Los Angeles Lakers Offer Jeremy Lin the Ideal Stage to Redefine Career

Jeremy Lin has yet to stop bouncing around the NBA.

Even after his meteoric ascent through the public eye, Lin's reward has come in the form of dollar signs and notoriety rather than consistent, constant value. His career is still best defined by that captivating spate of dominance with the New York Knicks. Those moments—fleeting yet fulfilling—still hang over his head and professional reputation, the scourge to a should-be Cinderella story.

And that's where the Los Angeles Lakers, Lin's new team, come into play.

Where Lin was still a novelty with the Houston Rockets and Knicks, he has the opportunity to be something more in Los Angeles. 

The stage isn't set for him to play savior or rival the expired flashes that put him on the map. Instead, for the first time ever, Lin finds himself in a situation that allows him to be him without regard for feats and fame of days past. 

 

Back to the Basics



Pick-and-rolls helped fuel Lin's rise to on-court prominence.

Almost 43 percent of his total offensive possessions came within pick-and-rolls during his breakout 2011-12 campaign, according to Synergy Sports (subscription required). That was Mike D'Antoni's offensive system—pick-and-roll, pick-and-roll, pick-and-roll—and it was perfect for him.

Remaining in attack mode gave Lin more control. It played to his strengths as a penetration-proficient point guard while opening up the floor for those around him.

That's the Lin general manager Daryl Morey invested in that summer.

That's the Lin Houston killed.

Acquiring James Harden ahead of the 2012-13 crusade changed everything. Lin, despite being the point guard, was no longer that primary ball-bearer. Operating alongside Harden forced him off the rock, relegating him to more spot-up duty than he was suited to play.
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers