Free agency is scatterbrained. Take Jeremy Lin, who might definitely could or could not be a Knick next year, depending on the non-guarantee guarantee that other teams could/will not offer him a backloaded deal, or something. See?
ESPN is currently reporting that Lin’s return to the Knicks might be in peril:
“The Knicks can offer Lin a four-year deal worth $24.5 million. But an opposing team can offer Lin a poison pill that could go as high as $40 million over four years. Such a contract would pay Lin $5 million in each of the first two years and then go as high as $15 million in each of the last two years.
Matching such a contract would give the Knicks four players — Lin, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler — making more than $14 million in the 2014-2015 season. Those four players alone would have a combined salary of $72 million, nearly $2 million above the luxury tax.”
This would be problematic, as you might imagine. But Alan Hahn disagrees, noting that the Knicks’ brass refuses to let Lin leave.
“Meanwhile, one thing that seems abundantly clear is Jeremy Lin will be re-signed regardless of what another team offers him as a restricted free agent. The pursuit of a veteran PG is not just to help the team win now, but also to invest in Lin’s development. You can’t find anyone in the organization that doesn’t believe in Jeremy Lin. He is, and will remain, a Knick.”
Marc Berman of the New York Post sees the Knicks as a bit more coy:
So, there you have it. Is there any news to report? Nope. But speculation, there’s plenty of that. Breaking the bank for Lin’s services seems premature, especially since he’s played half an NBA season. But you can always count on GMs overpaying for talent. If Lin did leave, it would be quite the interesting transformation – from New York feel-good story to hated money chaser. But we’re trusting Alan Hahn on this one – the Knicks would be foolish not to invest in a 23-year-old point guard who torched the NBA in his first shot at consistent playing time.
Will Jeremy Lin be a Knick next season?
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