Jeremy Lin News: Basketball Star Unlikely to Return To Los Angeles Lakers Next Season
Jeremy Lin will become a free agent after the 2014-15 NBA season and most analysts are convinced the playmaker will not return to Los Angeles Lakers next season.
Lin, who was acquired by the Lakers in a trade with the Houston Rockets last summer, started in the first 19 games of Los Angeles this season and was viewed as one of the best scoring options of the team next to Kobe Bryant.
However, Lakers head coach Byron Scott was not too impressed with Lin and decided to move him to the bench in favor of Ronnie Price, who was eventually replaced by Jordan Clarkson halfway through the season.
Lin, who averaged 11.2 points to go along with 4.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 74 games this season, did not get along with Scott, who publicly criticized Lin because of his inconsistencies.
The relationship between Lin and Scott improved late in the season. However, analysts, including Jackson Sanders of Hoops Habit, believe the strained relationship between Lin and Scott will be one of the main reasons why the Lakers will let go of the 26-year-old point guard this offseason.
Several teams are expected to express interest in acquiring Lin and the former Harvard University standout has also made it no secret that he will sign with a team where he feels he will get enough opportunities to show his skills.
Recent reports indicated that the Denver Nuggets will be one of the top teams on his list if the team strikes a deal with Mike D'Antoni, who coached Lin during his famous "Linsanity" moment when both of them were still with the New York Knicks in 2012.
On the other hand, the Lakers will also have plenty of options this summer to fill the point guard spot. Previous reports indicated they will make a strong push to sign Rajon Rondo, who will reportedly not return to the Dallas Mavericks next season after a falling out with his teammates and coaching staff.
Goran Dragic, who will opt out of the final year of his contract with the Miami Heat, is also the Lakers' radar this offseason. And if they decide not to sign a point guard, the Lakers are expected to give a bigger responsibility to Jordan Clarkson in his second year in the league next season.
Clarkson, the 46th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, averaged 11.9 points to go along with 3.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 59 games this season, including 38 starts.
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