Jeremy Lin Unsure of Position With New York Knicks Amid Steve Nash Rumors
Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks point guard who suffered a season-ending injury to his knee in March, is unsure of whether he will return to the team next season amid rumors that veteran Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash is a desired addition to the team.
Although Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson recently assured reporters that Lin would return next season, the 23-year-old guard did not seem so sure.
"Nothing is set in stone. That's what I've learned. We talked about (my free agency)," Lin said in a New York Daily News report Thursday. "I love the Knicks and the organization. But at the same time, it's a business."
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Still, Woodson's sentiments were different when speaking to reporters after the team was kicked out of the playoffs at the hands of the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
"(Lin) has started for our team and he has played well for our basketball team. But this summer will be very pivotal for him in terms of his improvement and the future is very bright for him," Woodson told reporters. "Will he be back next year? Absolutely. He's a big part of our ballclub."
As a restricted free agent on July 1, there is a possibility that Lin may not continue to play on the Knicks or with the current roster. Some speculation about adding 38-year-old Nash to the team has caused some to question the probability that Lin will stay.
Knicks starting forward Amare Stoudemire recently petitioned for Nash to join the team, since they were teammates in the past and thrived on the pick-and-roll offense that Lin also utilized while playing with the team.
Still, Stoudemire recognized that Lin had a similar playing style that was working for the team.
"What team wouldn't want a two-time MVP, an assist leader, a veteran point guard?" Stoudemire asked the press. "What team wouldn't want that? But we do have Jeremy Lin here. And we have confidence in him and what he can do for us."
Since Nash will become a free agent at the close of the season and has a home in Manhattan, many have questioned the possibilities of him joining the team with Lin coming off the bench. Lin said he wouldn't mind becoming a bench player for the good of his team.
"It just depends on the team," Lin said in the Daily News report. "Coming off the bench or starting, it means something but it doesn't mean much."
Still, he did not seem sure that his position on the Knicks was set in stone next season when speaking to the media on Thursday.
"Me, personally, I think it would be great if I come back," Lin said. "But crazy things happen and I don't really know what's going to happen."
