NBA News: Los Angeles Lakers Starting Jeremy Lin Might Be Ploy To Retain Him
Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott will re-insert point guard Jeremy Lin into the starting line-up just 10 games remaining in the 2014-2015 NBA season. Scott reasoned that his decision to promote his original starter at the beginning of the season is an effort to give Lin a chance to run the offence given that he has now settled into the schemes of the team.
“I want to see how much of a difference it is now as opposed to the start of the season,” Scott told Mark Medina of Inside SoCal after the team’s practice last Sunday at El Segundo. “He knows the offense better and he knows what I need from him every single night on both ends of the floor.”
The famed franchise is in the midst of one of the worst seasons in its rich history and the move somewhat signifies that the organization is looking to further improve its chances in the lottery given that it is relegating rookie Jordan Clarkson to the bench despite his stellar play of late. Clarkson has shown flashes of brilliance including his season-best statistical line of 25 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds in a 90-97 loss to Western Conference giant Memphis Grizzlies.
Fielding in Lin back to the starting line-up might signal that Scott and the Harvard standout may have finally found the same page in terms of the point guard’s preference for pick and roll plays. Lin admitted recently that the said scheme is his niche as proven by his ability to attack the basket and become a threat to score, draw defences in and find the open man.
The player of Taiwan descent never found his footing in the post-heavy schemes of the former Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers coach and was eventually replaced by third-string guard Ronnie Price midway through the season. The 26-year-old undrafted player is set to become a free agent at the end of the season and the Lakers have some interest in bringing him back for next season on a lower salary scale. He is earning the final year of his backloaded deal with the Houston Rockets at $15 million.
Based on the trajectory of the team, the Lakers are looking to finish out with a worse record in order to keep their 2015 lottery pick which would belong to the Philadelphia 76s if it falls to sixth or higher. Nevertheless, this would only delay the sending of a future draft pick as it is only top-3 protected in 2016 and will lose out its protection beyond that.
The pick was originally sent to the Phoenix in the Steve Nash trade but was routed by Suns General Manager Gar Forman in the Brandon Knight deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Lakers were officially eliminated from playoff contention last Mar. 10 when the New Orleans Pelicans won over the Brooklyn Nets.
Watch Jeremy Lin’s latest video entitled, “A Day in the Life: The All-Star Break” below:
(Youtube/Jlin7)
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