Jeremy Lin Was the Biggest Bargain of the Offseason

Oct 30, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) gestures from the court against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 97-94. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA offseason saw some of the biggest contracts in sports history. Fortunately for the Brooklyn Nets, Jeremy Lin was not one of them.

The Brooklyn Nets added a hoard of new players this offseason. With a revamped roster, the team is almost unrecognizable from last season. Their biggest offseason addition was Jeremy Lin, who surprisingly came at a cheap price.

When looking at the biggest contracts landed this offseason, Mike Conley and Timofey Mozgov are among the names that come to mind. Conley landed the largest contract in NBA history, worth $153 million for five years. Though Conley has been with the Memphis Grizzlies for nine years and has proven to be one of their top guns, it’s unlikely that Conley will be able to lead the team to a championship. The Grizzlies are known as a team that consistently makes the playoffs each year, but is unable to make the extra push for a title.

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Meanwhile, Mozgov’s contract is almost a joke, but the Los Angeles Lakers clearly had money to spend after striking out with every top-name free agent. Los Angeles, though in a big market, no longer has the appeal to coveted free agents. Despite that, a four-year, $64 million deal for Mozgov is still surprising and a heavy weight for a team like the Lakers.

For the Nets, their offseason moves didn’t break the bank, but they did fail to acquire some players. Brooklyn was unable to add restricted free agents Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson, after their respective teams matched the contracts. However, this might have been for the best, as Crabbe’s and Johnson’s deals would have put the Nets’ payroll over the roof.

Feb 21, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) dribbles around Brooklyn Nets guard Donald Sloan (15) in the second half at Barclays Center.The Hornets defeated the Nets 104-96. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports

Lin’s three-year, $36 million contract is certainly a steal for the Nets. The Nets not only acquired him for a decent price, but also got someone who can immediately step in as their starting point guard.

For a team that has moved on from more point guards you can count in one hand, the Nets should feel comfortable leaving the point in Lin’s hands. Since the downfall of “Linsanity,” Lin has redeemed himself in his most recent stint with the Charlotte Hornets. Of course, it wasn’t Lin’s playing style that changed, it was the media’s perception of Lin that was different.

Last season, Lin served as a sixth man on the Hornets and played a major role in Charlotte’s postseason run. In his single season with the Hornets, Lin posted 11.7 points, three assists, and 0.7 steals per game. Though the Hornets fell to the Miami Heat in the opening round of the playoffs, Lin had a couple of spectacular performances. In Games three and four of the seven-game series, Lin tallied 18 and 21 points, respectively.

Now, in Brooklyn, Lin has a much different role. Though only 28 years old, Lin will be one of the oldest players on the team. As a result, Lin can provide leadership to the Nets’ youth. This only adds to the perks of Brooklyn getting Lin for a bargain.

Moreover, Lin will bring some excitement to a Nets team that has lacked commotion in recent years. Any team Lin goes to earns greater support from a new fan base, and the Nets are no different, especially when they’re in New York.

It’ll be interesting to see how much Brooklyn can achieve with Lin on the team. Despite the lack of support from the media, the Nets have certainly established a brighter future, with Lin at the front of it.

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