Los Angeles Lakers: Jeremy Lin Will Prove Full Potential
By Evan Massey
The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into a very uncertain season in 2014-15, and simply don’t appear to have the type of talent to compete in the Western Conference. Jeremy Lin was their biggest offseason acquisition, and he is expected to step into a huge role immediately. Lin has shown the ability to score at a high level in the past, but spent the majority of last season coming off of the bench for the Houston Rockets.
Lin ended up playing in 71 regular season games last season with the Rockets, and started in 33 of those appearances. He was able to average 12.5 points, 4.1 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game off of the bench in 28.9 minutes per game. His shooting percentages were very solid at 44.6 percent overall from the floor and 35.8 percent from behind the three-point arc.
It will be very intriguing to see what role Lin ends up carving out for himself with the Lakers, especially due to the health and age concerns of Steve Nash. There are quite a few that are expecting Lin to take the starting point guard role, with Nash playing less minutes off of the bench and staying fresh for the stretch run toward the end of the season. If that does end up being the case, Lin is going to put up huge numbers.
Kobe Bryant desperately needs someone to help him in the backcourt, and that guy could very well be Lin. He has the ability to score at a high level, but he is also a great playmaker. There have been some turnover concerns throughout his career, but he has improved those deficiencies and is a much better all-around player from his two years with the Rockets.
So what exactly will Lin show with the Lakers this coming season?
Quite simply, he is finally going to get the chance to be a key player on a team in a big market. He was extremely impressive during his short time with the New York Knicks, and embraced the big city stage and took his game to a new level. Los Angeles is a huge market as well, and he has an enormous fan base there already.
He has received quite a bit of criticism throughout his career and is in the middle of a deal that many view as too much. Lin is looking to take the next step in his career, so what better way to take that step than play with the Lakers alongside of Bryant? There are some areas that he needs to improve, but he has already taken major steps forward since taking the league by storm with the Knicks and the “Linsanity” tag that was placed on him.
There is still a chance that Nash ends up being named the starting point guard, but it’s appearing even more likely that the Lakers could bring Nash off the bench in a limited role. Lin is going to be playing big minutes either way, and will be given the green light to score at will. Obviously the offense will still be run through Bryant, but Lin is going to be one of the primary ball-handlers and will be asked to be the second or third scoring option.
Los Angeles is likely going to suffer through another fairly long season, but Lin is going to be one of the bright spots through the struggles. He will take his scoring to a new level, and will create quite a bit offensively for his teammates. Lin could use some improvement on the defensive end of the court, but he isn’t a terrible defender either.
Needless to say, this is going to be a season that Lin has a chance to improve his value across the NBA. The Lakers are a team that desperately needs players to step up, and Lin is one of the guys that they brought in to do just that. Don’t expect the Lakers to compete for a championship, but if Lin and a couple other players step up, they could make a run at a playoff spot.
Expect to see a much-improved Jeremy Lin put up big numbers and be a huge piece for the Lakers this coming season.
Evan Massey is a Staff Writer for HoopsHabit.com.