My close and personal friend (sort of) Jeremy Lin to the Rox

[kevC]

Thought this deserved its own thread since he's not part of the Knicks anymore.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/sport ... ml?_r=1&hp

Here's what I posted on the other thread to explain the thread title:

Coming out of dormancy to post this, but I have a mutual friend with Jeremy Lin (my best friend from high school who went to Harvard is friends with him). He said if Jeremy comes to Houston and when he comes home to visit, he'll call him up and we can all go hang out somewhere. I'm going to be part of an entourage!

[Jackal]

I'm so excited for you, I hope you manage to post pictures.

[NovU]

Ah. Another Lin thread. Was about time.

At $20 mil for 3 years, do you guys think he is really that overpaid? That's approximately little less than 7 mil/year and in today's standard, that isn't really overpaying for somebody who's shown signs of promises at young age. Only time will tell if the contract was worthy or not but I have the feeling that the Knicks were better off keeping him. Even if it didn't work out, the Knicks probably could have moved him to avoid the luxury tax. Joe Johnson's contract was moved in this league. Anything's possible.

I hope you manage to post pictures.

+1. Hope your sis scores him as well.

[kevC]

It's actually 25 mil for 8.3 a year. I think he deserves every penny. #biased

[NovU]

Oh. Overpaid, yes then. Lolz.

[kevC]

Oh. Overpaid, yes then. Lolz.

I would pay a 23 year-old 20 PER 6'3" 200lb PG 8 million for 3 years every day.

[NovU]

Somewhat true. His stats are great, and especially during the time of linsanity, it peaked out. The kid has potential and could turn out to a money well spent case. And he brings new fan base to the team which is bonus to the franchise.

[Andrew]

I still think the Knicks would've been better off overpaying a little for him rather than getting Felton, but their loss is Houston's gain.

[Sauru]

the knicks were gonna lose with him and they will lose without him. really in the nba only 2-3 teams have a real shot at winning it each year and everyone else is out of luck so with that in mind they should have kept him and made money off of him.


as for the op, thats pretty cool man. hope you have a good time

[Kenny]

When you, Jeremy and your friend are riding around in the car, can you please have this song playing:

phpBB [video]

Anyway, I'm glad to see him go to a team outside New York and California.

[rise]

He's being 5mil this year, 5mil next year, and 14mil the following year. The same thing the Rockets did with Asik.

[kevC]

He's being 5mil this year, 5mil next year, and 14mil the following year. The same thing the Rockets did with Asik.

Yes, but the salary cap hit is divided evenly at 8.3/8.3/8.3.

[Axel The Great]

KevC, that's really awesome. You're not only friends with an NBA player, but also a Harvard graduate.

Will definitely be worth it to attend a (or a few) Rockets game this season. Lin will make the season a lot more exciting, especially after trading Kyle Lowry, cutting Courtney Lee loose, and using the amnesty clause on Scola. I have my doubts though, because even with Lin, I don't think this roster makes it to the playoffs. If he continues his Linsanity, the Rockets are still a 9th seed, but I would gladly eat my words if they do make the playoffs.

On a sidenote, purchasing a Lin jersey sure isn't out of the question.

[NovU]

Betrayed. Lol.
The Knicks didn’t match Jeremy Lin’s offer sheet because owner James Dolan felt ‘betrayed,’ ‘deceived,’

Another interesting article.
Aldridge Weighs In: Why Knicks Should Keep Jeremy Lin

[Andrew]

Betrayed. Lol.
The Knicks didn’t match Jeremy Lin’s offer sheet because owner James Dolan felt ‘betrayed,’ ‘deceived,’

Saw that earlier today and I'm inclined to agree. I think this paragraph sums it up best:

Lin's return to New York wasn't predetermined by bonds of servitude or commanded by some kind of fealty after the Knicks signed him to the end of the bench and then got lucky as hell — all-time lucky, once-in-a-generation lucky, this-kind-of-thing-doesn't-happen lucky — when he became an on- and off-court thunderbolt. It was up to Dolan, Grunwald and the Knicks to actually pay him to play. That's the business that Lin, Dolan, Grunwald, Morey and everyone else in the NBA are actually in. That's what dictates and governs everything. Do you want to pay the man, or don't you?

The conclusion is pretty spot on too:

Allowing a young asset with the potential to mature and with significant demonstrable value already — both off the court and on it — to just walk away, though? Not having a plan in place to at least get something in return for the investment you made? Throwing your hands up because several completely reasonable things happened and you just straight-up got beat? That's not logic; it's tantrum. That doesn't make you some kind of principled, commendable soul; it just makes you a rash, ill-considered loser.

It makes you the Knicks. Forever and always, the Knicks.