The New York Knicks organization has told the Houston Rockets “You can have Lin.” Ok, don’t quote me on that because it’s not exactly what they said. That’s certainly what they’re portraying though. Last night the Knicks decided not to match Houston’s 3-year $25.1 million offer sheet for PG Jeremy Lin, the man behind a story that took over the basketball world last season. Yes, the 23-year old guard that began “Linsanity” (or whatever coin phrase you prefer) for New York, acquired a contract that the Knicks deemed too expensive/risky to take on. Word around the league early yesterday was that the Knicks had no intentions of matching the Rockets’ offer sheet but it because official last night as the deadline passed without NY making any kind of move. Rumors also surfaced of a rocky split behind closed doors but Jeremy Lin certainly didn’t show it, tweeting “Much love and thankfulness to the Knicks and New York for your support this past year…easily the best year of my life#ForeverGrateful,” on Tuesday night. Shortly after that another tweet “Extremely excited and honored to be a Houston Rocket again!!#RedNation,”
I don’t live in New York and don’t know many Knicks fans but from what I’m hearing and reading it seems like more fans around the NY area are angry that the Knicks decided not to match the offer. From a PR point it’s a disaster because the money that Lin would make for the organization far outweighs whatever they would have to pay Lin. The other side of the argument is that Lin wasn’t a proven player in the NBA and the risk was too high for a player that had some bad games. Seems like a silly argument because he’s 23 and has been starting in the league for three weeks, of course he’s going some bad games. It’s certainly the hot topic around the basketball and sports world. What do you think? Should the Knicks have matched Houston’s offer?
Who cares.
Howard is now willing to resign with the Lakers if traded.
Here comes another 2 peat.
It's only to be expected. James Dolan is an ex-junkie, rich kid, who sucks at making business decisions, especially when it comes to the sports teams his family owns.
I can't believe the knicks plowed so much cash into Melo & Amare.
the biggest market in sports & that's the best they could do?! Sounds like somebody needs to get fired.
the tax benefit is probably the only reason to move to texas (sorry texans)
I feel like Cali is the only worthwhile place to live in the country. Maybe NYC if you're a billionaire, but that's about it...
Knicks told him to go out and see what he could get on the open market and that the Knicks would match it. They were morons for not locking him up for cheap last year. Dolan didn't like getting shown up, so it was his choice to dump Lin. Ultimately a team with Melo, Stat, and Chandler locked up for years has no chance to win a title. Plus their contracts are nearly untradeable. Might as well have kept Lin to keep people in. It was the first time the Knicks were relevant in a decade.
Here's the story behind MSG stock to show there is more than just basketball involved here, which is why they should have kept Lin. Or that they've lost 3% value since Monday morning. Or 8% since last week.
http://observer.com/2012/07/msg-stock-jeremy-lin-effect-leaving-07172012/
It's not all bad for Jeremy Lin. Houston has a huge Chinese followin after Yao....and he will save around $3million in taxes over the life of his contract by playing in Houston and not NYC.
Good article, Bowser.
I wonder if Melo was behind the trade?
The team is so shitty and old that it's just not worth overpaying to hit their games.
What the fuck is wrong their GM anyway?!
I hope Knick fans continue to enjoy Carmelo the Cancer.
I think it is borderline insane to think that Lin will bring in more than he will cost because he is a backup, Linsanity will be extinct by January, smart move by the Knicks
Given that the Knicks are never able to win, can't understand why they wouldn't keep him, he filled the stands and sold jerseys. Seems to me to be a poor business decision.