Veteran guard Jeremy Lin published an Instagram post on Tuesday evening expressing disappointment that he was unable to earn a call-up to the NBA following a successful stint in the G League earlier this season.
Lin, who last played in the NBA in 2019 with the Raptors, decided to play in the G League rather than spending another year in China, since he believed the NBAGL represented his best shot at getting back to the NBA — especially given the restrictions on international travel and scouting in place during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 32-year-old averaged 19.8 PPG on .505/.426/.879 shooting in nine G League contests for the Santa Cruz Warriors. While his age worked against him, it’s worth noting Lin was the only player among the NBAGL’s top 14 scorers who didn’t spend any time with an NBA team during the 2020/21 season. Twelve of those players finished the season on an NBA roster, while one (Henry Ellenson) received a 10-day deal in March.
“For months, I saw others get contracts, chances, opportunities,” Lin wrote on Instagram. “I told myself I just need ONE ten-day contract, one chance to get back on the floor and I would blow it out the water. After all that’s how my entire career started – off one chance to prove myself. For reasons I’ll never fully know, that chance never materialized. But I proved I’m better than ever and an NBA player.”
Although Lin’s post isn’t a retirement announcement, it reads as something of a farewell to the NBA, as Kurt Helin of NBC Sports observes. Lin referred to having taken a year to “chase a dream” and called May 16 the “final deadline” for an NBA call-up. He also addressed the next generation of Asian-American NBA hopefuls, telling them, “You guys got next.”
Those comments don’t mean Lin is giving up on the NBA in future seasons. However, they suggest that when he resumes his career, he may be more inclined to consider other options, including possibly a return to China, where he could play a starring role.
“I didn’t get it done, but I have no regrets,” Lin wrote. “I gave my ALL and hold my head high. As for what’s next, I trust what God has in store for me.”
Shameful Lacob and GSW found room for other way worse players than Lin, but refused him, and even played with 8 actives with open roster spaces for long stretches of the regular season instead of signing him. No excuses. Lin might be better than Bazemore right now, straight up. Dumbest FO, this should have been an easy chip for GSW this year but the FO and Kerr ruined it.
I assume you mean Lay’s or Herr’s because those are the only chips golden state was coming close to
No tailbone injury and GSW finishes 4th. They might still run it back this year anyway, because Curry is being such a psycho.
Joker mode has been activated, he’s out to make everyone madder this year. MVP.
This is nonsense. GSW record with Curry is 37-26. This translates into 42-30 throughout 72 games, the same record as Portland, Dallas and Lakers, and way off the 4th seed. Now let’s assume Doncic, Porzingis, Lillard, McCollum, LeBron and AD hadn’t missed any games, and GSW would probably be good for the 8th spot… just what they got.
Joker mode? lol who talks like that?
Of course this nonsense will continue next season and will surely become even more ridiculous with the expected return of Klay Thompson. And we will yet again see all of the blame for their lack of success placed upon Kerr and team management. If they keep putting everything on Curry’s shoulders like they have this season, it’s going to end in disaster with yet another serious injury.
Lin is not a better player than Bazemore for what the Ws need when you consider size. Also, say Lin’s gets the minimum for his age, which is probably over $2million. Was he really worth $6 million for the Warriors? Obviously not.
It’s insane that you think Lin was the difference maker for the Ws being a title team.
Jeremy Lin looked horrible in 2019, thinking he is the key too GSW winning a title is laughable at best
@noahrnoahr – I’m pretty sure that all minimum contracts are treated the same for tax purposes. In fact, I think the union covers the difference between the vet’s minimum and the minimum based on seniority, so the tax implications would have been the same for any minimum player.
But I agree with the larger point that Bazemore was more important to the Dubs than Lin for their current roster.
cry more liN.
I think you’re the one crying more than Lin was lol
Sadly teams are learning that giving opportunity to younger guys that offer more for future value are more attractive than older players who may be fighting for their last stint, are more prone to injury and often while they may be wiser are less willing to adapt to a coach’s plan.
Only way Lin was going to see action was if Steph went down with a bad injury and the Warriors needed a warm body to play out the string.
Not sure how I feel about this stuff. It’s gotta be so hard to say goodbye, especially when you feel like you have more to give. On the other hand stuff like this and comments earlier in the season from IT…so cringey. We get it dudes, but newsflash — life is one big disappointment. Get used to it.
And it isn’t all that disappointing to have made tens of millions playing hoops.
Not disappointing, eh?
How about you pour 20+ years of your life into one pursuit and one ultimate goal, watch it slip away, and then get back to us about how it’s not that disappointing because you have some cash.
At 32 he’s still valuable as a backup. A young team could use him as mentor and backup. Or a contender for depth. At the minimum, don’t see why not.
back to ny then.
Opportunity cost. Lin takes up a roster slot that could be used to develop a young player with upside.
To be fair, most of the top 14 scorers who played in the NBA were already on either 2-way or NBA contracts.
Also worth noting that Lin was only the second leading scorer on Santa Cruz, and wasn’t all that far ahead of the third leading scorer. And who is that third leading scorer: Nico Mannion, who is barely an NBA player. Not saying Lin wasn’t call-up worthy, but it’s not like he’s someone to get super excited about either.
Yup. Also PG is deep as ever, 6-3 is increasingly small for NBA players w/o knock down shooting or great athleticism, *and* Lin was terrible after his leg injury in Brooklyn
On the other hand Austin Rivers continues to get contracts, and even IT got his umpteenth chance to prove he’s done as an NBA player this year. So it’s maybe slightly surprising Lin didn’t get a 10 day.
Oh my gawd, Marty. Quit while you are this far behind. You say you are a fan of Golden State; but you don’t know the first thing about them. Lin didn’t get signed to a full season because he is not healthy. His bad back forced him to miss a lot of games. Why would they sign an injured player?
What is Marty’s excuse for the Warriors losing in LA tonight?
Kerr should have played Steph for all 48 minutes, not just 40. Fire him!
hey vince 2,
how come an injured player average 20 pts in a G league? and how many games he played?
For as bad as the NBA screwed Lin the first time, seeing players called up lesser than Lin is a tough pill to swallow— and so easy to fix with a ten-day. Not a good look to show East Asia… or the Ivy league.
He would have looked fine as the replacement Delly on the Cavs. It’s not like Garland would have worried about his job. Delly played 13 and 7 others played about 45, none with great success. They could have kept Yogi Ferrell or Quinn Cook, decent on/offs, but kept trying players out. Few keepers IMO.
Lin has a bad back. Why would you sign an injured player?
bad back injured players cant average 20 points in a G League. maybe in your YMCA senior league, but definitely not in an NBA G League.
Lin never was good, now even less… can’t see how he even thought he could make it into the NBA!
which lin are you talking about? jerome lin, jonah lin, or danny lin? maybe your neighbour jeremy?