Jeremy Lin (Photo : Getty Images/Mike Ehrmann)
Jeremy Lin has made it known that he wants nothing less but an opportunity to play more minutes at this stage of his career, as he searches for a home in the NBA.
Lin, who will turn 28 in August, will reportedly meet three teams at the start of the free-agency period on July 1 (according to Chris Broussard of ESPN). The 6-foot-4 combo guard enters this year's free-agency looking to land a sizable contract after a remarkable season with the Charlotte Hornets.
However, apart from getting a nice pay-hike after playing below his market value last year (just over $2 million), Lin stressed that he wants his next team to provide the platform for him to reach his full potential at the peak of his NBA career.
"I want to see how good I can become," Lin said in an interview with the World Economic Forum via ESPN. "I'm 27, and an athlete's prime, or at least in the NBA, your prime is usually 27-30. That's when you kind of peak physically (and) mentally and that's where most players perform their best.
"So I'm going into my prime and I want to see how great I can be as a player, and that's my purpose in free agency -- so I'll just exhaust every opportunity to see which one will be the best for me."
Although his comments can be interpreted in different ways, most NBA insiders all agreed that Lin only means one thing. He wants to start again.
Lin, who put up 11 points, 3 boards and 3 dimes in an excellent bench role with the Hornets, previously held starting point guard roles with the Knicks, Rockets and Lakers. Unfortunately, he had never been able to keep his job due to injuries and competition.
And while the Hornets allowed him to shine again after a nightmarish stint with the Lakers, the team can only afford nothing more than a 6th man role for Lin. Moreover, Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams emerge as the top priorities over Lin this free-agency for the Hornets, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.
The Brooklyn Nets are presumed as the favorites to land Lin for several reasons. One of which is Lin's affiliation to newly-named coach Kenny Atkinson. Another is the Nets can give him the chance to compete for a starting role, should they fail to bring in Rajon Rondo.
The Rockets, who traded Lin to Lakers two years ago, also expressed interest in reacquiring the former Harvard standout. The hiring of Mike D'Antoni, the man Lin credited for his breakout in New York, could play a big factor in Lin's free-agency decision.
These two teams share a common trait that would certainly pique Lin's interest, and that's they are both looking for a starting point guard to run their system.
