The Dallas Mavericks probably offer Jeremy Lin the thing he wants the most, a starting role. However, the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls with a significant bench spot are offers it’s very difficult to not consider seriously.
It’s nice to feel wanted for a chance. While Lin isn’t getting the kind of treatment LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan got from the teams chasing them, as the bigger names are off the board, players in high demand like Lin can feel quite happy with the amount of interest they’re getting.
Of the long list of teams showing interest, the Dallas Mavericks remain the most likely option. Signing with the Mavs means a starting spot while Devin Harris and J.J. Barea play behind him. However, playing for the Mavs means less money after they signed DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews, not leaving a whole lot for the final starting lineup spot they have to lock down.
The Spurs and the Bulls? According to certain reports Chicago have already spoken to Lin and his team, hoping to get an excellent player to backup Derrick Rose. The Bulls are moving away from the Tom Thibodeau brand of basketball, for good and for bad. In the new Chicago under Fred Hoiberg a player like Lin seems to make a lot more sense.
Another team that seems to fit Lin perfectly like a glove is the Spurs. Tony Parker is the starter there and Patty Mills is the backup point guard. Lin will probably take precedence to Mills, but if Manu Ginobili does decide on playing another season, he eats up more minutes of handling the ball. Obviously, playing for the Spurs is something a lot of NBA players want even if it means less minutes or money, but for Lin, that might be a slightly limiting role.
In a developing situation that’s going to be decided in a matter of 48 hours, Lin has himself the choices he wanted. He has the starting spot option blending with some backup positions, but almost all the jobs available to him seem to be with teams that have something to play for next season. It never hurts to be involved in something that actually means something besides losing games in order to get a lottery spot, something he experienced and suffered from last season.
Lin is expected to take an offer below his market value, but just for one year, hoping to rebuild his name and numbers a little bit after a rough season under the “gifted” hands of Byron Scott and place himself in a much better position to sign a much better deal in the next offseason, when the salary cap will rise by almost 33%.