Me and a friend, the biggest New York Knicks fans I know, were discussing the Jeremy Lin offer sheet saga and came to a conclusion as to why the Knicks will indeed match the deal and bring him back. Actually, this is more of an explanation as to why the proceedings have gone the way they have.
↵Basically, the Knicks are ticked off at the Rockets for trying to poison their finances, and are trying their damnedest to screw them back at the end. It's a gigantic leap of faith and involves some reaches, but hey, we're desperate. Here's how:
↵Back on Friday, the Rockets sign Jeremy Lin to the crazy offer sheet that is now on the table, where Lin makes about $5 million in the first two seasons and then upwards of $15 million in the third. Yet, the Rockets literally couldn't find Glen Grunwald to give him the deal until late Saturday night. It was an elaborate game of hide-and-seek that delayed the three-day time frame the Knicks have to match the deal. Why, if the Knicks were going to match, wouldn't they do it as soon as possible?
↵Why did the Rockets go all gung ho to try and sign Lin? Sure they could use the exposure and have experience with the Asian community dating back to Yao Ming's tenure, but they also REALLY NEED A POINT GUARD. Goran Dragic and Kyle Lowry are gone.
↵Well in the meantime, late Saturday, right around the time the Knicks received the offer sheet (setting the deadline of Tuesday at 11:59PM), the Knicks pulled the trade that got Raymond Felton from Portland. Felton was one of the only decent point guards still available.
↵The Knicks then leaked out to the press that they weren't going to match the offer. Houston GM Daryl Morey and Rockets fans everywhere are rejoicing, right? They're going to get Jeremy Lin, a huge international superstar and a solid starting point guard, to boot. Right?
↵That is, until the Knicks swoop in at the very last minute and match the offer sheet, keeping Lin.
↵That leaves the Rockets with Toney Douglas as their starting point guard.
↵When midnight passes and the Knicks don't match, disregard this post. Thanks.
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