The Houston Rockets are one of the frontrunners to land Carmelo Anthony this offseason--and that could spell the end for Jeremy Lin's tenure in Houston, especially after the Rockets' most recent attempts to court Melo.
The seven-time NBA All-Star visited this week with Rockets officials in hopes of agreeing to a contract. It's unknown what exactly took place between the two sides, but one thing is certain--the Rockets are willing to do whatever it takes to get Anthony, even if it means trading away Lin.
Outside of the Toyota Center, pictures of Carmelo Anthony in a No. 7 jersey were posted in an attempt to woo Anthony on his visit and possibly sign a contract.
The problem? That's Lin number; in fact, he has been wearing No. 7 ever since he arrived in Houston in 2012.
Lin has since responded on Twitter with a bible quote:
Luke 6:29 - If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them
The Rockets are always in the offseason mix trying to bring in the big names. If the Rockets are going to bring in Anthony, it will most likely only happen if Lin is traded to free up cap space, as Lin is due nearly $15 million next season. The Rockets may be in luck, because the Philadelphia 76ers have shown interest. According to multiple reports, the 76ers and Rockets are in trade talks that would possibly send Lin to the 76ers.
It's still unknown for what in exchange exactly. Lin only has one year remaining on his contract so it's a low risk investment move for the 76ers. Last season, the 76ers had the second-worst record in the entire NBA with just 19 wins, which also included an NBA-record 26-game losing streak.
Bringing in Lin could only help this team.
The 76ers have an advantage over many other teams this offseason, because they have a lot of salary cap space. Reports have also circulated that the Rockets contacted the 76ers before the NBA Draft in hopes of trading Lin for a pick. Obviously, that did not work out as planned for Houston.
For the Rockets, this could be a risky move. They may end up with no Anthony or Lin, depending on where Anthony decides to go. If the Rockets decide to trade Lin to the 76ers in exchange of a future draft pick and Anthony decides to go to the Bulls or back to the Knicks, then all the Rockets did was free up some cap space for a one-year player.
It appears as if the Rockets are going all in on Carmelo Anthony. For Lin, this could be potentially great news. It's obvious he doesn't fit Kevin McHale's rotating point guard system, and getting a change of scenery might be the best thing. Even if things don't work out in Philadelphia, he's still free to test the open market after next season.
Either way, with so many talented free agents opting out and in trade talks, this promises to be a game-changing offseason.
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