Jeremy Lin did the business for the New York Knicks and he now reaps the $25 million financial rewards with the Houston Rockets.- NBA photo

SPORTS NOTES - THE KNICKS SHOE DIDN'T FIT JEREMY LIN'S FOOT

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

As the saying goes you win some and you lose some. With Jeremy Lin and the New Your Knicks saga having come to a close it appears that it is a Lin Win situation. His $25 million Houston Rocket contract enables him job security and he won't have to sleep on a couch anymore. The Knicks can continue to build a team around Carmelo Anthony

Tuesday July 24, 2012

KNICKS BUILD AROUND CARMELO ANTHONY

Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith's comment on ESPN that Jeremy Lin was all about the money was over the top. Lin says that is one if the greatest misconceptions about him. But hey… WHY NOT BE ABOUT THE MONEY? Why attend Harvard University to learn how to make a dollar and then throw your education out the door? Lin had an opportunity and he seized it with the Houston Rockets that now can focus on what the Asian American can contribute to in building a new team with new players after several key departures.

Smith went on to say that team owner James Dolan felt betrayed that Lin didn't appreciate the opportunity the Knicks gave him in him a chance to play. The opportunity came about due to injuries. The Knicks cleared the bench searching for an injury fix and players that were healthy enough to play. Lin fit the bill and was eventually given his chance. He latched on to it giving Knicks fans some of the greatest moments in the clubs history while averaging 14.6 ppg overall including a 38 point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers and 6.2 assists per game. As a starter he averaged 18.2 ppg. Business is business and loyalty doesn't factor into making a good financial business decision.

The practice if giving out gold watches to employees that remain with a firm for a lengthy period of time is long gone. Lin wanted to be a New York Knick but they refused to match the Rockets 3 year $25 million offer. They called him on July 11th and told him to sign with the Rockets. The results are that Lin wins a better contract and admits he has more job security. The other bonus is he won't have to sleep on a couch any longer while the Knicks save some money and Dolan's feeling are hurt.

The Knicks are designed to be built around Carmelo Anthony who had some unkind remarks regarding the Rocket's offer to Lin being a "ridiculous contract."

Lin gave the Knicks what Anthony failed to do that being excitement and winning basketball as the results speak for themselves. Agreed Lin did it in a short period of time and has yet to prove his skills over the long run but the climate of fitting in with the Carmelo Anthony Knicks was not the right place for Lin's style of play that being team basketball.

With Lin the Knicks won with teamwork and intelligent bench players due to Anthony and their other superstar Amare Stoudemire being out of the lineup due to injuries or dealing with personal problems such as a death in Stoudemire's family. The Knicks shoe simply didn't fit Lin's foot in New York.

The numbers didn't work as the Knicks were right that Lin is not worth $14 million to THEM in the 3rd year of a deal for a still yet unproven player. Those numbers would have placed Lin in a salary category of LeBron James. It's a no-brainer that Lin is not and never will be a LeBron James but can be a very good Jeremy Lin on a team built around team play and not superstars.

Former Boston Celtic playmaking guard and NBA Hall of Fame member Bob Cousy likes Lin's style of play and talent and that speaks volumes as Cousy is one of the all-time NBA preeminent team players as a member of six Celtic NBA title teams.

Several of the Linsanity Knicks squad have departed. Jarred Jeffries was traded to the Portland Trilblazers in the Raymond Felton deal that returned him to the Knicks. That move led to speculation that the Knicks would not match the Rockets offer as both play the same position and Felton is a cheaper option that made financial sense.

Landry Fields took a better offer to join the Toronto Raptors. Both are intelligent players that were on the starting five when Lin poured in 38 points in their 92-85 victory over the Lakers February 10th. The only regular Knicks starter in that starting lineup that day is center Tyson Chandler. Forward Steve Novak came off the bench and fit well with a Lin led team.

Many fans believe that the Knicks could recoup the money on Lin merchandising which is a no can do since NBA merchandising revenue are split evenly among the 30 NBA teams EXCEPT for in the Knicks case merchandise sold at their home court Madison Square Garden. All NBA teams can keep the merchandising revenue generated in their arena.

The Knicks performed better before they acquired Anthony to compliment Stoudemire with the result being they didn't function well together or as a team. The team came together when both were out and Lin was in. The team came together without superstars to produce a winning combination. The reality is the Knicks had better results with a Stoudemire led team prior to the acquisition of Anthony. The team chemistry was extremely different.

The Argentine Olympic team proved how team play works well with their several aging NBA players of which only Manu Ginobili is considered an NBA star but not an NBA super star. In their recent game against the All-Star/superstar crammed USA team including Anthony they took the Americans to the limit in an 86-80 loss.

John Wooden the winningest NCAA title coach in history with 10 titles including seven in a row never chose a team from the best players that tried out. His feeling was that too much talent was not good for team play and a team needed key role players and all players had to flow together. His record speaks for itself that he knew what he was talking about.

Now the Knicks have what they want a team that will be built around Anthony with the questions being…. can they win? Can Lin win in Houston? Stay tuned...

RELATED STORY

Sports Notes - LIN SANITY FEVER IS OVER - March, 2012
It was a matter of time when the Jeremy Lin balloon would come down to reality and the NY Knicks would return to their old ways of losing. Lin s the best thing to happen in the NBA this season the question is can the Knicks return to their winning form with their two super stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire returning to the lineup - Peyton Manning is shopping for a team to blend his talents. The Denver Broncos are said to be in the driver's seat with the Arizona Cardinals 2nd. Manning tosses to super star receiver Larry Fitzgerald is a match made in heaven. Can it be signed sealed and delivered on earth? - CAMBODIA LOSE FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES AND RISE 6 SPOTS IN THE FIFA RANKINGS