Something fishy about the Lin deal

[steve]

NY came out and said that they would match ANY offer to Lin.....too bad it turns out that they're full of shit. By all accounts the guy wanted to return to NY but they basically froze him out and told him to go get whatever he could on the open market, thinking that they'd get him on the cheap, so he went and he got what he could and Dolan, JR Smith, Carmelo and several others showed the whole world their ******'s.

From what I heard, Grunwald and management had every intention of matching whatever Lin was offered but for whatever reason when push came to shove Dolan wouldn't pull the trigger.

Also, the only other team reportedly interested in Lin were the Raptors (which is all we have to go on) and once the Rockets traded Lowry to them, it really only left one time willing to sign him. The Knicks made it known they were never going to make him an offer and let him see what he could get. If he doesn't sign with the Rockets, then there's no deal and he's left waiting around for the Knicks to make an offer (which they wouldn't and would just take him at the qualifying offer). It doesn't make any sense to think Lin shouldn't have signed the offer sheet.

[AK47DR91]

From what I heard, Grunwald and management had every intention of matching whatever Lin was offered but for whatever reason when push came to shove Dolan wouldn't pull the trigger.

Also, the only other team reportedly interested in Lin were the Raptors (which is all we have to go on) and once the Rockets traded Lowry to them, it really only left one time willing to sign him. The Knicks made it known they were never going to make him an offer and let him see what he could get. If he doesn't sign with the Rockets, then there's no deal and he's left waiting around for the Knicks to make an offer (which they wouldn't and would just take him at the qualifying offer). It doesn't make any sense to think Lin shouldn't have signed the offer sheet.

So in way the Knicks thought he wouldn't get a deal like the Rockets gave him and was hoping to sign him for the cheapest deal they can get out of him?

[swi7ch]

He just didn't want to play with losers like Mellow and Amare.

[Sarcastic]

He just didn't want to play with losers like Mellow and Amare.

But the Rockets, who didn't make the playoffs and don't even really have a center, is a better option?

[I LUV KOBE]

He's a traitor.. Nothing fishy at all..

[HoopDreams247]

IGOTGame is a known Lin hater.

[stalf]

For the record, i think houston has the ability to market its asian starts well. Ask Yao ming. I would bet he gets more votes then CP3.

[WockaVodka]

He went to Houston because NY decided not to match. It's simple. Lin is surprised himself that he will be going to Houston.

[steve]

So in way the Knicks thought he wouldn't get a deal like the Rockets gave him and was hoping to sign him for the cheapest deal they can get out of him?

No, I think Grunwald and the Knicks team management went into this fully prepared to pay whatever the offer was. Then James Dolan decided to pull the rug out from under that belief.

[jstern]

The feeling that I get is that he felt really confident that NY was going to sign him back, so got greedy, re did the deal with Houston expecting NY to match it. He failed.

He'll probably get better numbers in Houston.

[I<3NBA]

he was told NY was gonna match ANY offers. so, he went and looked for the highest one. got it. NY did not match

[SevereUpInHere]

The feeling that I get is that he felt really confident that NY was going to sign him back, so got greedy, re did the deal with Houston expecting NY to match it. He failed.

He'll probably get better numbers in Houston.

Exactly this, he tried to get too cute with the Knicks FO and it backfired. Maybe he never really wanted to come back. We gave him the chance to go out get the best offer possible (more than we could have offered him straight up) He agrees on a price with Houston, we meet with him and tell him we'll match. He goes to renegotiate on the sly to make more money. We find out and don't match. The statement that we would match up to $1B was not an official statement clearly, we hardly announced our intention to match publicly.

As far as I'm concerned, the whole thing was pretty shady. If he really wanted to go to Houston a trade could have been worked out I'm sure. Do your thing Lin, last season was fun but I certainly don't wish you well. Laters...

[B]

But why did Lin go off signing an offer sheet with Rockets in the first place? Why risk it with NYK?

Because that's how the system works. Knicks can't match an offer if there's no offer to match. If they don't want to play that game then don't start it in the first place. They had other options

Knicks blew this every way to Sunday. Should have just offered him a 4 year max qualifying offer which would have been about what he got from Houston for 3 years and avoided all this. Nobody would have raised the ante. Instead they go on the cheap and get out maneuvered by a small market team.

Knicks fans be mad at Lin all you want but your anger would be better directed at the Knicks front office.

[nashwade]

Could Yao have made more money if he played for NYK? Possibly

Did he make enough money already in Houston? Possibly

This is about international appeal. And playing for Yao's ex-team is the appeal

How many people in NYC's gonna buy Lin's jerseys?