Regardless of their Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday and a disappointing early postseason exit, the Charlotte Hornets are coming off one of their most promising campaigns in franchise history. They’ve improved exponentially since last season in several key areas, one of which was their bench production. Backup point guard Jeremy Lin was a huge catalyst for that as he transformed into something of a combo guard, allowing Steve Clifford to insert him into multiple lineup configurations.
But the big question now as Lin hits the free agent market his summer is whether the Hornets will be able to retain him. The good news is that Lin apparently wants to stay in Charlotte, according to comments he made to reporters on Monday after exit interviews.
Jeremy Lin said he "absolutely" wants to return to @hornets. Said he'd even take a discount and this season was most fun he's had in @nba.
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) May 2, 2016
Asked Lin if it's more about best fit for him as he determines his next move. Said he wants to be happy and have fun, and is tired of moving
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) May 2, 2016
Lin: "I've been paid on the lower end and had a blast, and I've been paid on the higher end and not enjoyed it at all."
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) May 2, 2016
Lin on money not being the biggest factor in where he signs this offseason: "I don't really care that much about money."
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) May 2, 2016
Lin: "Me coming here showed that I was willing to come for whatever to find a situation I felt like would be best for me … on the court."
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) May 2, 2016
Given the league’s current economic climate and the opportunity to capitalize on the skyrocketing salary cap this offseason, it’s certainly refreshing to hear Lin both make his intentions clear and express a willingness to forgo money in order to do so. But it’s probably not the smartest negotiating tactic. Lin should probably leave most of this up to his agent, let the market decide his value (which should be considerable given the season he’s had), and just take it from there.
