Jeremy Lin says he would ‘love’ to return to Charlotte Hornets next season as decision time beckons
Hornets guard, who can opt out of next season on his contract, says he wants to re-sign with the franchise this summer
Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin, who can opt out of next season on his contract, says he’d very much like to re-sign with the franchise this summer.
“I would love to,” Lin said on Monday. “I don’t like moving every year, I don’t like packing and unpacking boxes. So we’ll see. But I’m definitely interested in coming back.”
Lin played for the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers before signing with the Hornets in July. He played both point guard and shooting guard for the Hornets and found this season the most enjoyable of his career.
“This is the most fun I’ve had in my six years in the NBA,” Lin said. “Being around a great group of guys and a coaching staff that really cares. I’ve learned so much about the game of basketball, particularly at the defensive end.”
“My biggest thing is I want to have fun and be happy,” he said. “I’ve been paid on the lower end and had a blast, and I’ve been paid on the higher end and not enjoyed it at all.
“Honestly, money has never been the most important thing. Money is important because it shows how a team values you. But beyond that I don’t care all that much about money. Me coming here (for slightly more than US$2 million a season) showed that.”
Lin said the chemistry the Hornets developed this season was special and rarer than fans might realise.
“I definitely want to play with these guys and this coach,” Lin said, referring to Steve Clifford. “When you bounce around a lot the way I have, seeing a lot of organisations, there’s a lot about this one that I can appreciate in terms of my experience, that maybe I didn’t have in other situations.
“From the (preseason) China trip we knew this team really got along. I kind of expected there’d be bumps and bruises along the way as far as guys getting along with each other, but really there wasn’t. I’ve never seen a group of guys at the professional level (where) all the guys 1 through 15 got along together. It wasn’t uncommon for all 15 of us to do something together.
“That’s really, really rare.”
Lin said he also appreciates Clifford’s candour and honesty.
“He’s not one to sugar-coat or lie to you, which is why a lot of guys love playing for him,” Lin said.
“What he told me from the beginning is pretty much how it went. I felt like for me, some of the adjustment was playing in such different roles. But that wasn’t because of false expectations, it was just about guys getting hurt.”