Jeremy Lin Berated by Knicks Fans After Announcing Move to Houston Rockets
Jeremy Lin has officially announced his move from the New York Knicks to the Houston Rockets, causing many fans to react to the point guard's decision in a negative way.
The Asian-American point guard officially announced the move on his Twitter and Facebook accounts Tuesday night, when the Knicks decided against matching the pricey contract offer made by the Rockets.
"Extremely excited and honored to be a Houston Rocket again! Much love and thankfulness to the Knicks and New York for your support this past year," Lin said. "Easily the best year of my life. I'm forever grateful!"
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Despite the fact that Lin thanked New York fans, many responded negatively to his decision on the NBA player's social networking websites. One person used racial slurs to berate the Asian-American Harvard graduate.
"You sellout (expletive) you should have stuck to the team that made you," one person wrote on Facebook. "You're lucky NY even was looking to sign you again after the way you played your last few weeks. A true New Yorker would have been loyal."
Another person called for Lin's "death" on Facebook.
"Die slow you traitor, NY made you who you are when everyone else including Houston threw you in the trash," the angry Knicks fan wrote. "Punk move renegotiating that offer, total slap in the face of every NYK fan in the pursuit of the unholy dollar. You hypocrite."
However, others defended Lin's decision.
"The racist comments posted here are beyond pathetic and truly sad. I'm also pissed off that Lin is gone, but life goes on and the Knicks will be just fine with Felton, Kidd & Prigioni," a fan commented on Twitter. "Lin made a basketball and business decision as a grown man. All of y'all need to deal with it and stop."
Although the Knicks front office initially claimed that they would work to bring Lin back to the team in the off season, negotiations went awry when the guard signed an agreement for $25 million over three years instead of the expected $28.8 million for four years.
Despite the backlash felt by Knicks fans, Lin said he is honored to join the Rockets. According to an ESPN source close to the matter, Lin will use the backlash that he receives as motivation.
"Any slight or disrespect he will milk for all it's worth," the source told ESPNNewYork.com. "He's going to be motivated."
