Popular guard (and former phenom) Jeremy Lin will be happy to pack his bags and leave LA when this rotten season mercifully ends. Let coach Byron Scott, who in his first year guided the Lakers to the worst season in franchise history, keep somebody else who can score on the bench while his team loses yet again. Lin enters free agency in a crowded market. Did his up-and-down season with the Lakers–where he showed signs of being a big time player despite Scott’s reluctance–improve or hurt his value?
[BONUS: The Jeremy Lin Quiz — Think You Know Jeremy Lin? 13 Questions]
Point guards are always highly sought after in the NBA. A floor general can turn a team with good pieces into an immediate contender. Is Lin that kind of player? Remains to be seen, as even he admits. He’ll get his chance somewhere next fall–though the Heat’s Goran Dragic, the Mavs’ Rajon Rondo, and the Suns’ Brandon Knight will be higher on the free agent point guard wish list. Lin’s 3-year $25 million deal comes to an end, too. He’ll make much less–probably right around the handsome NBA average of just under $4 million a year. Name recognition alone will help his negotiating power. At that price, Lin will be a steal if he ends up performing consistently.
