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i thought the Knicks would match, clearly i was wrong.
that being said, i'm over it. there's a few things that have happened with Lin in recent months that make his departure easier.
#1 - he didn't try to come back in the playoffs, despite reports that he was 85%. it's his choice and i completely understand why he wouldn't risk further injury just as he's about to enter free agency. the NBA is a business, like any other professional sport, and athletes have to look out for their best interests. but it also goes against the mentality that i want from a player on my favorite team, very reminiscent of John Abraham in that sense. for all his faults, Amare battled his way back from a severely lacerated hand to play the final two games of the series and even played a huge role in the Game 4 win.
#2 - he pulled out of the US Select Team because of his free agency status. he would've greatly benefited from the "training camp" experience of the US National Team, learning from some of the best coaches in the business and practicing against the NBA's best. instead, he opted once again to protect his free agent status. again, i get it and i don't blame him, but i don't really like that to be the mentality of Knicks players. it would've also been an opportunity for him to reconnect/bond with Melo and Chandler and it could've influenced his decision to remain in NY.
#3 - he signed the renegotiated offer sheet from Houston without consulting with the Knicks. again, it's entirely his prerogative as a free agent to get as much money as he can, so i don't blame him one bit for doing it. but he could've handled things differently. just as the Knicks told him they would match the original offer sheet the day it was announced, he could've notified them as to the change in the terms and see if there was something that could be worked out differently. there's a big story in SI today as to how much he loved NY and how he wanted to remain a Knick and i believe that, but his lack of communication on the revised offer hurt all of that. i'm not asking him to turn down such a lucrative offer, but by doing so he painted the Knicks into a corner and eventually that forced his way out of town.
i have no hard feelings towards Lin and i wish him luck in Houston. i would've preferred to keep him in NY but i understand and even agree with the team's decision to let him go.
if they matched the offer it would've been constant speculation/media scrutiny as to Lin was living up to the promise of getting paid more than anyone not named Amare or Carmelo. it would've been a constant distraction of Tebow proportions.
right now the team looks bad and is taking a lot of heat, but ultimately they can benefit from this. there will be increased pressure on EVERYONE from Felton to Kidd, to Melo/Amare, to Woodson to perform at a high level all season long. i think the Knicks can channel this in a positive way and use that "us vs. the world" mentality to get the group to rally around each other and make some noise.
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