Jeremy Lin (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The latest free agency buzz has more teams interested in Jeremy Lin. The list reportedly includes the Detroit Pistons now.
The main selling point for Lin is that he's not a "ball-heavy" point guard. Even if he's thrust in a starting role, he does not demand the ball in his hands. As exemplified by his play with the Charlotte Hornets, he can also play beside a ball-heavy point guard (Kemba Walker).
This is the main basis for a post by Justin Lamregtse in Detroit Bad Boys where Lin is part of his offseason plans for the team.
"Jeremy Lin is arguably the best backup point guard available on the market, and it is going to be expensive to woo him out of Charlotte," the post stated. "However, I think a 4 year deal worth about $56 million should be enough to get the job done. Obviously, I would like him for a bit less, but I just don't really see that happening."
The Pistons have Reggie Jackson as its starting point guard and since he holds the ball extensively, someone like Lin could provide a contrast for their second unit. Lin is also a slightly better defensive player than Jackson.
Why the Pistons would spend so much on the point guard position seems perplexing but with the offseason being a players' market with as many as 24 teams with max cap space and most of the big names probably staying with their current teams, there aren't too many opportunities for improvement.
There is one team that has stronger reasons to pursue Jeremy Lin, and that would be the Brooklyn Nets. Aside from the New York Knicks, the Nets is the team that is notoriously seeking a point guard.
The Nets do not have the baggage that the Knicks have against Lin (actually it's Carmelo Anthony and owner James Dolan) plus they also have an ace up their sleeve in new coach Kenny Atkinson. Lin had praises for Atkinson in this piece from NY Post.
"I mean this guy wakes up at 6 a.m. every morning," Lin said. "I'll text after a game at midnight, one o'clock when I go home, and I'll say, 'Hey, can I look at those turnovers? Can I look at the upcoming team? How they run pick-and-rolls?' And he'll have the film ready when I walk into the facility the next morning."
Aside from his work ethic, Lin considers him a mentor. "When I wasn't playing much, we were working out before practice, and after practice, he was picking apart my game, teaching me what it's like to play in Coach D'Antoni's system."
If the Brooklyn Nets would be willing to shell out a deal north of $10 million, it's hard to imaging Lin won't want to play for Atkinson in those conditions. However, the ball is still in the Hornets' court at this time.
