New York Knicks: Players Phil Jackson Needs to Trade For

Jeremy Lin, Charlotte Hornets

Position: Point Guard

Age: 27

2015-16 Salary: $2,139,000

Contract Expires: 2017

Slash Line: .420/.327/.800

Season Averages: 26.9 MPG, 12.1 PPG, 3.3 APG, 3.3 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 1.0 3PM

The name, “Jeremy Lin,” is as polarizing as any in the city of New York, if not the world of professional basketball. Lin’s meteoric rise to fame has rubbed many the wrong way, although he’s since established himself as a solid NBA player.

Thus far in 2015-16, Lin has become something more than solid; he’s developed into a viable candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.

The numbers will tell you whatever it is you want them to, but Lin has been a revelation for the Charlotte Hornets. He’s providing a consistent scoring punch off the bench, facilitating the offense when need be, and has even stepped up defensively.

At 27 years old, Lin has become one of the better backup point guards in the NBA during the 2015-16 season.

Clearly, Lin returning to New York would create headlines that one could reasonably describe as distractions. He and Carmelo Anthony were rumored to have a tiff at the time of Lin’s departure, but the true worry is that his presence would become bigger than the push for the postseason.

The other side of that: Lin has proven that he performs well under pressure, and eyes landing on him would mean less pressure for his teammates.

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