Jeremy Lin (Photo : Reuters.com)
Jeremy Lin may never get a chance to start again with his decision to join the Charlotte Hornets, but he has the tools to be a really good backup for Kemba Walker.
Lin, who signed a two-year, $4.3 million deal with the Hornets after stints with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers over the past three seasons, picked the Hornets in the hope of re-igniting his career.
Lin's numbers last season (11.2 points and 4.6 assists in 25 minutes per game) aren't that shabby. In fact, he managed to raise his three-point clip to a career-high .369 percent and addressed his much-criticized facet of his game by lowering his turnovers to 2.2 per game.
However, the former Harvard star stressed the Hornets presents a better fit and opportunity for him than his previous teams. He believes that playing in a small market team and an offensive system that puts more emphasis on pick-and-roll & spacing allows him to grow further without the kind of scrutiny he endured during his time in Los Angeles.
Hornets beat writer Nick Denning couldn't agree more on Lin being right fit with the Hornets. In podcast conversation on the Hive Talk Live Stinger last week, Denning broke down Lin and what he can bring to the table with the revamped Hornets lineup.
Denning stressed the 26-year old Lin will make an impact right away as he gives the Hornets the scoring firepower and playmaking prowess it needed off the bench last season. And with a team that now consists of shooters/floor spacers (Nicolas Batum, Spencer Hawes, Jeremy Lamb and Frank Kaminsky) and good a solid pick-and-roll roll man in Al Jefferson, Lin has all the opportunity to make serious damage on opposing teams on any given night.
The Hornets finished the 2014-15 season 28th in the league both in average points per game (94.2 ppg) and assists per game (20.2 apg). Lin has been known as one of the best finishers when attacking the rim (made 52 percent of his shot at point blank range last season) and an underrated playmaker (4.8 assists career average).
If given enough playing time (perhaps around 25 to 29 minutes per contest, Lin should average least 15 points and 6 dimes per contest. These numbers would be enough to put his name in the thick of things for the Sixth Man of the Year award. It's a bold prediction for a player that has been through a lot of ups and downs, but the situation in Charlotte nevertheless bolds well for Lin.
