 2010. This was when he met his mentor, Kenny Atkinson, and he signed with the New York Knicks when Atkinson was an assistant under Mike Woodson at the time.
After starting point guard Baron Davis went down with an injury, Lin entered a part of his career that is famously known as Linsanity. Going up against the Nets former “franchise player” Deron Williams, Lin put up 25 points and seven assists to ignite Linsanity. This high level of play continued, which led to the Houston Rockets to sign Lin to a three-year, $25 million contract.
After struggling in Houston and eventually with the Los Angles Lakers the following season, he became a productive player in a smaller role for the Charlotte Hornets. Lin thrived playing alongside Kemba Walker as part of the Hornets’ most productive lineup. That lineup was a huge factor in Charlotte defying most fans’ expectations in making the postseason.
Now, we come to Lin’s current stage of his career, a return to New York. Only this time, it’s with the Knicks’ cross river rivals. Lin has failed to spend more than two seasons with a team in his career which begs the question: will Jeremy Lin finally find a permanent home with the Nets?
Why he will stay in Brooklyn
First and foremost, as Lin has stated multiple times in recent months; no Kenny Atkinson would’ve meant no agreement between the Nets and Lin. Coach Atkinson has been credited numerous times with developing Lin when they worked together with the Knicks.
Atkinson ensured that when Lin got his opportunity to play, he would be ready to contribute. Not only did he exceed fans’ expectations in a starting role, but Lin’s play towards the tail-end of the 2011-12 season made him the franchise’s “most popular player in a decade,” according to the New York Times. This close-knit relationship is something that can’t be ignored when Lin decides whether or not to resign with Brooklyn down the line.
Another factor that played into Lin’s decision to sign with the Nets was that he would be guaranteed a large role in the offense, at least for this season. He has consistently been the third, second or occasional first option in Atkinson’s motion offense so far this season. This is freedom on the court that Lin has not had since the peak of Linsanity.
Even though it’s only been three games, Lin has been putting up the best stats of his career (he only put up 14.6 points per game over the course of his time in New York). If he is able to continue playing this efficiently, then there is no reason why Atkinson will tighten the leash on Lin offensively.
While Lin most likely could’ve gotten more money on the free agent market this summer, Brooklyn offers a plethora of financial opportunities off the court. Despite popular opinion, Lin made a financially savvy move by signing with the Nets. Lin’s economics degree from Harvard no doubt taught him that New York is the best market in America to build a brand. Famous athletes such as Carmelo Anthony and Eli Manning have garnered a significant amount of apparel deals, and off-court notoriety as a result of playing in the Big Apple.
Lin more than anyone should know that playing well for a New York team can a turn a player into a star over night. This potential stardom no doubt played into his decision to come to the Nets, and should play a factor in him staying in Brooklyn long term.
Why he won’t stay in Brooklyn
As the Lakers and Rockets can probably attest, when it rains, it pours, once Jeremy Lin enters a slump. Lin was hailed as the savior of basketball in Houston going into the 2012-13 NBA season. In fact, it is arguable that of the Rockets’ acquisitions in the 2012 offseason, Lin was initially more highly regarded than James Harden.
However, it only took Houston coach Kevin McHale a few months to realize the defense apocalypse that would ensue every time Lin and Harden played in the backcourt together. Things only snowballed from here as Patrick Beverley, a virtually unknown player at the time, took over Lin’s starting job in the 2013-14 season.
This made Lin an overall bad investment for Houston, which led to him being traded to the Lakers. A bad fit in Byron Scott’s offensive system depleted Lin’s confidence even more, and he was crudely pushed out of Los Angeles.
The same storyline transpired twice for Lin after having high expectations, and it could happen again in Brooklyn.
As much as Lin may love the spotlight, it may not ultimately be good for him. Being a main option has yielded mixed results for him when looking at his previous stops. If Lin plans on being in Brooklyn long term, then it is crucial for him to step up to the plate like he did with the Knicks. After all, Nets Nation has endured enough of star point guards not stepping up to expectations in recent years.
However, there are alternatives if Lin’s time in Brooklyn is a failure. The 2017 draft class is loaded with potential star point guards (Dennis Smith, Lonzo Ball, D’aron Fox). Given Brooklyn’s new culture, Sean Marks will have no issue dealing his starting point guard if Lin falls short of expectations.
Verdict
It is very unlikely that the Nets management would move on from Lin this season. The worst version of Lin as a starting point guard would still be better than what Greivis Vasquez or Isaiah Whitehead would provide in that role.
Yet, between next summer’s loaded draft and free agency class for points guard, Lin’s starting role could become up for grabs. While it doesn’t necessarily mean the Nets would move on from Lin if they acquire a better point guard next summer, $12 million a year is a bit expensive for a reserve.
Nets fans should enjoy Lin as he is currently playing. He appears to be a great fit for Coach Atkinson’s new system and is putting the stats to prove it. His defense appears to be much improved as well in the early going. In addition, everyone within the Nets organization seems to be content with Lin as the starting point guard.
While it is tough to tell what the future holds, it is clear that in his first couple of months with the Nets, Jeremy Lin has exceeded expectations and has picked right where where he left off with Coach Atkinson.