Where now for Lin 2016/17

[Diop]

I would like to see him resigned at Charlotte for about $6mill a year

Do you have a good idea on the intentions regarding the other key free agents: Williams, Batum, Lee, Big Al? Because I've tried playing around with the numbers with the Hornets and part of me thinks the best move is to keep all the cap holds and stay over the cap bringing guys back and keeping the MLE in play. Lin could be a target then with the MLE. The downside to that is that the team only improves by the return of MKG and further internal development. Is that enough?

i think this will be the biggest decision for the Hornets this off season and has already started debate on our board.

reading the comments from the players, I can see exactly that happening. They have all said how its the best team, chemistry wise, they have ever played on. I can see them all wanting to return and see how they go with MKG.

Even if everyone was fit this year, I couldn't see us getting past Cleveland but I guess Conference finals would still be a major achievement for this team. The front office might be happy with that for now.

[NatiboyB]

I really think that the Nets would be a prime landing location for him with his relationship with Atkinson and him most likely being able to procure the starting role. It wouldn't need to be a long term contract but something like a 2 yr 24 mill contract.

[13th Man]

I wouldn't mind if he stays in Charlotte for another year or two and I believe that this will happen. He can continue to develop his game and confidence here without too much pressure as from the big cities or from a starting role that he might not be fully prepared for.

I'd like to see him become a starter though before his career is over, but I still think there's room for development in Charlotte plus this a good team with a good bunch of guys. The question is whether they'd be able to improve the roster especially at the center position.

[bigmean]

i think milwaukee should trade for him

[spaceballer]

i think milwaukee should trade for him

He's a free agent this summer (no one expects him to exercise his $2M player option). So you can't trade for him. Teams can get him for free without giving up assets just by signing him.

[spaceballer]

JLin just made a post on facebook that mentions off-season goals.

After taking a couple of days to process everything from our playoff series, I just wanted to leave you with a very open and honest note to thank all my beloved fans. It's the least I can do for all your support this past season.

Athletes often say "I have the best fans in the world." When I say it, I mean it. You all support me with so much enthusiasm that every year my teammates talk about how they've never seen such die-hard fans. Sure, sometimes you guys can be a little aggressive or overwhelming for other fans and reporters haha, but I understand that comes from your love for me.

You guys showed up nightly to TWC Arena giving us a huge home court advantage. You made all of us feel like rock stars on our preseason trip to China. You flew in from different U.S. cities and countries (some which required ~18 hours of flying) just to watch regular season games. You guys cared enough about me to make and share a video of fouls committed on me. I received more gifts, support letters and fan art than I know what to do with.

Over 10,000 of you signed up for my prayer letter and diligently prayed for me throughout the season. Hundreds of you opened up about some of the most vulnerable parts of your life and asked me and my business team to pray for you guys (which we did).

THANKS for being a big reason why this was the most enjoyable season I've ever had in the NBA! Sorry we couldn't keep this playoff run going. I'm extremely sad about this season ending and miss basketball like crazy already. I seriously can't wait for my body to heal up and start training again. I try not to think about the playoffs, and turn away when I see any other playoff games. It stings because I know we could be in the 2nd round, but God is perfect through the highs and the lows, and He has never led me astray!

This past year was a step in the right direction, but I know there's another level I can get to. So as I approach the off-season, I will keep working on my game. Next year my jumper will be way better. I will come back a much better player. I want to keep having fun on the court (like I did this past year). For free agency, I will seek out every opportunity that gives me the greatest chance to be the best player I can be. I believe I'm just getting started. I have more to give and more to accomplish.

I'm excited to see what God has for me in the future! But for now, time to rest, recover and recharge myself physically and mentally. So on that note, I'm off to vacation!!

https://www.facebook.com/jeremylin7/posts/1767868586781075

Response from some people who cover the Hornets seems to be that they feel Lin likely isn't returning:
[tweet]https://twitter.com/QCHspencer/status/728384256066510848[/tweet]
https://twitter.com/QCHspencer/status/728384256066510848

[spaceballer]

I see Lin getting around $8M/year in Charlotte since it seems like he wants to stay. If he wanted to go start for Brooklyn he could probably get a couple million more, but i think hed rather compete in the playoffs.

The problem is that there isn't a convenient way for Charlotte to pay Lin $8M/yr. He could get a ~$5.5M MLE deal but for Charlotte to pay more would require losing some other guys.

why would they lose other guys?

The Hornets can't pay Lin without creating space by either trading guys away (Lamb/Hawes) or renouncing multiple free agents and letting them walk to clear their cap holds (Batum, Marvin Williams, C.Lee, Big Al, etc.).

Even if Lin took a discount, they likely STILL can't keep everyone. So whether Lin takes a discount or not, the Hornets will be losing guys and can't bring the same group back next season. Especially if they plan to get rid of guys and let free agents walk so that they can create cap space to bring in a much needed FA Center or something.

Next year's Hornets team may look very different, for better or worse, than the current squad. Regardless of whether Lin takes a discount to stay or not, he won't be able to come back to the exact same team. Roster turnover is a fact of life in the NBA.

[Prez]

Want him on the Bucks. Him and Seth Curry. Start Curry for your 3&D PG next to Giannis, Lin to run the 2nd unit. Close games when he's on his game.

[inquisitive]

re-sign with the hornets...good fit there already.

