Charlotte Hornets: Grading The Offseason
Signing Jeremy Lin
Even if you’re not sold on Jeremy Lin’s usefulness in the NBA, snagging him on a two-year, $4.3 million deal (fitting him in with Charlotte’s bi-annual exception) is a terrific value move to bolster the team’s depth in the backcourt. With Mo Williams heading back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lin — especially at that price — is a tremendous replacement at the backup point guard position.
Last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Lin failed to live up to the hype under the bright lights of Hollywood. But he still averaged a respectable 11.2 points and 4.6 assists in 25.8 minutes per game while shooting just under 37 percent from three-point range.
Jeremy Lin is so excited about joining the Hornets that he wrote a long message on Facebook and then liked it. pic.twitter.com/BH2F5DMc8x
— Scott Rafferty (@crabdribbles) July 9, 2015
Those numbers say nothing about his miserable defense, nor do they speak to the fact that he’s best suited coming off the bench. But as the leading point guard of the bench unit, he could do some damage with the ball in his hands, working pick-and-pop sets with Frank Kaminsky and/or Spencer Hawes.
The days of Linsanity are long gone, but scoring a respectable backup point guard who can score — something Charlotte desperately needed more of last season as the NBA’s 28th ranked offense — at that price for two years is a very nice acquisition.
Grade: A-
Next: The Other Harrison