In the midst of a disastrous tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, Jeremy Lin spoke about his plan for this upcoming summer - including the possibility of signing with another team - during an exclusive interview with NBA writer Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops.
Lin scored four points and seven assists in his recent return in the birthplace of Linsanity, Madison Square Garden, in a Lakers' 92-80 loss to the New York Knicks last Sunday. It marked the lowest scoring output by Lin as a member of the visiting team at MSG in the past three seasons.
Prior to Sunday's game, Lin averaged 17.5 points, 6.0 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 37 minutes per game in two MSG games with his former team, the Houston Rockets. But Lin learned what a difference a year could make the hard way, as his role drastically decreased under Lakers coach Byron Scott as the season progresses.
Playing in the final year of his contract that pays him a cool $15MM ($8M against the salary cap, Lin is aware of the need to at least inflate his current stats before he can start thinking about his plan this summer, when he becomes an unrestricted free-agent for the first time in his career.
"I'll just cross that bridge when the time comes," Lin told Scotto. "I'm keeping my options open and see what's out there.
"I'm just going to evaluate everything when the time comes because right now you could say stuff, but it doesn't really matter until I'm presented (with something) at the time because I don't know what the landscape is going to look like."
Lin, who is averaging 10.4 points and 4.7 assists in 25 minutes per game this season, stressed playing in a contract year doesn't bother him at all, though he admitted that he feels frustrated knowing his effort hasn't paid off well this year.
"Contract year, that's not what bothers me," Lin said. "I play the game to play the game. I put in just as much my first year of my contract as I do the last year of my contract. I care just as much in the first as the last and that's the disappointing part."
With his free-agency looming, the last half of the season is going to be crucial for Lin as he looks to address his plummeting free-agency value.
There’s no doubt the former Harvard star is capable of padding up his stats, but it’s very unlikely he’ll log more than his average playing time primarily because Scott has already shifted his focus in developing rookie playmaker Jordan Clarkson, who is averaging at least 35 minutes in his last three starts.
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