Point guard Jeremy Lin may have played his last game with the Los Angeles Lakers as soreness in his left knee ruled him out for remainder regular-season.
According to Los Angeles Times writer Mike Bresnahan, the 26-year old Lin was in the race against time as he looks to make his return on the court before the season is over.However, after MRI examination, head coach Byron Scott decided to shut him down for good.
With Lin's current contract expiring at the end of the season, many believed he may have had his final go-around with the purple-and-gold, as he hits the market this summer.
"He wants to finish out the season, all three games that remain, but free agency is just over the horizon for the team's second-highest paid player. Lin has been in and out of the starting lineup in his only season with the Lakers, averaging 11.2 points while shooting 42.4%, numbers slightly below his career averages," Bresnahan stated.
Lin missed the last three games with soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee. The former Harvard standout underwent a knee procedure in 2012, and recent MRI showed cartilage abnormality at the same spot, though it's not considered serious.
Missing the remainder of the season would deal a significant blow to his free-agency stock, which has undergone rise and fall all year long. Traded by the Rockets in a salary dump move last offseason, Lin managed to secure a starting nod at training camp but lost that job to veteran guard Ronnie Price 20 games after. He spent the next three months coming off the bench before he earned another crack to start again following a series of strong games post All-Star break.
Based on the latest rumors, the Rockets have already expressed their desire to re-acquire Lin, while the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets could be in the mix as well, especially if the latter lands Lin's former head coach in New York, Mike D'Antoni, as their next coach.