Lin Offer Expected To Be Matched By Knicks

[Rudi]

Unreal the money this guy is potentially going to get.

Jeremy Lin is suddenly very popular. The former D-Leaguer and waivee-turned-international-phenomenon is a restricted free agent, and everyone's angling for his services despite having had only really a half-season of production. That's what marketing potential and a lovable personality will do for you.

The Knicks desparately want to keep him, the Raptors are considering an offer, the Mavericks have him on radar, but the New York Post reports the biggest contender to land him may be the Rockets, the team that waived him and allowed New York to grab him. From the Post:

A league source said Lin will be offered a contract today -- maybe in the $30 million range -- in a back-loaded nature similar to the one the Rockets offered Bulls big man Omir Asik.

“Jeremy Lin's an excellent player,'' Rockets general manager Daryl Morey told The Post. “We got to know him firsthand when he was with the Rockets early this season. We think he'd make a fantastic addition to our team.''

Lin will spend today with Morey, aiming to make up for waiving the global phenom before the regular-season opener, allowing Grunwald to pick him up on waivers.

The source said the Rockets will offer Lin $5 million, $5.2 million and then plan to jack up the third and fourth years to as much as $10 million.

via Landry Fields signs offer sheet with Toronto Raptors, hurting New York Knicks' hunt for Steve Nash; Jeremy Lin visits with Houston Rockets and is likely to sign an offer sheet - NYPOST.com.

That's what's called a "poison pill," folks. By jacking up the back-end of the contract, the Rockets make it a very difficult decision for the Knicks to match any offer for him. To put this in perspective, in three years, when that first hit of $10 million per year would come in? The Knicks have $64 million devoted to four players. That is an absolutely absurd number and fielding a full roster could push them well north of $90 million, approaching the $100 million mark, with or without Lin. So yeah, that poison pill makes an impact.

Morey could be looking to start fresh at the point guard position. Starter Kyle Lowry is unhappy and has requested a trade, publicly. Goran Dragic is likely going to fall out of what the Rockets are willing to pay him. Lin represents a save-of-face move for Morey, getting back the player he let slip away, solves his point guard problem along with bringing tremendous financial rewards from his marketability and Lin's a pretty good player to boot.

The only questions if that offer is made are if anyone gets crazy enough to up it, and how prideful Knicks owner James Dolan is.

SOURCE: CBSSports

 

[Chrispy]

Let him go, lol @ paying him that much.

Looks like we r gonna be losing Fields and Lin, then trading Shump to the Suns for Nash :suicide:

 

[NAHSTE]

NBA gonna NBA

 

[ralaw]

Pretty weak upgrades from the Rockets. Lin and Asik? Weak

Lowry to Lin = downgrade.

 

[A Tasty Burgerr]

Dragic >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lin

 

[EmpireWF]

$30 million based on what? 4-5 weeks, two or three of which he looked good and then he was constantly outplayed once teams figured out how to play him.

It's $30 million for marketing purposes, b/c there's no way he's worth that kind of money.

Knicks will end up with absolutely no bench...BUT they'll have Nash, ???, Melo, Amare and Chandler playing. That should be good for about 40 wins if Amare doesn't run into a glass casing that gives him the dirty eye.

FML.

 

[ryne candy]

I'm sure the Rockets miss the $ that Yao brought in and are hoping to get it back.

 

[Realist]

$30 million based on what? 4-5 weeks, two or three of which he looked good and then he was constantly outplayed once teams figured out how to play him.

It's $30 million for marketing purposes, b/c there's no way he's worth that kind of money.

Knicks will end up with absolutely no bench...BUT they'll have Nash, ???, Melo, Amare and Chandler playing. That should be good for about 40 wins if Amare doesn't run into a glass casing that gives him the dirty eye.

FML.

No Nash either now..

 

[IamMedellin]

is the League just :troll: the Knicks? lol

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Does he owe a percentage in royalties to ESPN for getting him that contract?

 

[red33]

jeremy lin is the best pg ever.

srs though this is just like all the backup QBs who get big conracts after a game or 2.

 

[dave]

I'd be shocked if the Knicks don't match it. Not saying Lin is worth it, not really sure, but from a marketing point of view it's worth the risk for the Knicks.

 

[NAHSTE]

BUT they'll have Nash

When will you Knicks fans ever learn?

 

[Rudi]

Knicks expected to match the offer, lol. Lost out on Nash so they don't have many options here. Lin gunna be gettin DAT PAPAH

 

[Rayman]

Lin could always just not sign the offer sheet. Seeing as how there's a maximum amount of money he'd be able to earn anyway, he can sign the same deal with the Knicks but just have the cash spread out more evenly.

You know, not being an asshole.

 

[Argath]

Knicks and free agent Raymond Felton are supposedly having talks and both parties are interested.

According to ESPN Rumors:

UPDATE: Raymond Felton's interest in returning to New York appears to be mutual. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweets that the Knicks have emerged as the favorites to land him.

Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday add that it could take a sign-and-trade with Portland to get the deal done.

---
New York Knicks need to sign a point guard and Raymond Felton hopes they offer him a contract.

"They've shown great interest, but there's stuff they've had to get through," agent Tony Dutt tells the New York Post. "He loved playing in New York. Our choice was to never have left New York. There were no hard feelings. Management handled it the best they could. I don't think they ever misled us and I never felt they wanted him in that trade."

The Knicks are expected to retain Jeremy Lin and Felton would be the backup, if he's offered a contract. Felton played for the Knicks during 2010-11 and was traded to the Denver Nuggets during the season.

Dutt says he hopes a sign-and-trade with Portland can be done to give Felton a higher salary than the $3.09 million taxpayer mid-level exception.

 

[stevsta]

reportedly knicks just signed kidd so lin is going to be a rocket

 

[Rayman]

reportedly knicks just signed kidd so lin is going to be a rocket

That's not necessarily true.

 

[stevsta]

That's not necessarily true.

your right I forgot we are talking about the knicks :jonesy:

 

[Rayman]

your right I forgot we are talking about the knicks :jonesy:

I don't see your point here.

Kidd's being brought in as a veteran backup/mentor for Lin. It'd be stupid to expect 35 min a night from him.