This past off-season when the Lakers acquired Jeremy Lin from the Houston Rockets, Laker fans assumed Lin would address the point guard inefficiencies that had plagued the Lakers for far too long. Lin is a proven point guard who excels at driving to the rim, can dish out assists, can shoot beyond the perimeter, and most importantly he's a true team player and all-around good guy on and off the court. Recently, however, Byron Scott's statements in regards to the end of Linsanity had me questioning some of his coaching methods, considering that Scott hasn't given Lin a fair shot to showcase his skill set.
Scott was displeased with Lin's lack of consistency when he started alongside Kobe Bryant and the rest of the starters. Not only that, Lin's defense has been virtually non-existent. As a result, Scott relegated Lin to the bench, having Ronnie Price take over his starting minutes. Since the switch Lin's confidence and value has plummeted, and several times throughout the season Lin had vented his frustrations in accordance to the changes.
Having Price start over Lin was a questionable move that left me wondering why Scott had such an affinity for Price. Although Price was a slightly better defender he provided no spark offensively, and his high-risk, high-reward style of play normally ended with the opposition gaining the upper hand.
Lin's ability to get to the hole and get the Lakers' big men involved was his greatest strength, and he performed well enough when he led the squad. Unfortunately when Bryant was on the court Lin's main weapons were taken away, forcing him to become a catch and shoot player. To make matters worst Lin's minutes have been horrendously erratic; some games he'll play 20-25 minutes, other nights he'll only log 10-14 minutes, and there have been a handful of games where Lin was listed on the DNP list ("did not play").
I understand Scott's frustrations with Lin, especially since Lin is the second highest paid player on the roster, making a cool 14.9 million dollars. It's interesting to consider whether or not Scott would have treated Lin differently if he was payed less. Perhaps Scott's expectations would be more reasonable. Nonetheless, Scott appears content with leaving Lin on the bench. Now, Lin's new replacement is the rookie guard, Jordan Clarkson, who has shown tremendous potential.
What does the future have in store for Lin? Lin spoke with the media expressing that his options are still "open" and that it's too "early" to make any decisions. However, I'm confident that Lin will pursue another team that will cater to his skill set. Maybe Lin can revive his career in San Antonio! Playing behind Tony Parker would be a monumental opportunity. Or we might see Lin as a Clipper. The Clippers have struggled to find a note-worthy replacement for Darren Collison, who now starts for the Sacramento Kings.
Undoubtedly, Scott's opinions in regards to Lin have been bold, proclaiming that the days of Linsanity are over. Personally I do not agree with Scott, given that he never trusted Lin to take on the starting role. Since the beginning Scott has kept Lin on a very short leash, and as a result their relationship has become toxic, similar to how D'Antoni mistreated Gasol. Consequently, the Laker fan base may never get a chance to experience the phenomena known as Linsanity, but I can guarantee that Lin will carry his talents and his fan base else where next season.
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