Why Jeremy Lin Left the NBA

Many people were surprised when Jeremy Lin announced he was leaving the NBA to play in China. Here’s why he made the decision.

Jeremy Lin’s NBA Career

Jeremy Lin was an undrafted player in the NBA who was picked up by the Houston Rockets. He quickly became a sensation, starting in every game and averaging over 20 points per game. However, after just a few seasons, Jeremy Lin was out of the NBA. What happened?

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors

Jeremy Lin was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft with the 39th overall pick. He played sparingly during his rookie season, and was assigned to the Warriors’ NBA D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, five times. He was recalled on January 28, 2011, but again sent down to Reno on March 5. On March 20, he was recalled for the final time of the season.

Waived by the Warriors and picked up by the Houston Rockets

In the 2011 off-season, the Warriors waived Lin. He was claimed by the Houston Rockets on December 12, 2011. After a successful string of games as their backup point guard, he was promoted to the starting role on February 6, 2012, becoming only the third Asian American player in NBA history to do so (after Wong Wee Nam and Wat Misaka). On February 10, 2012, Lin scored a then career-high 38 points in a 92–85 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. This performance followed his 29-point outing against New Jersey Nets three days earlier.

Lin’s breakout season with the New York Knicks

In 2012, Lin was still playing for the Knicks when he had his breakout season. He was suddenly thrust into the national spotlight and became a global sensation. He was even given the nickname “Linsanity.” However, Lin’s success with the Knicks was short-lived. After just a few months, he was sidelined with a knee injury and then traded to the Houston Rockets.

Lin signs with the Los Angeles Lakers

After his contract with the Rockets expired, Lin signed a two-year, $4.2 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers on July 10, 2014.

The Lakers had recently drafted guard D’Angelo Russell out of Ohio State with the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, and company president Jeanie Buss stated that Lin would be “a perfect mentor for D’Angelo.”

Lin’s first season with the Lakers was hampered by injuries; he played in just 35 games and averaged 11.8 points per game before being sidelined for the rest of the season after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee on April 4, 2016.

Lin is traded to the Brooklyn Nets

On July 12, 2012, Lin was traded, along with a future second-round draft pick, to the Houston Rockets in a sign-and-trade deal. The Nets then used their amnesty clause on Troy Murphy, making room for Lin’s salary. On July 15, 2012, the Rockets officially announced that they had signed Lin. In his first press conference with the Rockets, Lin stated that he did not regret anything that happened during his time with the Knicks and that he was excited for his new opportunity with the Rockets.

Lin’s arrival in Houston created high expectations among Rockets fans. Fans started referring to themselves as “Linsanity 2.0”. Public interest surrounding Lin was so high that when he made his debut against the Detroit Pistons on October 31, 2012, the game was broadcast live on national TV in China.

Why Jeremy Lin Left the NBA

Jeremy Lin is a Chinese-American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He unexpectedly led a winning turnaround with the New York Knicks in 2012, which generated a global craze known as “Linsanity”. Lin is one of the few Asian Americans in NBA history, and the first Asian American to play in the NBA Finals. In the summer of 2016, Lin signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets, but was traded to the Atlanta Hawks midway through his first season with the Nets. After one season with the Hawks, Lin was bought out of his contract and became a free agent. He returned to the Beijing Ducks for the 2017–18 season.

Lack of playing time

One of the main reasons Jeremy Lin decided to leave the NBA was due to a lack of playing time. As he entered his twilight years as a professional basketball player, he found himself stuck behind younger, more promising talent. While he was still technically considered “starting caliber,” the fact of the matter was that he would never see the same amount of playing time as he did during his days with the Knicks. In order to prolong his career, and give himself a chance to win an NBA championship, Jeremy Lin decided to leave the NBA and join a team in China.

Frustration with role on the team

It’s no secret that point guard Jeremy Lin was unhappy with his role on the Brooklyn Nets last season. He spoke out about it publicly on multiple occasions, and it was clear that he was not happy with the way he was being used.

