Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (Photo : REUTERS)
Jeremy Lin's up-and-down season with the Los Angeles Lakers didn't bode well for his free-agency stock. But despite the disappointing outcome of perhaps his one-and-done stint in Hollywood, the Asian-American managed to crack into the top-35 point guards for the 2014-15 season, according to Bleacher Report writer Adam Fromal.
Lin, who averaged 11.2 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 42 percent from the field (including 36 percent from the three-point area, becomes an unrestricted free-agent for the first time in his career at the conclusion of erratic stint with the purple-and-gold.
Traded by the Rockets to the Lakers, Lin was expected to put up big numbers for a Lakers team that deeply needed firepower from their backcourt. However, his struggle to adapt a new system, not to mention the indifference he had with head Byron Scott, cost him his starting role after just 20 games.
When it seemed his season was going to be total disaster, the 26-year old point guard turned things around after the All-Star break, averaging at least 15 points and 6 assists per game in the last half of February.
He continued to put up solid games, until Scott gave him another shot at starting again with 14 games left in the schedule. Unfortunately, an upper respiratory infection and a balky knee forced him out earlier than expected.
According to the Bleacher Report analyst, the 2014-15 season had been rough for Lin, who saw his numbers gone south in almost all major statistical categories. Although he managed to jack up his offense late in the season, his scoring took a hit this year while his defense and rebounding continued to be the weakest parts of his game.
Nevertheless, Fromal believed Lin was able to show that he's still deadly in orchestrating pick-and-roll plays. It is just his situation with the Lakers didn't bring out the best of him, and it certainly tells the whole picture about Lin looking for a perfect place to thrive once again this offseason.
