Jeremy Lin has been out of the NBA since 2019. After winning a championship with the Toronto Raptors, he was unable to secure another deal in the league and signed with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
Despite reportedly making $3 million a year in China, more than he earned with Toronto, Lin has repeatedly stated that his goal is returning to the NBA. According to a recent report out of China, that objective may soon become a reality. The report indicates that the Golden State Warriors have interest in bringing Lin in to serve as a backup point guard.
“The Golden State Warriors have expressed a clear interest in Jeremy Lin,” the translation roughly reads.
“The Warriors’ … [Stephen] Curry likes Jeremy Lin’s way of playing and clearly expressed his hope that he can join the Warriors. Although Jeremy Lin has not made a decision yet, this Obviously it is already one of his very important choices…
“In addition to the Warriors, the Nets are also likely to be one of the teams that Jeremy could join in the future. Everyone knows that the owner of the Nets is Joe Tsai. He has always hoped that the team can have Chinese elements in it. More importantly, Joe Tsai and Jeremy Lin have very good personal relationships.”
If Lin did return to California, it would mark a homecoming of sorts. He previously signed with the Warriors after going undrafted out of Harvard before the 2010-11 season. He ultimately played in 29 games for the organization, before going on to play for the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks and Raptors.
That’s one way to do it. https://t.co/A8wvEa1kB7
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 26, 2020
Although Lin did not do much of note for Toronto, he was a solid piece off the bench for Atlanta during his run there. He ended up averaging 10.7 points per game while shooting 34.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Lin is best known for his play during the ‘Linsanity’ portion of his Knicks tenure, but he has been a decent pro for many years. For his career, the 32-year-old boasts averages of 11.6 points and 4.3 assists per outing.
Last month, Lin suggested in a video message to Weibo that he still had NBA aspirations.
Antonio Brown doesn’t mess around. https://t.co/6kepeWGtBV
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 25, 2020
“This decision has really been the hardest in my life,” he said. “Every morning I would wake up at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m., thinking, thinking and thinking all the time.
“In the end, although Shougang has treated me incredibly well … giving me everything I wanted, in the end, I feel that I still have NBA dreams. I still have time to play and I have to chase this.”
Will either the Warriors or Nets ultimately give Lin another shot in the NBA? An answer should come in the coming months.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
