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Charlotte Hornets: Is Jeremy Lin A Sixth Man Of The Year Candidate?

By Gerald Bourguet

Oct 19, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) during the first half of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) during the first half of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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With a potential season-ending injury to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Charlotte Hornets‘ playoff hopes are already on life support in 2015-16. They may have some form of MKG insurance thanks to the Nicolas Batum trade, but with Lance Stephenson and Gerald Henderson out the door, the Hornets technically don’t have a quality starting 2-guard right now.

In the preseason, we’ve seen the Hornets put their versatility to good use, starting a variety of lineups. They’ve given Jeremy Lamb and P.J. Hairston their opportunity to start at the 2 and they’ve experimented with backup point guard Jeremy Lin playing beside Kemba Walker in the backcourt. But for the most part, they’ve moved Batum to the 2, with Marvin Williams playing small forward and Cody Zeller starting at the 4.

The Hornets’ starting lineup may be a trial and error process to start the season, but luckily for Jeremy Lin, it hasn’t mattered whether he’s been starting or coming off the bench. After an underwhelming stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, it appears that Linsanity may be destined for a revival in Charlotte.

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In six preseason games, Lin averaged 15.3 points and 3.8 assists in 25.2 minutes per game — all team highs. He shot a blistering 56.6 percent from the field and drained 47.1 percent of his 2.8 three-point attempts per game. With everyone in North Carolina depressed about Kidd-Gilchrist’s injury, Lin’s scoring bursts off the bench were a silver lining.

Preseason is only preseason, and since a six-game sample size is minuscule in the wake of a full 82-game season, it’s unreasonable to expect Lin to continue shooting with that kind of efficiency in 2015-16. For his career, Lin is only a career 43.7 percent shooter from the field and 34.9 percent shooter from downtown.

However, his eye-opening preseason could make good on Michael Jordan‘s words that Jeremy Lin will be the biggest addition to the Charlotte Hornets’ roster this year. In fact, he very well could be one of the highest volume scorers off the bench in the entire NBA this season.

For years now, the Hornets have desperately needed scoring. That’s been an issue since the defensive-minded Steve Clifford took over, and it’s been an issue ever since the Charlotte Bobcats’ inaugural season in 2004-05. In that time, the highest-scoring Hornets/Bobcats offense was ranked 24th in the league. The HIGHEST.

  •  2014-15: 100.1 offensive rating (28th)
  • 2013-14: 103.6 offensive rating (24th)
  • 2012-13: 101.5 offensive rating (28th)
  • 2011-12: 95.2 offensive rating (30th)
  • 2010-11: 103.4 offensive rating (26th)
  • 2009-10: 104.4 offensive rating (24th)
  • 2008-09: 104.7 offensive rating (27th)
  • 2007-08: 104.6 offensive rating (24th)
  • 2006-07: 103.6 offensive rating (27th)
  • 2005-06: 102.5 offensive rating (27th)
  • 2004-05: 101.1 offensive rating (28th)

Gerald Henderson was often under-appreciated, but the guy was a consistent source of anywhere from 12-15 points per game over the last four years. With him gone, Walker still being an inefficient shooter and the Hornets desperately in need of some offense outside of Al Jefferson, Jeremy Lin has the chance to come in off the bench and fill a need as a gunner with few restrictions.

Expectations for Lin weren’t exactly high when it was announced Charlotte had signed him to a two-year, $4.3 million deal. That kind of value for a productive backup guard came at a bargain price, but coming off a season in which he was an afterthought with a 21-win Lakers team, the Lin signing was similarly overlooked amidst the other, sexier free agency news.

Lin didn’t even earn an honorable mention among my top 10 candidates for Sixth Man of the Year in 2015-16, but it’s starting to look like he could insert himself into the conversation.

Whether it’s this ideal role on a team that needs offense, some sort of internal motivation after being let go by the lowly Lakers, or the switch from that awful bowl cut to a hairdo most likely inspired by Dragon Ball Z, Jeremy Lin looks like he’s ready for a Sixth Man of the Year kind of season. Linsanity could be back before you know it.

Next: NBA Power Rankings: Opening Week

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