Now, it appears that Lin’s frustration with his role on the team led to his decision to leave the NBA and sign with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association.

In an interview with ESPN, Lin said that he “wasn’t in a good place mentally” last season and that he felt like he “ didn’t have a chance to be [himself] out there.”

Lin added that he is looking forward to “playing freely” in China and that he is excited to be “a part of something special” in Beijing.

It is understandable why Jeremy Lin would be frustrated with his role on the Nets. He averaged just 20.0 minutes per game last season, which was his lowest average since his rookie year.

Lin also saw his scoring average drop from 14.6 points per game in 2016-17 to 9.8 points per game last season. It is clear that he was not given the opportunity to show what he could really do on the court.

While it is disappointing to see Jeremy Lin leave the NBA, it is understandable why he made this decision. He was simply not given the opportunity to succeed in Brooklyn, and he will now have a chance to show what he can really do in China

Lin’s career statistics

Lin played 36 games for the Rockets in the 2012–13 season, averaging 13.4 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game. He was again selected as a Western Conference All-Star reserve, but he did not play due to injury.

Lin missed most of the 2013–14 season due to a knee injury that occurred during a preseason game on October 4, 2013. In his absence, the Rockets acquired All-Star point guard Patrick Beverley from the Oklahoma City Thunder; Beverley would ultimately start for the Rockets for the rest of the season and through their playoff run. Lin returned from injury on December 15, 2013, recording 12 points and seven assists in a 105–83 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. However, he would struggle with inconsistent playing time under head coach Kevin McHale throughout the season’s first half; as a result, his statistical production (5.8 PPG and 3.0 APG by February 2014) had considerably declined from the previous season.

Because of this limited role with Houston; on July 18, 2014, Lin was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-team trade that also involved the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers. He returned to form during his first season with the Lakers, starting all but one of their 82 regular season games while averaging 11.2 points and 4.6 assists per game – both career highs since his rookie year – en route to being named third-team All-NBA by Sports Illustrated’s panel of NBA writers and broadcasters. However, his numbers dipped slightly during his second year with Los Angeles (10.2 PPG and 3 APG), as he dealt with injuries that limited him to just 65 games played (the lowest total since his rookie year).

On July 8, 2016; after two seasons with Los Angeles Lakers in which he averaged 10+ points per game off the bench for them both years; Jeremy Lin was released by Los Angeles via stretched provision after terms could not be agreed upon for a contract buyout or trade before his $2 million contract for 2016–17 became fully guaranteed on July 11th .

What’s Next for Jeremy Lin?

Jeremy Lin left the NBA because he wasn’t getting the playing time that he wanted and he felt like he could get it elsewhere. Now, he’s looking to play in China where he will have a better chance of getting more playing time. But what’s next for Jeremy Lin?

Playing in the Chinese Basketball Association

In July 2019, Lin signed with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He chose the Ducks over other offers because they allowed him to have a larger role on the team and more control over his sponsorship deals, which was important to him as he looked to continue to build his brand in Asia. In his first season with the Ducks, Lin averaged 22.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game, leading the team to a second-place finish in the regular season. He was named to the All-CBA First Team and the CBA Defensive Player of the Year.

In October 2020, Lin signed with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League, but was waived before appearing in a game for them.

Lin’s future in the NBA

What’s next for Jeremy Lin?

That’s a question that has been on the minds of many since the talented young point guard unexpectedly left the NBA in 2019.

It’s no secret that Lin had a rough go of it in his final season in the league. He was plagued by injuries and struggled to find consistent playing time with his new team, the Toronto Raptors.

Lin did have some bright moments during his time with the Raptors, including a impressive performance in the playoffs. But ultimately, it wasn’t enough to keep him in the league.

So, what’s next for Jeremy Lin?

It’s tough to say. Lin has not ruled out making a return to the NBA, but it seems unlikely that he will be able to find a role with a contending team. It’s more likely that he will head overseas to continue his career.

There is no doubt that Jeremy Lin is a talented player. He proved that during his time in the NBA. However, his departure from the league leaves many wondering what could have been.