[Golabki]

Lin is an overqualified backup who can play a little SG next to a starting PG... or... a stop gap starting PG.

That's worth AT LEAST 3 years $20M, possibly as much as 3 years $40M... he has to opt out.

[Zachbretton]

I hope and see Lin on the Nets as the starting PG at around 3/30 or so. He fits well with the age, the style with Brook, the new coach, the market and the opportunity to be a legit starting PG. the Nets have few options and if he's signed on a nice multi year contract I think it can be a big win.


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[SV1113]

I Think Lin will be a Brooklyn Net next season

[HornetJail]

My guess is about $5M as a backup with the Spurs or $10M as a starter for the Knicks or Nets.

[N.O.R.E.]

Want him on the Bucks. Him and Seth Curry. Start Curry for your 3&D PG next to Giannis, Lin to run the 2nd unit. Close games when he's on his game.

D?

If you are expecting Seth Curry to play even adequate defense you are in for a bad time.

[Prez]

Want him on the Bucks. Him and Seth Curry. Start Curry for your 3&D PG next to Giannis, Lin to run the 2nd unit. Close games when he's on his game.

D?

If you are expecting Seth Curry to play even adequate defense you are in for a bad time.

Curry is a solid defender, idk where you're getting the idea that he sucks on that end. Karl has gone on to say he's even their best on-ball perimeter defender. That might be overstating it but overall he's looked fine every time I've watched him.

[Vae Victus]

With the massive cap spike i can see Lin getting 10 mil a year even as a 6th man backup. Last year Lou Williams 6th man of the year (laughable award for bench chuckers) got 3 years 21 mil. Lin plays way more defense and has much more versatility as he can play SG in a pinch. Also by being more of a facilitator it can be more attractive than a straight chucker the likes of Lou Williams, Jamal Crawford types, who just dominate the ball when they come in. Not to mention its clear that Lin steps up in the playoffs so he can be very attractive to PO squads looking for a spark off the bench.

If Lin is hellbent on starting (which i think he should go seek) he really should just go sign with Brooklyn, PHI (only if they still have Dantoni), or any squad with weakass PGs. He should be even willing to take a minor paycut (6-8 mil? on another 1+1 deal) as long as the rest of the roster fits his type of skillset. His ideal setup is a fast paced squad that has at least 1 deadeye wing shooter (or stretch 4) and a athletic young big PnR maestro. If he has at least those two types of players he can seriously wrack up some stats as a starter.

I rather like PHI if they keep Dantoni as associate coach. They have Nerlens Noel and Okafor for young bigs and if Embiid ever comes back things can be very interesting. They just need to sign a shooter or two and then run a high octane offense. Defense is gonna be a mess unless they get a true 3+D SF in trade.

[TinmanZBoy]

brooklyn Nets

brook is already there, just waiting for the lin to be brooklin...

[R-DAWG]

Brooklyn makes sense for a lot of reasons - his relationship with Atkinson, Brook Lopez compliments him on offense, RHJ on defense. They have the cap space to give him $10-12 million per year on a 2 or 3 year deal and will make him the starting PG.

Another option is him taking the MLE, which should be north of $8 million in the new cap world, to be a backup on a contender.

Lin has to make a decision weather he wants the most money/playing time or to sacrifice to play for a contender. My thoughts are he takes the money and opportunity now. You sacrifice to play for a contender on the back end of your career. Lin is entering his prime.

[spaceballer]

Another option is him taking the MLE, which should be north of $8 million in the new cap world, to be a backup on a contender.

The full non-taxpayer MLE this summer is only $5.6M. It does not go up with the cap.

The annual progression of the MLE is determined during CBA negotiations and set several years in advance. It does not benefit from cap increases, unlike max salaries which are pegged to a percentage of the cap.

Thus, with every cap increase, the MLE becomes of lesser and lesser relative value, since it's unable to keep up with salary inflation.

The MLE will not be $8M even if the cap goes up to a billion dollars this summer. There's no way it ever gets close to $8M unless the lawyers agree to modify it during the next round of CBA negotiations. Otherwise, it's locked around its current level of around $5M that it's been at for the last decade, with inconsequential annual increases of less than $200K a year, regardless of what happens to the salary cap.

The MLE was $5M when the salary cap was $58M. It will be $5.6M under this summer's expected $92M salary cap, and it will be $5.8M the following season under an expected $107M salary cap. So while the salary cap has almost doubled, the MLE remains the same pretty much.

You can't buy the same "MLE-level" players with the actual MLE any more. The purchasing power of the MLE has eroded with the cap increases.

[Ell Curry]

Why not Dallas? Deron Williams wasn't great there and if Parsons + Dirk get say 32M combined they'd have 29M left or so sign Lin and a starting 5 from the Horford/Howard/Pau/Noah/Biyombo centers group.

Lin would thrive coming off Dirk pick and pops with Wes Matthews and Parsons spacing the floor, or 1-5 P+Rs with the new center and DIrk stretching the floor even more. Say it's Lin + Howard for 12M for Lin and 17M for Howard:

Howard/McGee/Mejri
Dirk/Evans
Parsons/Anderson
Wes Matthews/Harris
Lin/Felton

Give Parsons some of the backup minutes at the 4, give Anderson 25 minutes at the 3 as a result and it's not a bad looking team with the inevitable Carlisle magic, if everyone stays healthy.