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Jeremy Lin: 5 Best Potential Free Agency Destinations

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 23, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) reacts after scoring during the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) reacts after scoring during the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jeremy Lin
Nov 20, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7) shoots the ball during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hornets defeated the 76ers 113-88. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Philadelphia 76ers

This is a no-brainer, and might actually be the best fit overall for Jeremy Lin because of all the young talent this team has accrued. The Philadelphia 76ers have been the NBA’s biggest embarrassment over the last three years, they won 10 games last season and a smart guy like Lin would normally avoid this kind of organization like the plague.

That being said, things are finally starting to turn around from the Sixers, who want to be much more competitive in the here and now under Bryan Colangelo. Philly finally got the No. 1 pick out of Trusting The Process and used it on the versatile point forward Ben Simmons, who automatically becomes the face of the franchise.

Joel Embiid will finally try to suit up in an NBA game. Dario Saric is coming stateside. Nerlens Noel and/or Jahlil Okafor have not been traded for peanuts (yet). Believe it or not, Philadelphia might be relatively competitive again in the near future, especially if they manage to land Harrison Barnes.

But with so little guaranteed money on the books, the Sixers have the freedom to dish out multiple max contracts. This is a team that wouldn’t bat an eyelash offering Lin an outright max, especially since he’d fit a position of need while also drawing in a whole new global fan base.

No offense to Ish Smith (who comes off the books as an unrestricted free agent this summer), T.J. McConnell or Kendall Marshall, but Lin would be an unquestionable upgrade at the 1-spot. With all that young talent finally coming together, having a player who could play on or off the ball alongside Simmons would be a great addition.

Lin wants to start and become the best player he can be. At only 27 years old, he could grow with this young team for the long-term. The Sixers have to spend all that cap space somewhere, they need a marketable point guard, and a Lin-Barnes-Simmons-Saric-Noel-Okafor core isn’t a bad start for the future by any means.

Next: No. 1